How to keep yourself motivated as an online business owner

Feeling a little blah about your work right now? Discover simple ways you can keep yourself motivated as an online business owner.

When you decided to take on the journey of being an online business owner, you were probably expecting to sit by the beach sipping on martinis with the computer on your lap. Then you were hit by the hard reality that isn’t the case at all.

You’re stressed, lonely, and at times feel like giving up. It sucks that you rarely make physical human connections, and now you feel like you’re not really getting anywhere.

But don’t worry, that is a common occurrence in online business owners. There are many ways to get you back onto your feet and reach your goals.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can keep yourself motivated during the hard times so that you can achieve the freedom you’ve been working so hard for!

Keep yourself fit

This isn’t a tip that’s often passed around when it comes to work motivation, but it actually is important. When you’re fit, you just move, think, and work better. If you’ve been feeling sluggish the past few days, consider going for a brisk walk around the park or run.

Running is a great stress reliever because your body releases endorphins as you run. However, invest in quality shoes that fit your needs. For example, look for running shoes that ease heel pain if you tend to feel a lot of impact on the base of your feet.

Other exercises you should consider doing to stay healthy are cycling, swimming, strength training, and boxing. These are exercises that challenge your mental toughness and boosts your self-esteem as you accomplish them, thus improving your outlook on life in general and your business.

Communicate with customers

Develop a good relationship with your customers no matter how big you get. Ask them what they like most about your business and see what parts need improvement. Chances are, your customers would be delighted to let you know what’s on their mind, and may become repeat customers.

Remember, behind those emails and chats are people with real feelings and personalities who appreciate another person asking for their ideas.

When you have a strong bond with your customers, you get a sense of belonging in the community you’re providing value for. This acts as an anchor and reminds you of the why’s you’re doing this and who you are helping.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to put you on the right track.

Analyze your progress

In the midst of inventory counting, talking to clients, and accounting work, it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in responsibilities without any indication of how well you’re progressing.

Whether you’re in a rut or feel like you are in the above situation, it’s a great idea to look at how far you’ve come. This could be going through old invoices from a year ago and see how much revenue growth you’ve experienced, or just going to your client list and see how many are on retainer now compared to a few months ago.

Sometimes, you’ve got to look back to move forward. By going through some history, you’ll realize that you’ve come so far and naturally would be motivated to go through your current hurdles.

Photo by Laura Chouette