If you’re in a rut with your business and you’re struggling to find the next big idea, then putting in more hours at your desk is usually NOT the solution. Stop banging your head against your laptop and try one of these quick solutions to reboot your business brain!
1. Go for a walk. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I drop everything and take a walk along the beach. The fresh air makes me feel more grounded and at peace. Even if you only have time to walk to the mailbox, it’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to recharge the brain.
2. Shut down your computer and grab a pen. When you need to get yourself out of your head and into clarity, try picking up a pen and paper. Want even better results? Use colored pens or markers and draw what you’re thinking, too!
3. Take a siesta. Short periods of shuteye are a proven way to help you stay sharp. I take at least one nap per day – sometimes two. Naps not only improve your performance, but I find that I often wake with new or solutions to problems!
4. Go shopping! Not for retail therapy, but to look for fresh marketing and sales ideas. Once when I was at Whole Foods, I noticed some CDs on display and found myself adding two of them to my cart. These are called point of sale purchases, and they’re an effective way to boost your bottom line. Go see what strategies other stores are using.
5. Hit the classroom. This is one of the best ways to jump start your business. Every day, there are countless seminars, workshops, and classes going on. Can’t leave the office or your house? Many are taught online or over the phone!
6. Make your dream list. To pull yourself out of a rut, find a quiet place and list your dreams. Also think about why you decided to work for yourself in the first place. Was it to achieve a better lifestyle? Have greater flexibility to travel?
7. Read a biography. I regularly read biographies of successful entrepreneurs to remind me that everyone has ups and downs in their businesses. I also try to learn how they think so I can model them.
8. Change your scene. Go work in a different room, out on the patio, or at a local library or a coffee shop. Get out of town, if you can. Once, when I just could not seem to finish a large writing project at home, I booked myself a week at a spa resort, brought my laptop, and shut off my phone. Worked like a charm!
9. Hire a coach or mentor. Having access to someone who’s been through the ups and downs of business before and has succeeded removes all the guesswork and brings out your best.
10. Join a mastermind group. The idea behind mastermind groups is that two minds are better than one. Aligning yourself with a group of successful entrepreneurs helps you move forward quickly and confidently.
What is your favorite reset activity to do? Please post below!
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© 2012 Ali International, LLC
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“Entrepreneur mentor Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” at www.AliBrown.com.”