Entrepreneurs have amazing talents, but that doesn't mean they enjoy every aspect of the work. When a task or part of your job sucks away your energy, delegate it. If you're in a phase where you are disengaged, stressed or frustrated, find someone else who can help complete the project. Bringing someone else in will remove the obstacle and allow you to focus on areas where you can have the most impact. Entrepreneurs will get back into their rhythm when they delegate strategically.
Look into mentoring a brand new entrepreneur in your network to rediscover the passion you had starting out. Somewhere along the way, you got into a daily routine that isn’t utilizing the best of your abilities. By connecting with someone just starting out, you can encourage them through your example. They say it’s better to give than receive and this is no less true in the business world. Giving of your time and experience will be a huge asset to this other person. And by learning more about their story, your own journey to the present will likely be brought to the surface. Once again, finding that original drive and passion will take your current situation to a new level of excitement. By sharing wisdom you’ve gleaned from past mistakes and successes, it’ll remind you of how far you’ve come. Taking that step back will encourage you as well!
If you're feeling bored, stressed, or unfulfilled by the work that you're doing, my advice is to go and do something different for a while. This may be a small thing like going to the gym or going out for a coffee with a book, or it may be a bigger thing such as taking a few days off and traveling. The truth is, as entrepreneurs, we work long hours and rarely take holidays or breaks. The fact that you're feeling this way, especially as it heads into winter, is completely natural. It's, however, not a reflection on you as an entrepreneur so don't be too hard on yourself. Take a break. When I first started entrepreneurship over 6 years ago, I would think it was weak or not normal to take time off for myself. Looking back, I realize how naive I was. We all need some time off and you're probably feeling this way because you're tired. Take some time off and you'll come back stronger than ever before. Trust me.
Many entrepreneurs may feel bored, stressed, or otherwise dissatisfied with their work. Often we pay attention to physical condition, for example, we do sports. But we forget about the mental state, which is no less important. Ray Dalio, billionaire and author of The Principles, has practiced Transcendental Meditation for decades and says it has helped him achieve what he has. I have also been practicing TM for 9 years and I recommend everyone who wants to work on their mental state to try it. It gives me energy, focus and helps me fight the effects of stress.
My best tip for how entrepreneurs can best enjoy their work during times of stress, boredom or feeling unfulfilled is to listen to what your body is telling you and act accordingly. Even though it doesn't feel like it, entrepreneurs have the luxury of deciding what to do with their time. When I'm feeling burnt out, I take a moment to check in with how my body feels. Usually my jaw is sore, my mind feels foggy, and my body physically feels heavier. If we're not booked for a client job, I rearrange my to-do list and push more intensive tasks, such as writing blogs, to another day. Rather than being rigid and sticking to my deadlines, which have historically increased burnout and resulted in frustration, I can be flexible and switch things up. I bring my laptop to the couch to monitor emails, but spend the day reading, nourishing my body, and cuddling my dogs. The next day, I feel energized and have more space to take on creative tasks, which increases my effectiveness and happiness.
We'll all inevitably experience those moments where we feel burnt out or uninspired in our work as entrepreneurs. As entrepreneurs, we are constantly dreaming and working towards achieving those dreams until they become a reality. Once the new reality sets in, it's time to dream again and keep the cycle going. Embrace the constant evolution and growth that comes with being an entrepreneur, and never settle for complacency. But, of course, balance your hard work with self-care. Reap the rewards of your efforts- take a break, go on a vacation, spend time with loved ones, and recharge. Don't make your career and work your entire life- make them just a piece of the bigger picture, and enjoy every step of the journey. Personal and professional growth go hand in hand, and taking care of yourself will ultimately fuel your drive and passion for what you do.
As a small business owner, I understand why entrepreneurs can experience stress, boredom, or unfulfillment with their work. A tip for ameliorating these feelings is to practice gratefulness. Many entrepreneurs, like myself, had a specific reason they started their businesses. Whether wanting to be their boss, pursuing a passion project, or seeing a need in the market. Whatever the reason, often, we get lost in the daily grind of owning a business and forget the why behind starting. Instead of trying to fix the symptom, like boredom, take time to reflect on the root of why you started your business and why you may be bored. Focus on the reasons you were initially motivated, the excitement you felt, the accomplishments you’ve realized, and the many reasons you were drawn to creating your business. Then journal about it. Afterwards, reorient yourself in that direction, align your purpose, and review the journal you wrote if you start experiencing negative feelings again.
Many times leadership roles generally tend to add enough stress, that we often forget how to have fun. This leads to losing contact with friends and going to social gatherings purely for business purposes. I would suggest picking up this personal practice. We all need a day in the week to just relax with close friends, go out and chill. It not only refreshes the mind but helps put things in perspective when you are worried about your job. As evolved humans, we take time to adjust to change, so it's always healthy to come back to your comfort zone. You find a sense of peace and familiarity there which is hard to find in your daily routine. I adopted this practice when things were getting too much. For me, it helped improve my performance and better manage my time after a relaxing weekend.
Entrepreneurial endeavors, by their very nature, encourage dreaming big. While this means Founders can move mountains in the best of times, they can be uniquely subject to stress caused by analysis paralysis and becoming overwhelmed with the sheer scale of what they are trying to accomplish. When these feelings set in, the best course of action is breakdown your work into experimental chunks (akin to sprints in software development). Not only does this create a more manageable goal for you to accomplish, you will be less likely to be dissuaded from continuing to strive for the next milestone as opposed to trying to tackle a large goal all at once. Remember - it's a marathon that requires motivation so reinforcing that good dopamine from a small set of accomplishments will keep you fulfilled on the entrepreneurial path.
