Showing posts with label Work Balance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work Balance. Show all posts

5.07.2010

Tackling the Time Monster


How often do you find yourself running around crazy feeling like you're not getting anything done and thinking you just don't have enough time?

How you "see" your time directly affects how you utilize it and how you feel as you go through-out your day. If you're not careful, you will find your business and life running you, instead of "you" being the master of your business and life.

It wasn't too long ago that my business and life were running me all over the place! I had to step back and realize that my relationship with my time was totally unhealthy! I always felt like I never had enough time and that I was never getting anything accomplished. I am sure you can identify with that feeling... I think it can be pretty common and you know that it isn't fun!

So, how do you go about changing your relationship with time? Here is what worked for me!


  • Set your intentio to change your thinking about time. When you feel rushed or find the chatter in your head saying "you don't have enough time"... STOP. Battle it with positive affirmations like "I have more than enough time", "time is on my side", "everything that needs to get done, will!".

  • Remind yourself that what needs to get done, will. You know that anything that you have ever needed to get done has gotten done. Even if you have had to pull an all-nighter you got it done! (note: all-nighters not recommended after 25)

  • Prioritize your time. Map out your month, your week, your day and set your priorities. What do you want to get done NO MATTER WHAT. When you get it done... check those baby's off your to-do list and trust me you feel a lot of accomplishment!

Your time, just like your life, is all on how you see it. If you think you don't have enough time... you are probably right. If you think you have all the time in the world... you are probably right! So, remember YOU HAVE TIME! Ahhh... now doesn't that feel better knowing that you have all the time you need!!!!

1.19.2010

Create Your Perfect Day... Week... Month

Have you ever thought about what a perfect day would look like? I mean seriously, you might be surprised at what you come up with. I was. At first I caught myself day dreaming and imagining aspects of a somewhat material life, but when I thought about a typical day and what would put a smile on my face each and every day I was surprised.

The truth is a perfect day is likely for most people very simple and quaint. A perfect day encompasses not just work time, but play time and of course me time too! It is a day that makes you feel whole; and nourishes your physical, emotional and intellectual well being.

To get started creating your perfect day, think about what is really important to you. What matters the most and use this list to guide you as you map out what your perfect day would look like.

Here is an example of my perfect day.

6:00 -6:15 Wake-up - I'm Alive

6:15-7:00 Enjoy Yummy Delicious Coffee/Get Kids Ready

7:00 -7:30 Drop the Monkeys Off at School

7:30 -9:00 Work-out/ Get Clean & Beautified / Have Breakfast

9:00 -10:00 Power Hour - Answer Emails, Return Phone Calls, Update Website

10:00 -10:45 Client

11:00 -11:45 Client

12:00 -12:30 Lunch/ Errands / Read-Education

12:30 -1:00 Marketing - Write Articles, Post, Update, Newsletter Etc

1:00 - 1:45 Client

2:00 - 2:45 Client

3:00 - 3:30 Pick-up kids

3:30 - 4:00 Answer Email / Return Phone Calls / Prepare for next day

4:00 - 7:00 Open Time / Family Time / Dinner Time

7:00 - 8:30 Biz Development Activities

8:30 - 9:30 Downtime / Me Time

9:30 Night Night


My day doesn't always happen in this order, but I try to make sure that I follow this as best I can and most importantly implement the things that are most important on a daily basis.

The joy you will get by creating your Perfect Day is amazing. Just simply laying it out has an impact on your well being, because often we haven't even recognized what are perfect day is and/or maybe we are already living it and not truly being grateful for it.

Lets take this perfect day to the next level. How do we create our perfect week and perfect month? It is simple you take the basis of your perfect day and expand it into your week and month.

Lets talk business. One of the best things you can do is get clear on what it takes to run your business. Write down everything you need to do to make your business operate. Now plug these task items into your week and or month depending on how often you need to do them or better yet get rid of the ones that are not a good use of your time and hire a VA or intern.

