14-02-2008
Keep the spring in your step this winter
By Karen Baldwin
There are few people more motivated than the small business owner in the early stages of establishing their own business.
The buzz of doing your own thing, the opportunity to build up an asset and the idea of unlimited earning potential are all forces that drive an entrepreneur to make numerous sacrifices, often putting everything they own on the line and working unsustainably long hours.
Keeping up motivation can be a problem
But as with almost all relationships, this honeymoon period between the owner and their business doesn’t last for ever. Within six to 12 months it is not unusual for the business owner to wonder what moment of madness led them to starting up the business.
This is certainly one of the reasons why so many small businesses fail within a year or two of starting up, despite the very best initial efforts of the owner. Long hours, problems with cash flow, and cut throat competition all take their toll after a while and can be very de-motivating.
As such, motivation isn’t just an issue for business owners who are going through tough times. The owners of even the most successful of businesses also have periods when they hit the wall and find it hard to be enthusiastic as a result of burn out.
This is particularly the case in the winter months when short days, grey skies and cold temperatures make staying at home in bed tempting for everyone. Bears hibernate for the winter for a good reason!
However, the fact is that as a business owner, the buck stops with you, and while it’s okay to daydream about spending days in bed, the reality is that you do still need to get up every day and service your customers or clients.
Get your bounce back!
So how do you get that bounce back in your step? How do you get excited again about your work at this time of the year?
As with a marriage, while it’s unlikely you will recapture those heady honeymoon feelings again, it is possible to again love your business and enjoy working every day. Surviving these emotionally and physically draining winter months is the first step towards this goal.
Now may be a good time to take off on that holiday you’ve been promising yourself for the past year or two. Many businesses go through a quiet period in the winter months; if this is the case for you, why not head off to somewhere warm and sunny for a week or two to top up those Vitamin D levels? Chances are your employees can run the ship for this short period of time or if you are a sole operator, you could structure your projects and jobs around a mid-winter holiday.
The benefits of having some time away from the business and recharging your batteries cannot be over-stated. It will allow you to pursue other interests as well as time to think creatively about the business. Chances are you will come back feeling regenerated and enthusiastic.
If you didn’t get around to it in December or January, take the time now to review last year’s business performance and set some goals for 2008. To do it properly, take a day or two away to think about what you want to achieve from your business in the coming year.
Fresh ideas on your business
It can be helpful to get friends and colleagues from outside the business together for an informal brainstorming session, which gets the creative juices flowing and offers a fresh perspective on your business direction.
Then review your business and marketing plans, determine what processes and systems could be implemented or improved and set some goals.
This process will allow you to look beyond today’s struggles and will help to restore enthusiasm as you set your sights firmly on the future.
When we lose enthusiasm for our work, there are suddenly many distractions that seem to appear and we can find ourselves losing whole days on tasks that really aren’t that important or urgent.
As difficult as it can be sometimes, if you can take that all-important first step and tackle a project or job that you have been putting off, chances are you’ll end up appreciating the opportunity to bury yourself in challenging work. Having some runs on the board will give you the motivation and confidence to work on other projects and you will soon find yourself immersed in – and loving – your work again.
Alternatively, do a business spring clean a few months early. Repaint your office or premises, clean out your desk, hire or buy a new coffee machine and get some new CDs; you’ll feel like you’re in a new environment and may even find yourself looking forward to heading into work in the morning.
And if you’re struggling with work at the moment, your employees probably are as well. Why not spend an afternoon together enjoying lunch or a movie and make it a ‘work free’ zone for a couple of hours.
Whatever you decide to do to combat the winter blues, the most important thing to do is to keep moving and keep stimulated – spring will be here before you know it.