Entrepreneurs take a path towards creating something for themselves because they have a creative spark and believe in their ability to make it happen. That creative instinct should be a driving factor in continuing to enjoy work, but it can also get lost in the day-to-day management of tasks and details. Getting back to enjoyment may mean re-focusing on creativity on a daily basis. There are tons of small tasks one can perform daily, so why not take time out everyday to have a ten-minute brainstorm of new ideas or directions. OK, so an email won't get answered, but you may enjoy your work a little more as a result.
In my experience, feeling bored, unfulfilled, and unmotivated as an entrepreneur can come about when you no longer see the impact of your work. This is an opportunity to take a step back and evaluate why you started the business and whether the entire enterprise is doing what it was supposed to do when you first started. Are you making a difference? Are you making a good living from your entrepreneurial venture? Are you leaving a positive legacy? These important questions can also help you identify the source of unhappiness or boredom; from there, you can decide what steps to take next. I would recommend changing direction if things are not working as you want them to. Many people are afraid to change course, but taking a different path can be the best thing for your mental, physical and financial well-being. For example, if a certain client is a major source of your stress and has been for a long time, it might be time to let them go and create space for a better one.
Most people become entrepreneurs for freedom, flexibility and limitless potential. Yet, it's common for entrepreneurs to feel bored, stressed or otherwise unfulfilled. When this happens it's critical that the entrepreneur get to the root cause so they can make changes before it's too late. If you're an entrepreneur and find yourself bored, stressed or otherwise unfulfilled, the following questions can help uncover what's really going on: -When was the last time I felt excited and engaged in my work? What was different then? -What drew me to becoming an entrepreneur? What's my vision for the future? -What's missing in my work-life? What support structures do I desire? Common derailers I see are a lack of variety in one's work leading to a feeling bored/monotony, a lack of support leading to stress/burnout and a lack of vision or "why" for the work leaving one feeling unfulfilled/rudderless. Knowing what's behind your discontent is the first step in making changes to feel engaged.
Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of believing that they are available to work 24/7. The best way to challenge this belief is to use the daily calendar to block out time for non-work activities. For example scheduling time during the day to run an errand, work out, take a walk or meditate provides a way to take a forced break from work. The key is to follow through and actually do it. This means that if something urgent comes up for work that cuts into the scheduled time for the non-work activity, the non-work activity should be rescheduled on the calendar for the same day or another day. Non-work activities should be treated as carrying the same level of importance as work related activities. Entrepreneurs who adopt this approach are more productive and are able to achieve a healthier work-life balance.
There is a policy we follow in our IT department. If innovations get boring, we try out unique and creative experiments. When things get boring or stressful, entrepreneurs can try this out. Changing your focus might seem wrong during such times, but it is worth it. It can help you understand your work itself differently. Experimental learning is something that kids to adults can benefit from. It breaks the monotonous circle, and helps your create awareness of new things. Once you come upon an idea or even adapt to such change, you can stop the cycle. Implementation of ideas derived from this process can help fulfillment in the job process. We follow monthly experimental work days in our company, so I can testify to this idea working smoothly.
Consider working normal business hours. People start to dread their jobs when they sign on after hours, or check their email first thing in the morning. Set boundaries for yourself. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to complete tasks in your free time. In doing so, you'll be more satisfied in your role.
What I find, as a CEO, is that I have more on my to-do list than I have time to do things. And everything is urgent, or at least, deserves a timely response with a bit of thought behind it. What can happen, then, is a sort of snowball effect, where tasks pile up and I start to feel stressed by the should-do-thats and the must-get-to-thises. What I've found helps, in those moments, is to take ten minutes to turn around and chop the task list down to size again. Re-evaluate your priorities, push things into an icebox or backlog, delegate, delete, conflate. Every time I do this, I achieve a greater sense of clarity about what actually needs to be done. And, I feel lighter.
If you are bored or unfulfilled as an entrepreneur, you should take a step back and look at the overarching picture of your industry. Where is your industry headed? What opportunities are there to take advantage of the changing trends in your industry?
Here’s my take from the experience of working with a bunch of successful entrepreneurs in the last 2.5 years: 1. You can be bored at work, but don’t be lazy. 2. Recognize that, whatever you are doing, you are responsible for it. Challenge yourself. 3. Get things done. If you think it you have too much on your plate—learn to prioritize and delegate. 4. Take resting breaks during office hours when possible as these are important in keeping a balance in your life. A zen is the best thing :) 5. Allow yourself to feel bored sometimes (not all the time) and enjoy the little victories and people around and the company culture :)
Every entrepreneur needs a vivid vision to keep close on a daily basis. Think of any reminder you might use. Notes, journal, phone reminders, vision board, something on your desk, daily rituals like a meditation about your dream, find one that works best and install it in your daily routines. The road to success is tough and there is much mundane stuff to be done that can make us feel unfulfilled or bored. But once you reconnect with your vision and then find the link between your current task and that vision, motivation gets back to you.
Work with people you like. There's nothing more unmotivating than heading into the office with people you have nothing in common with and don't enjoy being around. Consider sitting with colleagues that you can collaborate effectively with, and step out for lunch with your work best friend. It makes going into the office something to look forward to.