A couple of things to think about:

  • Group meetings, phone calls and/or like items together to make the best use of your time.
    Make sure to include dedicated time that you are going to work on your business and not in your business, this is your business development time.

  • Figure out how much money you want to make and work it backwards. How many hours do you have to work to meet that goal and then plug it into your day/week/month.

  • Decide what your "Me Time" is. Make yourself plug this in! It is too easy to skip past the "me time" like it is some task that you will do later and this is vital to both the success of your business and your sanity. Trust me!

  • Plug some fun time into your weekends! I love to hike, so I know that twice a month I grab the family and head out to hike the trails of AZ.

Just by taking the time to think about what is most important to you and then creating your day, week and month around this makes a huge impact on your life and your business. It rejuvenates you, pushes you forward, makes it easy to pop out of bed in the morning to take action and creates inner peace.

One of my favorite sayings when I was a very young lady and still is; Always Take Time to Stop and Smell the Flowers.

1.17.2010

Make It Happen with a GBA Scholarship

You read that right! Money shouldn't keep you from achieving the life you dream of!

Use the comments section below to share your circumstances with us and why you need a Make It Happen Bootcamp Scholarship. Tell us what it would mean to you to be able to be a part of this upcoming Bootcamp.

We can't wait to award two scholarships!!!

Remember - integrity is everything!

1.08.2010

Capture Your Ideas and Empower Your Biz Webinar


To view this Free Webinar, please visit: http://blip.tv/file/3069113

12.28.2009

Make It Happen Bootcamp - Kick Off 2010 with a Bang

Since the launch of Girlfriend's Biz Alliance over a year and half ago, I have had numerous conversations with fabulous business women just like you. All of you are passionate about what you do, but things just aren't happening fast enough. Whether you want more clients, more money, want to make a difference or want more visibility, it just isn't happening as quickly as you would like.

I have heard from many women they need help with focusing, creating a clear strategy, making the most of their time, and implementing actions steps to MAKE IT HAPPEN!


The Girlfriend's Biz Alliance MAKE IT HAPPEN Bootcamp is about providing you with the tools, support and accountability you need to get results faster and ultimately MAKE IT HAPPEN.

So, what can you expect from participating in the MAKE IT HAPPEN Bootcamp?

A Clear Vision of Where You Are Headed
Your 90 Day Vision and Goals Mapped Out
A Clear Strategy of How You are getting from Point A to Point B
Tools for Marketing and Tackling Social Media
A Kick in the Butt, so that you can Kick it into High Gear
Totally Action Orientated
Complete Accountability so you Make It Happen!
Tools to help you Get Focused
Ways to Make the Most of YOUR Time
How to Take Action Consistently
Have a Biz not a Hobby
Make More Money and Have Fun Doing It!

Plus...

You get lots of access to your favorite Girlfriend's Biz Advisor and MAKE IT HAPPEN Gal, muah - your accountability partner, cheerleader and ally (at an amazingly affordable price).

Connect with fabulous like minded women who are real, ready to share, ready to grow and learn, and be part of a team effort of helping each other get results and MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Join me starting January 20th for the Make It Happen Bootcamp! We will chat live every Wednesday at 11am Arizona time for 8 weeks. Each call will be recorded, so don't worry if you can't make the call. Plus, we will have 2 Q&A Calls to answser your questions.

Lets kick-off 2010 with a bang and make the success you dream of a reality!


Get the details by visiting the Make It Happen Bootcamp page on our website.

12.21.2009

Join GBA to raise money for Entrepreneurs and Kick You Health into gear for 2010!

I am often only focused on Business Goals and have decided for 2010 to add some different to the mix and have some Personal Goals too. Personal Goals are just as important as Business Goals! With that said, I decided to start of my 2010 with a personal goal of running a 5K. I know for some this is a walk in the park and I hope it is for me too when the time comes, but for now it is a stretch for sure!


For anyone who lives in the Phoenix Valley, I would love for you to join me and other fabulous women at the 2nd Annual Women's Business All the Way 5k Run or Walk.

