Owning a business in some ways reminds me of parenting. As a parent you are responsible for everything for the best interest of your children. And as a business owner you have that same responsibility, for everything, for the success of your business and the employees.
Both require you to find ways to ReFresh and ReCharge because you have a lot riding on you and it is critical that you keep your Vision and Motivation high. We are all unique human beings and what will work for one may not work for another. Here are a few ways that worked for me to ReNew my Focus and Energy as a business owner and as a parent:
Change of Scene ~ When my life as a mom was overfilled and overwhelming I would take my children on a mini-vacation. When I say mini, I really mean it. Something as simple as packing a picnic and heading to a park, an outdoor trail, a museum, or even the library for a day would provide a wonderful break in the routine. More importantly it provided me an opportunity to watch my children as they enjoyed themselves in this new scene, and their excitement and joy filled my batteries, and I was ReFueled! As a business owner I gain a similar ReFueling by attending an educational event with other business owners, volunteering on a community development project, or just having lunch with a business owner peer. These give me a ReFreshed look at my business and my performance as the owner.
Take a walk down Memory Lane ~ We all had some different reasons for starting our own company, and we all had some similar reasons. Take a few hours, turn off the phone and computer and go someplace where you can take the time to reflect on the motivation you had when you started. If you have any written notes or documents from when you were first planning your business reviewing these also helps you recall the purpose you had at the beginning. If you are like many business owners you will have accomplished and acquired some of the milestones you set out to achieve, and you will have some desires still unmet. Use this time to recognize that you do own your own business! Use this time to recognize that you do have several of the Successes you wanted! We get so caught up on what we still have to accomplish, achieve, and resolve that we don't take the time to congratulate ourselves for our success. You Did It! You Do Own Your Own Business. You Have Achieved Some Of The Goals You Set! Pat yourself on the back and let this ReCharge you!
Use A Coach ~ There have been times both as a parent and as a business owner when I knew I was on a part of the path that I was unsure about. At those points in life I used a Coach. As a parent I sought out a family counselor that provided amazing insight and support as I led my two daughters through the teen years. As a business owner I utilized the talents of a business coach to give me a different point of view and to provide accountability for my decisions. A coach is a great resource, do not hesitate to use one.
Do not continue to run your business while you are drained, discouraged, depleted. Find the method or methods that work for you to ReFresh and ReCharge.