Monday blues? How to eat that frog instead

As a small business owner, my ability to motivate myself is the difference between business success and business failure.

My daily motivation and creativity stem from doing something I find rewarding, interesting, and gaining satisfaction from helping others. ​

But there are times when I feel unmotivated and unproductive.

When this happens I have 5 approaches to ensure I do not get stuck in a rut, stay motivated, manage tasks and feel proud of the work I’ve produced. Read on to find out what they are. 

Procrastination is my biggest enemy
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Getting stuck into a task is not only productive, but also motivating and rewarding when I see what I can complete in a short time period.

Procrastination is my biggest enemy when I have work to complete. Sitting staring at a blank screen or wondering how to start a task is a complete waste of my time.
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When this happens I will play music to help me concentrate, then I can turn the music off when I’m in my stride and need to concentrate more.

I don’t need to know everything
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It is good to be prepared; to know what I am doing, why I am doing it and what my end goal may look like. But having too much stimulation only hinders me when I have time pressured tasks to complete.

Researching every finer detail and being swamped with too much information is stressful.
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Rather than over prepare, and delay action I prefer to get stuck into my work and research as I go. And much like a journey, I will encounter hurdles, but I can act on these obstacles and research as necessary as problems occur.

I Know my limitations
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​I always try to ensure a healthy and happy client relationship.  If I feel that I am already over-worked, it is unprofessional of me to take on even more work.
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Most of us are people pleasers, we find it hard to refuse work or to set strict rules. But sometimes I just have to say no to work when I know I will be extra busy, as integrity is one of my personal values.

I am realistic with my time scales
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As I am very experienced in my work, I roughly know how long tasks take to complete. If a client contacts me and I think there is insufficient time to complete the work, I am clear and vocal that I cannot deliver the work in the time frame given.
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If I was not clear from the start I would leave myself vulnerable for consequences if I failed to deliver the work on time. Most importantly, I never take on work if I am already severely time pressured.

I prioritise tasks and the time spent on tasks
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People who fail to manage their time effectively are often the ones who rush around like headless chickens.

They feel their huge workloads are all encompassing and far too overwhelming for them to cope.

Organising tasks by importance helps me to realise that my job list isn’t as pressing or extensive as I first anticipated.

I review all tasks and those which don’t necessarily have time constraints or can simply wait for another day are added to my to-do list.

I find it much easier to eat that frog and slot in shorter tasks for the times when I hit a stumbling block or delays with larger projects.

When I am organising my time I ensure I take quick breaks in between my work so I don’t feel overwhelmed.

I also give myself little rewards once tasks are completed that help me to focus and relax e.g. a walk in the sunshine, or a workout to keep me mentally and physical fit.

These are just a few of the ways I manage my time and my workload whilst staying motivated and customer focused. I would love to hear what you do. Please feel free to share your comments below.

About the author 

Naomi Clews is a small business owner based in the UK. Naomi helps her clients to bid for and win more UK Government contracts. Find out more here.