I can't think of a better way to start off my year than by combining a personal goal with raising money for Women Entrepreneurs!



You can learn more about this event and sign-up by visiting http://www.wefphx.org/.

The race is February 6th and as of today there is only 7 weeks to train. Here is my training schedule if you would like to use it.

I will keep you updated on the progress ! Today is my first day to run!
Sunshine Kisses - Amy

11.03.2009

Day Planner for Women Entrepreneurs

I am very excited to announce and introduce something to you that I have been working on all year!

Are you tired of trying Day Planner after Day Planner searching for the right one to help you get organized and be productive in your business?



I was so tired of buying and trying day planner after day planner and being disappointed every time! So, in January 2009 I decided I was done trying to find one that would work... and decided to create and design my own day planner that would be perfect for the woman entrepreneur!

For most of the year I have been testing different proto-types on myself and figuring out what works best for the woman and mom entrepreneur. I am excited to say I have found a system that not only works, but if you commit to using the system (which is easy) you will see results!


Creating and growing a successful business takes a CLEAR VISION, STEADY FOCUS, the "WHY" you to do what you do DEFINED, GOALS SET, and an ACTION PLAN to EXECUTE.
The Girlfriend's Biz Planner takes your typical Weekly/Monthly Day Planners and turns it into a Biz Planner that will help you define your vision, map your goals, keep you focused and make your time highly productive!



Here it what you will find inside:
Yearly Vision Statement
Yearly Goals
90 Day Mapping System
Your Monthly "WHY"
Monthly Master Task List
Monthly Calendar View
Weekly Calendar View
Weekly Appointments
Daily No Matter What
Weekly Goal/Intention
Weekly Affirmations
Delegate/Ask
Weekly Accomplishments
Weekly Gratitude
Weekly Reflection
Ideas Section
Stay In Touch Reminder
Daily Marketing Reminder
Weekly Notes/Messages
Mileage Tracking
and MORE!

The Details...
Size - 7" wide by 9.5" long (easy to have on hand all the time)
Sturdy Cover
Spiral Bound


Sneak Peak Inside

Get Your 2010 BIZ Day Planner Now!

8.25.2009

10 Ways to Survive the Carpool Line

1. Grab a Drink. We all can use a yummy cup of coffee or a cold ice tea.

2. Have fun activities for the kids sitting in the back seat. You can even pack a fun bag for yourself and through in your favorite magazine, book or journal.

3. Make some calls. Catch up with love ones and friends while you are waiting!

4. Twitter or Facebook. Update your status or chat online.

5. Plan Your Day. Pull out your calendar and see what is on schedule for the next day and plan out your day. List your top 5 must get done tasks for the following day.

6. Car Dance. Turn up the music and rock out! Do some car dancing and rev up your engine for the rest of the day.

7. Write Notes. Take those few minutes to hand write some Thank you notes to clients.

8. Brainstorm. Have an upcoming project you want to launch or a new service you want to offer. Put it on paper and brainstorm on what you need to do to make it happen.

9. Kid Talk. Have little ones in the back? They are trapped in the carpool line too. Have some fun conversation with them or play an “I See” game.

10. Best Survival Tip. If the carpool line just has you going crazy, my best advice is to park in a nearby spot and walk in. This will save you from the frustrations and craziness of the line. Plus, who couldn’t use a nice boost of sunshine and fresh air?

8.03.2009

5 Ways to Help Tackle Self Motivation

While self-motivation is a simple concept, we all know that it’s one of the hardest things to attain. Despite purely good intentions, most of us are better at slacking off than getting motivated. But, no matter what your attention span it is possible for you to motivate yourself and reach your goals; you just need to follow a few simple steps.

Know what you’re doing

A to-do list is nice to have to help you get things done, but it doesn’t do much to help you stay motivated. Before you can make your to-do list, you need to set goals and priorities. They may be short term like “finish this project to attain more work” or more general like “increase workload to attain promotion”. If you give yourself a goal or vision to work for, you’re going to be more motivated to finish things than if you’re simply completing tasks.

