Hack Your Business Energy
“I just can’t seem to get it together lately.”
“I have so much to do within my business, but can’t seem to find the motivation.”
“My personal life just seems to be taking over lately.”
“I’m struggling to push myself to do more.”
Anyone else?
I’ve heard more statements like this in the last several months than I have in years! I’m not sure what 2024 did to our business energy but SO many of us lately are feeling the downward turn of motivation and an all time struggle with pushing ourselves to find it again.
Let’s face it, being a small business owner is NOT easy. It takes more tenacity than we have some days. It takes standing back up over and over again when we get thrown off track and that is HARD! Heck, I snuck out this morning to leave my husband with a sick kiddo on a Saturday morning to find a coffee shop so I could get work done.
While it is healthy to sit and honor the feelings we are having towards our businesses and our busy lifestyle, it’s also imperative that we put our problem solving skills to work and continue to thrive within our business. We will always be more dedicated to our businesses than anyone else around us. We set the thermostat for how hot or how cold our business environment is. It is our energy that fuels the sales, the team collaboration, the ideas, the great work, the insightful product collaborations, the networking conversations and more. Even if we have help, it is OUR energy as CEOs that truly moves the needle.
This low energy is taking over many of our lives…
It’s time to get it back!
You’re not alone in feeling the weight of endless tasks and responsibilities. Many small business CEOs struggle to maintain momentum amidst the chaos of daily operations. However, there are practical steps you can take to streamline your workflow and reclaim control of your time. Let’s explore some tangible strategies to optimize your productivity and boost your energy levels.
5 Tips to Hack Your Energy:
- Recognize the energy drain
- Re-evaluate your routine
- Spruce up your workspace
- Identify your needle movers
- Be realistic about what is possible
Keep reading for actionable tips to transform your business energy.
Tip #1: Recognize the energy drain
Let’s face it, many of us feel drained and frustrated, but we have no idea why! Take this week as an observation period. Carry a notepad around with you, open your notes app on your phone and every time you do a task that drains your energy, write it down. Don’t judge it, or try to fix it yet, just observe that it is there.
Then after the week has passed, take a bit of time to look through that list. What can you eliminate? What can you write a new, more effective process for? What can you delegate? What can you delay?
Tip #2: Re-evaluate your routine
After attending the Momprenuer conference a few months ago, I realized that a big problem for me personally was the transition time at the end of the day from Boss to Mom. We often get stuck in our routines and don’t take the time to re-evaluate and optimize them for this current stage of our lives.
- Do you have a morning routine to set your day up for success with breakfast, reading, meditation, prayer, etc…?
- Are you taking regular breaks throughout the day? This is a BIG struggle of mine!
- Working through lunch? Not drinking enough water throughout the day? We ALL know you can’t pour from an empty cup.
- What does the end of your day look like? Are you successfully wrapping up the to do list in your mind so you can transition into the next phase of your day?
Tip #3: Spruce up your workspace
Is your desk a mess? Do you even have one? Are you working from the floor? Couch? No shame in that, but it may be time to think about your optimal workspace and what you can do to create it. It could be as simple as buying a new candle, bringing in a plant and cleaning off your desk. Or you might need an overhaul of your workspace. It may be time to clean out that spare bedroom and convert it to an office, buy a new chair, find a better spot in your retail store to work on the back end of your business or even find a coworking space!
Tip #4: Identify your needle movers and MOVE them!
We ALL feel accomplished when we tackle a task that is truly moving the needle. Think about what those things are right now within your business and schedule them in! Here are a few ideas for how to make that happen:
- Take the first 30 minutes of your day to work on a needle mover - create BEFORE you consume!
- Schedule yourself a working “tour” around town. I like to start with coffee at a new place, working lunch at somewhere like Panera, an afternoon cocktail or smoothie and wrapping up at another coffee shop, boba tea place or even a park. Take a project or two with you on this tour. Stay out ALL day and get things done.
- Book yourself a work trip. When I wrote my online course I “locked” myself in a boujee hotel room in Dallas and completely dedicated myself to that project. It was some of the best content I’ve ever created.
- Talk with another business owner about an accountability loop. Schedule regular Zooms, phone calls or coffee shop meetings with that person. Learn about their needle mover project and share yours. Keep each other accountable.
Tip #5: Be realistic about what is possible
I don’t know about you but I have a HARD time gauging what is actually possible to achieve within a certain time frame. Especially if it is something I’ve never done before (which is most of our internal business tasks right?). Maybe now is a great time to re-evaluate the goals on your list and see what is actually possible to achieve. It may mean that something needs to be pushed back, outsourced, delegated or you may need to schedule yourself an evening working session or a Saturday coffee shop session in order to truly get ahead.
Congratulations! You’ve just taken the first step towards reclaiming your business energy and reigniting your passion for entrepreneurship. By recognizing the challenges you face, evaluating your routines, optimizing your workspace, prioritizing needle-moving tasks, and setting realistic goals, you’re well on your way to creating a more energized and productive business environment.
Remember, building a successful business is a journey, not a sprint. Be patient with yourself as you implement these changes and adjust your approach along the way. And most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your progress and victories, no matter how small they may seem.
Don’t let this blog post be just another source of inspiration. Commit to implementing at least one of the tips discussed here and observe the positive impact it has on your energy and productivity. Choose one or two strategies that resonate with you and commit to incorporating them. Your business—and your future self—will thank you for it.
As small business CEOs, we have the power to shape our business environment and fuel its growth with our energy and dedication. Let’s harness that power and continue to thrive in the face of challenges.
Here’s to a brighter, more energized future for you and your business. Keep pushing forward, and remember, you’ve got this!
