It’s the week of Valentine’s Day, and I’ve been thinking about love and business. More specifically, falling in love with my business. Starting a business is like being in a new romance. Exploring that new business idea is exciting, and it feels like there are so many opportunities ahead. And, you can’t wait to take the next steps.
But after some time building your business, it may not feel so glamorous. You’re having to wear many hats, and some of your routine tasks are becoming boring and tiresome. Your day-to-day operations are not as smooth or sexy as you thought they would be. You might even be facing difficulties sustaining the business as you encounter challenging customers, vendors, or partners, and/or face inconsistent cash flow.
Some days you may start to wonder if you’re doing the right thing by staying in this business. Or, if you would be better off going to work for someone else. This week, we’re exploring some things you can do to rekindle that spark and fall in love with your business all over again.
Don’t Lose Your Sense of Self
If you let it, running a business can take up all your time. That’s why it’s important to set boundaries. Define your workspace and working hours. Find time to unplug from the work. And, know that it’s okay to say no – to clients that aren’t a good fit, meetings that aren’t productive, and people who want to pick your brain.
Reconnect with Your Business
When you first started your business, you might have drafted mission, vision, and values statements. Managing the details of daily operations can cause you to lose sight of your purpose. Take some time to reconnect with your business’ mission, vision, and values. And, ask yourself if you are still embodying them or identify what is needed for you to embody them.
Make Quality Time for Your Business
Look at all your business processes – how you are marketing and selling your products and services, delivering them, providing customer support, and managing relationships with employees, vendors and partners – and what your role is in them. Identify if there are any places where you can streamline your processes or if there are any activities that make more sense to delegate to others. Making your processes more efficient will free you up to think more strategically about your business.
Have a Weekly Date with Your Business
Set aside time each week to work on the business, not just in it. Commit time each week to reviewing your business’ performance, identifying adjustments that need to be made, and making plans for the future. Making time each week to work on the business will help you see how far you’ve come, what lies ahead, and inspire you to keep going.
Celebrate Your Progress
With all you have to do in your business, it’s easy to get conditioned to move from one activity to the next and forget to celebrate the wins. It’s important to note that celebrations don’t always have to be big elaborate affairs that cost money. They can be as simple as taking a moment to check something off the to do list. However big or small, the little act of celebration helps build confidence in your business.
Express Gratitude
Last but not least, think about what’s good about running your own business. Write down all the things you are grateful for as an entrepreneur. Regularly expressing gratitude can improve your outlook on your business, boost your energy, and make you more productive.