Stay positive

A positive attitude can go a long way. People have probably told you this over and over, but you’re still not inclined to believe it. Take a little extra time each day to remind yourself of your accomplishments. It is also a good idea to try to surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. If you don’t have any at work, find positive and encouraging statements from successful people and post them around your office.

Set mini-goals

Finishing a project can be a daunting task. If it’s a large amount of work, you’re likely to look at it, get overwhelmed, and give up or put it off before you even get started. An easier way to accomplish a project is to break it up into smaller tasks. This way you’ll be looking at a bunch of small goals instead of one great big one. While it’s the same amount of work, it helps to keep you from getting overwhelmed. Plus, each time you accomplish one of your tasks, you’ll feel successful and motivated to keep trekking on through the rest.

Reward yourself

To help keep yourself going, set up rewards for each task you complete. They don’t have to be anything big; they could be going to see a movie over the weekend or spending 15 minutes on the phone with a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. It’s just something positive to help encourage you. You can also set small rewards for your mini goals and have a large reward for when you finish a large project.

You can also punish yourself to achieve goals. For example, set up a mini-punishment, like snapping a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you find yourself drifting off and not paying attention, or doing something counter-productive, snap the rubber band. This will help train your mind to stay on track.

Have a backup

While we may have the best of intentions, most of us really aren’t that good at sticking with our self-motivating methods. If this seems like you, you may be in need of some backup. This is a friend, co-worker, or associate - anyone who is dependable and trustworthy. Let them know what your goals are (and even your rewards and punishments) and set up a plan for them to check up on you.

It could be as simple as giving you a call to see how much you’ve gotten done, or maybe have them be the keeper of some reward and administer it when you reach your goal. This way, if your resolution wavers, you’ll have someone else there to help out.

7.13.2009

Tips for Staying Focused on Your Biz

If you are easily distracted or get bored easily, staying focused on your business can be harder than doing the actual work of your business! It is very easy to procrastinate, especially when you work from home. There are always ‘so many other things to do’.

Here is a secret that you may not have heard yet: The dishes can wait! The laundry can wait! So feel free to make those phone calls or answer those emails. The laundry and dishes will still be there, waiting for you! However, if you wait too long to call a client back, they may move on to someone who gets back to them faster than you do.

Why did you decide to go into business for yourself? Whatever the reason, write it down and put it where you will see it on a daily basis. When you are feeling distracted, look at what you wrote down. It will be easier to work when you remember why you are working in the first place.

You may want to team up with another work at home friend. Send each other your goals and keep one another accountable. Call each other at the end of the day and discuss what you accomplished; you can share your successes or lend each other a sympathetic ear over things that didn’t go as you planned.

Stay motivated by setting daily, weekly and monthly goals. If you “work backwards” you will create a road map to your success. For instance, if you are in direct sales and your financial goal is to sell $1500 in product that month. Do the math and you’ll see that you need to sell $375 of product each week. Now, how many home parties do you need to hold each week to accomplish that? How many phone calls do you need to make each day in order to schedule those parties?

When you accomplish your goals, give yourself a little treat to remind yourself that you worked hard and achieved success!

6.24.2009

How to be a Successful Mompreneur & Keep Your Sanity

Being an mompreneur offers the best of both worlds. You basically have it all, the career and the family. You’re in control of your schedule, your success and you’re able to be there for your family when they need you. However, this amazing lifestyle doesn’t come without challenges. Here are a few steps to help you be a successful mompreneur:

Step One: Know and accept that you cannot do it all, why would you want to? Wonder Woman is a comic strip. She had size double D chest, a tiny waist, bulletproof bracelets and an invisible airplane – she’s fiction! Besides all of that, she didn’t have kids or a business. If she did, she’d know to focus on her strengths and the tasks that make her the most profits and the tasks she enjoys and to outsource, automate and eliminate the rest.

