New Year, Fresh Start! But Where’s the Motivation?

It’s a brand-new year—a great opportunity to start fresh and set some new goals. Time to make resolutions and improve your life, right? If you’re a business owner, that extends to growing and improving your business too.

As a business owner, there are a lot of to-dos that must get done. Owning a business can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you get to control the outcome and be your own boss. On the other hand, it can be pretty stressful being responsible for its success and that of your employees. And just like with any job, burnout is a real thing.

There are many important aspects of running a successful business. If you actually took the time to list everything you, as a business owner, are responsible for, you may just throw up your hands and quit. It’s critical to stay motivated to check those things off your list or else failure is inevitable. But how do you stay motivated when you’re just not feeling it? Sometimes I really struggle to get the necessary things done, especially those mundane tasks that can be boring, yet critical for business operations. I try, but sometimes it’s almost impossible to get motivated to start. New projects are exciting and different, and I’m usually ready to jump right in and tackle those from start to finish. But I find it challenging to even think about doing the everyday tasks, even though they are just as important, if not more so, than those new projects.

It’s not that I don’t realize these “menial” tasks need to get done. They are definitely necessary for the ongoing operations of my business. These mundane duties include preparing budgets, doing taxes (or dealing with your tax accountant), checking and responding to emails, dealing with employee issues, etc. I equate these with cleaning a house. Not many of us enjoy doing routine household chores, but they need to get done. If you keep putting it off, the mess just grows, making the job harder and take longer.

So How Do You Get Motivated?

You know you need to tackle those tasks if your business is to remain afloat. So how do you get the motivation to get them done? Motivation neither just happens nor lasts. It takes focus, drive, and a conscious effort to maintain it. When it lags, roll up your sleeves, choose a task, and get back to the business-building at hand. There are some ways you can pick yourself up, get off your keester, and tackle that list of to-dos.

1. Know your triggers. If you find yourself procrastinating with certain tasks, force yourself to tackle them first thing or set a completion date and stick to it.
2. Rank their importance. When you become overwhelmed, take a minute to evaluate the situation. Can certain tasks be delayed or delegated? There are only so many hours in a day, so if you can put them off or have someone else do them, go for it.
3. Learn from past mistakes. If you’ve suffered past consequences of procrastinating or failing to complete a task on time, remind yourself of that occurrence. I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant, so remembering it may be the impetus to get it done.
4. Switch it up. If you’re used to working a standard day, like 9-5, maybe you need to change your schedule. If you’re a night person, tackle these tasks after dinner and the kids are in bed. If you do your best work in the morning, get up and start earlier.
5. Develop better habits. Your energy level is directly affected by your physical and mental fitness. Start taking better care of your body. Eat healthier and exercise more. You may think you don’t have time in your day to work out, but you may be surprised how much more you get done after a 20-minute walk.
6. Get help. If there are repetitive and routine tasks that are necessary but mind-numbing, or you just don’t enjoy doing them, delegate them. Hire an assistant or assign them to a current employee who is capable of getting them done timely and accurately.

Some Excellent Ways to Start the New Business Year

There are some things you can start now that will benefit you throughout the year and get you more organized.

• Taxes. You may be able to get an early start on your business tax return. Gather details and documents that you or your tax accountant will need to do your taxes. What was your income in 2021? What were your expenses? Organize receipts and important papers.
• Budgeting. Prepare your budget for the year early on. Do you have a goal for lowering your business expenses? Or are you going to put more money into the advertising budget? Where should your money go for your business this year? Itemize and set dollar amounts. Refer to them throughout the year and adjust, as needed.
• Customer appreciation. How do you show appreciation to your customers? Have you always thought you wanted to do something but have not yet set it up? What about sending thank you cards every time you make a booking? What about a referral bonus program? Getting it set up is the biggest challenge. And maintaining it is very important.

In Conclusion

Just remember, you started your business for a reason. Making it a successful one is hard work and not everyone can or wants to do it. But if you’re committed, you must learn how to maintain your motivation and dive in no matter how much you don’t want to.

Developing high levels of motivation is a skill that you must constantly work on. Don’t get complacent; don’t procrastinate; don’t ignore those necessary tasks. That is, unless you’re willing to accept failure. My guess is, you’ll choose success, so get motivated to succeed in 2022!