We’ve all had them: days (or, let’s face it, WEEKS) where you have ZERO motivation to do anything in your business.  You don’t feel like working on anything, and you feel stuck. And burnt out. But also not putting in the time to grow and the cycle just goes on and on. I’ve been there. I’ve had SEASONS of my life where I had literally zero motivation to work on my business… but today, I want to share with you some tips to get out of this cycle and stay motivated in your business!

Let me start with this: You’re not alone. I TOTALLY get what you’re going through and I personally have been burnt out in my business. I know how hard it feels and I just want you to know, it’s SUPER normal. There are definitely times where I don’t want to do anything extra. And while I want you to know that this is normal, I hope these practical tips will help us all stay motivated! 

Take Time Off

If you’re starting to feel burnt out (yes, BEFORE you’re actually there is the best time!), it’s time to take a day off. I promise you, it’s going to be okay if you take a day to rest and recover. Whether it’s a day or a week, do what you need. Honestly, it helps me to focus on the things I love (like my dog, husband, and Bible) so I can have a little space to feel motivated again. Usually these things help me feel more like myself and I get really excited to be back working on my business, which I also LOVE! For me, I burn out because I work super hard allllll the time and after a while, it becomes really tiring and hard to want to show up for that. So, just take a little time to rest and recover. And be sure you give yourself some grace to breathe during your work hours. 

While we’re talking about this, it’s important to know that (as with everything in life), it’s about moderation. We all need breaks and time to be a little more lax with our work time. But, for me, I’ve found that if I relax TOO much, I struggle to get back into things. For me, a day or a week is usually enough to become motivated again. 

Block Out Time Intentionally

Having intentional hours really helps me focus on the work I need to do. For me, that means setting actual hours that I will work between and making sure that I stop when I say I will. This all helps me stay motivated because I know that if I don’t get the work done between those hours, I’m going to be stressed about it after work hours and not be able to get it done at all. Or, I’ll feel like I need to work when I’m supposed to be offline. Plan out your week ahead of time so you know what time you have laid out. You can also set out a reward system – like if I get it done by this time, I can shut off work early!! Personally, I love that option. 

I’m by no means an expert in turning off work and giving myself space… but I’m getting better about being intentional with my time. 

Set Boundaries

Whether you’re a service based business or not, set boundaries. It’s important to remind yourself that it’s OKAY to not answer emails, texts, or calls at all hours of the day. Make it clear to your clients when you’ll be available and do your best to follow what you’ve set out. It helps me to mentally shut off whatever’s related to work because I know that I have set guidelines as to when someone will hear back from me. Put it on your website, email signature… everywhere you can! Trust me, you’ll be able to serve your clients JUST as well as if you were available all the time – probably even better because you won’t feel pulled in so many directions. 

No one is perfect…

Here’s your final reminder: nobody’s perfect. No two weeks ever really feel the same as a business owner and even with all of these boundaries and plans, no one is perfect at keeping everything in check. All of these ideas are just a starting place for you to start at, so remember to be flexible. Everyone also has different limits and needs – so no two plans will ever look the same either. 

When you have flexibility and give yourself grace, you’ll find that you naturally have more motivation and you’re more gentle with yourself. There are seasons in life – and certainly seasons will come that are harder to work though. It’s OKAY to be in those seasons. But they don’t all have to be like that. Continue to work hard to build boundaries and give yourself time to breathe and you’ll be surprised what happens! 

Share your favorite motivation tips in the comments below! I love learning more about how we all stay motivated!