That means if cleaning the house takes too much time away from your profits and you cannot round up the troops at home to help, consider outsourcing the task to a cleaning service. Equally, if customer service takes too much of your time, consider outsourcing it – there are wonderful and cost effective services to handle just about any task you can think of.

Quick tip – to help you determine if it is cost effective to outsource, determine your hourly value by dividing your annual profits by how many hours you work each year. For example, if your annual profits are $100,000 and you work 20 hours a week with four weeks of vacation each year that’s 960 hours a year or $104 dollars an hour. Anything you outsource will ideally cost you less than $104/hour

Step Two: Schedule time for everything – that includes fun time and me time! Scheduling, and a good scheduling system, are the key to focused productivity. If you know that from 9-12 each day you’re working on booking appointments and from 1 – 3 each day you’re open to exercise, volunteer, or share an afternoon with a friend, you’re much more likely to stay sane and get a lot accomplished during your morning work time.

Step Three: Set boundaries, expect interruptions. Life is full of surprises and usually when we least expect and welcome them. Set boundaries with your family and friends so they respect and support your schedule and work time however, make room for exceptions. For example, your child is practically guaranteed to get sick on your big day with a potential new client.

Step Four: Make time for you. Personal care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Whether you’re single or married with children or without, it’s important to take time out of your busy schedule to do things you want to do. As a mompreneur this is truly essential!

Life is about balance and in order to even the scales between work and pleasure, even if you enjoy your work, it’s important to make time for self-care. It can be anything from a trip to Italy, a day at the spa or a bubble bath by candlelight at the end of the day. The important thing is to practice it regularly and make it part of your life.

Step Five: Set aside time to plan. Yes, schedules and goals are essential to business growth however, if you’re a busy mom on top of being a business owner, planning your business often falls by the wayside. Schedule time to plan your business regularly, for example each month. Outline what you’ve accomplished, where you want to go, and how you’re going to get there. This habit will help you be more productive and you’ll be able to reach your business goals much faster.

Being a mom and a business owner isn’t easy however when approached strategically and with a bit of the common sense only a mother can bring to the table, you can have your cake and eat it too, without sacrificing your sanity, your profits, or your family.

6.09.2009

5 Effective Strategies for Business Success

Starting and growing a business is a fabulous and challenging adventure. You can wake up excited to begin your day and go to bed feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The key to success is to maintain a clear focus, positive outlook and a can do attitude.

Easier said than done, right? Here are 5 strategies to help you create and maintain a clear focus and positive mindset so you achieve the success you desire.

1. Surround yourself with successful and positive people. The impact people have over our own personal energy is amazing. Moods and attitudes are so easily spread – think about how much of a difference a simple smile from a stranger can make for your day and then magnify it 1000 times to demonstrate the power of positive and successful friends, family and associates. When you have people around you who inspire you, believe in you and want you to succeed, there’s no room for doubts and even when they creep up, they’re quickly swept away.

2. Create a mantra or an affirmation. Repeating positive affirmations has been shown to get people through tough times and to actually help them truly believe what they’re saying.

For example, “I am building a powerful and profitable business.” Many of the most esteemed business professionals have used the same affirmation strategy to attain their success. To find the right affirmations for you, consider writing a quick list of your doubts, insecurities and complaints. These can then be quickly turned into affirmations.

For example, if you write that you’re always feeling disorganized then your affirmation would be, “I am organized and in control.” Repeat your affirmations several times a day and feel the power of positive thinking.

3. Capture negative thoughts. We all have negative thoughts from time to time, however, negative thoughts and emotions can derail us and prevent us from achieving all we desire. Of course catching those negative thoughts takes practice and persistence. When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts or having negative emotions, find a trigger to turn them around. The affirmations mentioned above are a great way to turn the negative into the positive. You can also find quick pick me ups like a favorite song, a walk outside in the fresh air, or some exercise to help improve your mood.

