For entrepreneurs, motivation is essential. But it’s not always easy to maintain. It is not uncommon to start a new project with abundance of energy and passion, only to hit a few speed bumps and gradually loose it. As a result, some entrepreneurs throw in the bowl on projects too soon. They have a hard time sustaining motivation.
Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the psychology of motivation and how “much like other emotions such as happiness or anger, motivation will always come and go.” Accepting the natural ebb and flow of motivation is the first step. Next, we can learn how to identify moments of motivational decline, so we can take action before it is too late.
Start today and put these 5 actionable tips into practice:
1. Improve your diet
Eat healthy to keep yourself motivated. Once you find a diet that best works for you, you will see results and your productivity levels will boost. As a general rule of thumb, avoid foods that release glucose quickly and give you quick bursts of energy, followed by a drop in blood sugar, which makes you sleepy. Some of those foods include sweets, cereal, white bread, and pasta.
Instead, include foods in your diet that provide a steady supply of energy to your brain. Consuming more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and proteins will make you more productive. And, as a direct consequence, you will stay more motivated.
2. Give your brain a good night’s rest
According to a study published in the Royal Society Open Science Journal, sleep deprivation makes us look less attractive, less healthy and more sleepy. Their findings also suggest we “might avoid contact with sleep-deprived, or sleepy-looking individuals, as a strategy to reduce health risk and poor interactions.”
Sleep is not a nice-to-have activity for your brain. The brain needs its sleep more than any other organ. “Sleep deprivation has also been shown to have a negative impact on cognitive functions like attention and working memory.” Meanwhile, a lack of sleep kills creativity.
As entrepreneurs, we need to interact effectively with others, be alert and remain creative. So, don’t think you have to wake up at 5 a.m. to the perfect morning routine to be a successful entrepreneur. You may want to take an early night and sleep as many hours as you need, to recharge your brain completely.
3. Create the right work-life priorities
As a busy entrepreneur, you may sometimes feel trapped by your daily routines. The days may seem like they don’t have enough hours and workloads can grow like weeds. At some point, you need a breath of fresh air.
Think about the last time you spent quality time with friends and family, had some me time, or enjoyed your favorite sport. You may want to consider including spare time activities as a part of weekly schedule. This approach will help you disconnect from your work. As a result, you’ll become more productive and enjoy your work more.
4. Live your company’s mission, vision, and values
When you lose focus, motivation tends to follow suit. That is why it is useful to keep your company’s mission, vision and values statements front and center. Review your strategic plans as often as you need to.
A mission statement is a brief explanation of the company’s reason to exist. It describes your purpose and overall intention and is communicated to employees, customers, and stakeholders. The vision statement creates an image of the ideal your company wants to achieve. It should be inspirational and at the same time aspirational. Lastly, your company’s values statement is a list of principles that guide and steer your company culture. Your core values should support the mission and vision and inform decisions about daily operations.
2. Maximize office productivity
Now that you’ve prioritized a healthy and social lifestyle it’s time to get very clear about the focus of your work and its effectiveness.
The first step to maximize your productivity is to plan ahead. Creating a clear actionable plan and will help you create a purposeful daily routine. You may also want to research and select the right productivity tools and apps. The aspiration of every entrepreneur should be to work smarter and not harder.
There seems to be a causative relation between productivity and motivation. In the sense that they are not mutually exclusive. Consequently, becoming more productive and motivated is a circle that starts by acquiring certain habits.
Follow the five techniques mentioned above and create an entrepreneurial lifestyle that leads to more productivity and motivation.
Maria Kennedy is a writer and the founder of MariaKennedy.co. She tells stories about innovation, entrepreneurship, women, education and more. In her spare time, she shares her adventures as a foodie traveler at Travel for Food Hub. Connect with @mariaonzain on Twitter.
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