Then, I forced myself to stop working on the weekends by scheduling fun things on those days until it became a habit not to work on weekends. Can’t stop working weekends? I get it. But maybe you can stop working all weekend. Maybe you take the small habit approach and stop work an hour earlier on the weekends.
Another thing I did was started using a planner that requires I add something “fun” to my task list. I loved this because it satisfied my list-loving self and tricked me into thinking of this as a required task that I couldn’t possibly leave unchecked.
Lastly, I started reminding myself that productivity is not linked to time. The amount of time something takes does not mean it’s a productive task.
Instead, I started to look at productivity as impact. How much impact on my business does this task have? That’s what matters.
OK, now let’s look at Option B…
You hit a stress wall, stop working completely, plop on our couch, and wonder what the hell you were thinking starting this business. You feel nothing for the business, no excitement, no enthusiasm, no creativity. Blah.
When that happened to me, I knew it was time to sit, close my eyes, and think about my goals.
What am I trying to build? Why am I trying to build it? Who do I want to serve? Why do I want to serve them? What do I want my life to be in 6 months, 1 year, 3 years?
You need to ask yourself all of these questions and enjoy the answers.
This becomes motivation and fuel for getting back in the game.
I also would talk to someone about my ideas. The things I wanted to do in the business would bring excitement back in the picture. And when I shared that with someone, their enthusiasm became contagious.
When you find yourself in the all-too-common productivity