4. Set goals/intentions and then be willing to let it go. The law of attraction says that we attract what we focus on the most. However, desperation, needing your business to be a success, sends mixed messages and a lot of negativity into the universe. Set your goals and intentions and then let them go. A certain amount of faith in yourself and in the power of attraction is necessary. Give it a try.

5. Be grateful. Gratitude is perhaps the single most powerful and positive tool for success. When you’re grateful for all of the wonderful things and people in your life the challenges you face seem significantly less important and are more easily dealt with.

Consider keeping a gratitude journal and make a practice of entering into it daily. That way, when you’re facing challenges a quick peek at all the amazing things in your life will make you feel as if you can tackle anything. Additionally, an attitude of gratitude helps you maintain a positive perspective and to face challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.

Success is within your reach and with the right attitude you can accomplish anything you set your sights on. Embrace these five powerful success strategies and you’ll build a better business and live a happier, more satisfying life.

5.12.2009

A Healthy Competition or a Deadly Comparison

Have you ever heard the term “healthy competition”? Competition can be a fabulous driving force when used properly. A great motivating competition might be when two or more Always Busy Entrepreneurs get together and see who can sell the most product in a month or who can make the most customer follow-up calls in an hour. Having that competition going can give you something to work for and you may end up accomplishing more than you would have otherwise.

Comparing yourself on the other hand to your fellow Always Busy Entrepreneur friends is unhealthy. If you have found yourself thinking “Wow, she is so successful. I wish I was more like her. My life would be perfect if I could be like her.” You are comparing yourself to others. Do not fall into this trap!

You need to be proud of who you are and what you are doing. You do not have your friend’s life – she may have older children and eight hours a day to work on her business whereas you have a newborn and a toddler and only a few hours a day to work. It is important to set your goals realistically. Remember the old saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” It applies to your business as well! And who knows if your successful friend is really as successful as she is? Maybe she is saying she is more successful than she actually is. It is quiet possible that she is comparing herself to you as well!

It is normal to wonder if your business is doing well, or if you are making as much as you could be. Seek out advice from someone who has been where you are now. They can offer an honest opinion and can tell you what they did to achieve their success. Remember to use their advice as a guideline. You need to set your own deadline. It doesn’t matter if it takes you a bit longer to achieve your goals. Building a successful business is not a race – it is a marathon! By working consistently on your business, you will achieve your goals.

5.05.2009

Easy Time Management Tricks for Always Busy WAHM’s

From the outside looking in, many people assume that work at home moms have it easy; however, if any of those people have ever lived a day as a WAHM they would know it is far from easy. There are children to take care of, a house to clean, a dog to walk, groceries to buy, dinner to cook and dishes to wash. Oh, and then there’s that business to work!

It may not be easy, but it is possible. By using some simple time management tricks, a WAHM can find time to “get it all done!” One thing every WAHM should have is a planner. Schedule your “me time” and “family time” first! Then schedule in the time you are going to work your business. Once you have your “work time” scheduled, make it a priority to stay focused on your business during those hours. It can be very easy to procrastinate or get off task when you are a WAHM.

If your work requires you to do lots of different tasks, try to group similar tasks together. For instance, if you are in a direct sales business and you have a team under you, designate one day to be your “training day”. Instead of helping various team members throughout the week, schedule all of your mentoring sessions for one day. Set aside an hour in the morning and an hour in the late afternoon to respond to email and/or return phone calls. By scheduling that time in, you will find that you are able to get more work done and feel less scattered.

Outsourcing some of your activities is another great way to manage your time. If you find that you are spending too much time on responding to email, returning phone calls, or updating your website, hire a virtual assistant to do those tasks for you. This will free your time up to work on your business, and by spending more time on the parts of your business that actually bring in money, you will be able to increase your profits.

