Top 5 Ways to Stay Motivated While Working From Home

Many of you who read sportsnetworker.com are entrepreneurs who regularly browse the site for sports news and education in social media. You also want to learn how to manage your own sports-related businesses, based on the successful journeys of others. Sometimes this is accomplished through reading interviews with Travis Bell and Levar Fisher. We learn much from those who have had significant impact during their journey and who have learned a thing or two in the process.

As owner of Winning Proof, I have been through the many challenges of building a business. It can be an emotional roller-coaster experience, but one with rewards far beyond financial gain. It’s a personal journey, riddled with severe lessons of self-discovery, faith, and determination.

Just like a traditional j-o-b, you will have days you want to throw in the towel and forget you ever dreamed up the brilliant thought of starting your own business. If you work alone, or are considering working alone, these tips will help you stay motivated along the way:

1. Set a schedule.

Even if you’re a free flowing, non-structured type person, it’s really important to your success to have a semblance of a daily schedule. The big perk of solopreneurship is the ability to set your own hours but you’ll be rendered ineffective if you wander through your days, aimless, without goals, and with no plan or vision.

Plan your day the night before and list the five most important tasks you need (not want) to accomplish. Attach numbers to your tasks, eg: make 10 sales calls, send 20 mailers, write 1 page of content for website, etc.

2. Get involved in local groups…carefully.

Networking groups can be a grand way to gather leads as well as a wonderful source to foster business acquaintances. Your local Chamber of Commerce can provide a way to plug in to your neighborhood business network, although it does seem to attract many MLM’s and product-based companies. With a little research, you may find a no-cost networking group in your area. Check www.meetup.com for a wide variety of groups to meet your interests in both business and life. I suggest one to sharpen your skill and one to feed your soul.

3. Know who to call on ‘dip’ days.

It’s so important to know who to stay away from and who to call during your “dip” days; the days when you’re in the valley and you can’t see the forest through the trees. Develop a support team and depend on those team members for encouragement and motivation. Make yourself available to them as well. Constructive criticism of any kind is not allowed on dip days; just uplifting support and a listening ear. That goes for you too – we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to self-criticism and personal judgment.

4. Start your day with a scenic walk, exercise and a good breakfast.

Making this a regular practice will energize you for the rest of your day. You will sleep better and you might even lose weight as a result. A good, healthy breakfast of protein and complex carbs will give you the brain food you need for optimal work results.

I keep free weights, a stability ball, and a resistance band near my workspace so every time I get up, I can work a body part. Be sure to exercise the front and back of your body so you maintain good muscular balance. Incorporate stretching into your daily habits too. It only takes a few minutes at a time to gain the edge on your fitness level.

5. Celebrate successes…however small.

This is incredibly crucial to your journey. Celebrate when you accomplish all your action items, when you sign a new client, or when you achieve a certain balance in your business checking account. Write a list of rewards to bestow on yourself and post it where you’re reminded daily. You know best what will motivate you to accomplish your goals.

Are you willing to pay the price that greatness requires? Staying motivated is part of that price. It doesn’t happen automatically – it needs cultivation and nurturing. Proactively pursue these five steps and you’ll stay on track toward a success mentality.

How do you stay motivated? How do you reward yourself for milestones?

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Image by kevharb

About Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com

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Tagged as: entrepreneurship, motivation, motivational tools, Sports Careers, sports entrepreneurship