15 Tips On How to Stay Motivated and Inspired When Working for Yourself

There are many different reasons why people work for themselves. They may have been unhappy at their last job, they may be working to fulfill a lifelong dream, or they might just want more flexibility in their schedule. However you found yourself with the opportunity to work for yourself, it can be hard to stay motivated and inspired when you’re on your own.  Here are some tips that will help you stay motivated and inspired as an entrepreneur: 

1. Write down three things that make you happy.

Writing down three things that make you happy will remind you of the simple joys in life that are not related to work. It’s easy to get lost in your work, forget what makes you happy, and lose sight of your original goals. These three things may not have anything to do with making money or being an entrepreneur. They could be as simple as watching a sunset or spending time with family or friends.

2. Get outside and take a walk around your neighborhood or go to the park.

Taking a break to get outside for some fresh air will allow you to clear your head and find new inspiration. Even if it’s just for ten minutes, the change of scenery can help you look at things differently.  One study found that walking in nature boosts creativity by 37 percent compared to walking in an urban environment. This is because natural settings play with your imagination more than man-made areas do, getting you thinking about abstract concepts like time and space which are necessary when coming up with creative solutions.

3. Do something nice for someone else – volunteer, donate clothes, give them a compliment.

Doing something nice for someone else does not have to be big. Helping your neighbor carry in their groceries or complimenting someone you don’t even know can make a huge difference. It’s easy to focus all of your energy on yourself and forget that other people are going through the same struggles as you, especially if they’re not working for themselves. When you shift gears and help others it recharges you with renewed vigor to continue achieving your own goals.

4. Be around positive people who motivate you.

You will never stay motivated if the people around you are constantly saying negative things which only fuel the fire inside of you to do nothing at all. Make sure there is a balance between being those who challenge your ideas and being those who support you.

5. Do something every day that is on your to-do list.

There will always be days when it just feels more natural to relax or spend time with friends instead of working, but if you get everything done on your to-do list one day, you know the next day will feel better because you’ll have fewer things left on it. Plus, you can’t beat the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a task.

6. Keep your job search going in case this doesn’t work out for whatever reason.

Even if at the moment all signs are pointing toward success, there’s no guarantee that tomorrow will be the same story. It’s important to maintain some sort of income stream so you don’t have to worry about paying your bills if it all goes south. This way, you’ve got the peace of mind that comes with enough money to survive if things don’t work out for whatever reason.

7. Reward yourself.

Periodically treat yourself to something you really enjoy, whether it’s watching a movie or having dinner at your favorite restaurant. It can be easy to lose track of why you’re working so hard when everything feels like an uphill battle. Rewarding yourself will remind you of the fun times life has in store for you once everything is perfected or accomplished which will motivate you to keep going until then.

8. Get some help from someone who knows what they are – hire a coach, purchase a course, work with a mentor.

There is an endless supply of things that can hold you back from achieving your goals and a coach or mentor knows what they are and how to get around them. They will keep you going in the right direction so you don’t have to worry about whether something is going to be a detour on your path or not.

9. Turn it into a game.

Everyone loves games – even if you lose, you only need to make it back to the final level before making another attempt at victory which makes losing less painful. Look at everything as a giant board game where every milestone reached brings you one step closer to fulfilling your mission which will help motivate you when times are tough.

10. Keep track of all the blessings in your life so you can be grateful for what you have instead of focusing on what’s missing.

There are infinite reasons why you should be grateful for everything that has happened in your life to get you where you are today. If someone had told you that years ago when you were younger, not much would have changed because the only way to make it is if there’s actually something to look back at and appreciate. Keep track of all the blessings so you can remember how far you’ve come since starting out on your own business venture which will increase your gratitude for what you do have while also motivating yourself to continue working towards fulfilling future goals.

11. Take things one day at a time instead of looking too far into the future or too closely at the present moment.

The present moment can sometimes feel like an unending cycle of working so it’s important to not focus too much on what’s right in front of you. A great way to motivate yourself is by telling yourself that all you have to do is get past today and focus instead on the future – each day gets us another step closer towards achieving our goals which will serve as an extra push when things seem tough.

12. Find your purpose outside of your business/job.

Everyone needs something else in their life besides work which they can use as inspiration or motivation without having to think about the tasks required at their job or business, whether it be a pet, hobby, or children. If there are certain aspects of your dream that never come to fruition because you spend all your time working long hours, make sure you have enough time outside of work to fill the void.

13. Don’t let yourself feel burnt out or overwhelmed by all the things you need to do – take a break if necessary!

Burnout is one of the most common problems that entrepreneurs face because they spend so much energy focusing on their business that it’s easy for them to forget about themselves, especially since they’re used to spending all day alone with no one else around who can remind them of the importance of taking care of themselves. If you find yourself feeling burned out, try treating yourself to something nice like getting your nails done or splurging for dinner at a fancy restaurant, no matter how broke you are – even indulging in simple pleasures like reading your favorite book or watching a movie will make you feel more refreshed and give you some inspiration to go back at it tomorrow.

14. Re-evaluate your goals occasionally to keep yourself energized.

One of the main reasons why starting an online business can be so difficult is because they’ve never truly done, that’s just how it goes when you’re working for yourself – there are always new things that need to be done whether it’s updating your site, crafting new emails for subscribers, creating new products, etc. Sometimes doing the same tasks over and over again can get boring which is all the more reason to reevaluate your goals in order to stay inspired so you don’t become tired of what you do day in and day out.

15. Don’t let yourself feel guilty for taking time off!

If you’ve been working at your business nonstop without leaving anytime for yourself, it’s only natural that you’ll start to feel guilty when you take any time off – especially if there are things that need to be done, whether it be marketing campaigns or new products/services. However, the best way to prevent burnout is by making sure you set aside enough time in your schedule so that when life happens and something does come up which requires your attention, you don’t have any regrets about not being able to give 100% of yourself. Even if you can’t afford to take a vacation, make sure you designate several days throughout the year where people know that you’re not available for any calls/emails/messages at all or you can just take on fewer clients or projects so that your schedule is more manageable.

One of the most difficult things about being self-employed is that you have to be your own boss. You are responsible for motivating yourself and maintaining a positive attitude when working alone in an office or at home with no one else to bounce ideas off of. It’s not easy, but it can be done by implementing these strategies on a daily basis. To stay motivated and inspired while working for yourself, try following this advice each day. Think positively!