You can also save time by setting aside a block of time each week to do your “regular” errands, such as grocery shopping. If you plan your meals for the week and go to the grocery store once, you will save lots of time during the week by not taking those daily “quick trips to the market”. And while you are planning your meals, try to schedule a few “cook once, eat twice” days. For instance, you can plan on having spaghetti on Monday and tacos on Tuesday. So, on Monday, brown the hamburger you will need for both days. On Tuesday, half of your work will already be done. And if you are making a meatloaf or lasagna, make two and freeze one for later.

Most importantly, do not feel as if you have to do it all by yourself. You are not a super hero. If you have a spouse or significant other, ask them to chip in on household chores. Children love to help out, and depending on their ages, there are multiple things they can do. And when it is all said and done, don’t forget to take out some time for yourself. Everyone needs a break– WAHMs included!

4.28.2009

Creating Balance in an Always Busy World

Whether we are a married, not married, with kids or without kids we are all always busy. We often find ourselves lost in the busyness of our day. Have you ever thought about what a balanced life would look like for you?

What is balance? Balance is taking care of yourself and all that is important to you.

Because each of us our unique in our own way, we will also have different ways of creating balance in our lives. What may seem crazy and out of whack to one person, may be the perfect balanced schedule for another.

So, how do we go about creating balance in our life? First we have to decide on what balance means to us.

What does your ideal balanced life look like?

· What do you have time for?
· What do you get to enjoy?
· How much down time do you have?

Once you have decided what your ideal balanced life looks like try this great exercise to help with re-organizing your schedule, so that it more closely reflects your ideal balanced life.

Clear the clutter from your calendar: Imagine that your calendar is like a room that you are going to clean out and organizze. Start by removing everything in your calendar. Once you have cleared your calendar, start by inserting what you absolutely must have to survive, like sleep and work. Then start to add things back in order of importance. Make sure to add "me time", just like it is an appointment with an important client.

Special Note: Make choices based on what YOU want and not on what YOU think other people want. Stop doing things because YOU think you "should". Remember that it is OK to say NO!

Today is the day to begin living in balance. Reconnect with your passion and interests and establish a sense of purpose. Remember a good plan and budgeting your time is a fabulous way to maintain balance in your life.

4.22.2009

10 Fabulous Ways for Women Entrepreneurs to Stay Motivated

Running your own business is a lot of work and sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated. We all have days that we feel inspired, on track and powerful and we also have days that we want to crawl under a rock and ask ourselves what was I thinking… why in the world did I go into business for myself?

Here are some great ways to stay fabulously motivated as you grow your business:

  1. One of the most important things you can do is focus on your vision for your business each morning. Remember WHY you started your business and WHY it is so important to you.
  2. Re-connect with the excitement you had when starting your business. Let the feeling of endless opportunity soak through your body, then harness that feeling to move you throughout the day.
  3. At the end of each day celebrate what you have accomplished, even the smallest task. Keeping a positive attitude about yourself and what you have accomplished each day goes a long way to keep you motivated.
  4. Read, Listen and Watch. There is nothing like a great affirmation, quote, book or fabulous song to get you reconnected and motivated to move forward. In a slump half way through the day? Throw on one of your favorite songs and dance around for 5 minutes.
  5. Educate. Be willing to continuously educate yourself. Continually educating yourself builds self confidence and equips you with the knowledge needed to build your business.
  6. Surround yourself with high energy, positive people. The excitement and positive energy of others will rub off on you and get you just as excited about your business.
  7. Keep your space organized. Having a messy office space is a quick energy zapper. Before the end of the day straighten up and prepare for the next day by prioritizing your most important tasks to get done.
  8. Join a networking group. The right group will keep you inspired, motivated and can be a great place to share and support each other through issues and problems.
  9. Take time for yourself. A key factor in losing motivation is not taking time for you. It is easy to get wrapped up in business and lose yourself, but it is vital to your success that you take time to enjoy down time that is just for you.
  10. Judge yourself on the progress you’re making and not by the balance in your bank account or by the word success… What is success anyway? It is the continuous progress you are making.

    You are an amazing person. Cherish yourself in all that you do and the value you have to offer to others. Believe in yourself and keep moving forward and your vision will come forth.