Stepping Stones

By Ellen H. Brown

As a solo business owner, have you ever become so busy that you dropped one of the many “balls” you’re juggling? Maybe you stopped exercising for awhile. Or perhaps your schedule became so crowded that you quit networking, until you were able to catch your breath. As small business owners, we have a lot of responsibilities to juggle, so it’s not surprising that we occassionally drop one or more of our proverbial balls.

I’ve certainly been guilty of dropping a ball or two. In fact, lately, I’ve been struggling to keep my blog alive. When I first started blogging, it was a blast. It reminded me of a big playground where I could play with words. Ideas came to me everyday. And when they did, I’d type them up, or scribble them onto a scrap of paper. And I had a nice long list of topics from which to choose.

But over time, the list shrank, and blogging felt like a chore that I needed to cram into my already busy schedule. I felt hard pressed to find time to write, and when I did it felt like I was blogging about the same old things. Rehashing. Repackaging. Hammering home the same points.

Now some coaches might tell me to just suck it up, and blog already. But the suck it up approach has never worked for me, because it smacks of shame, and while some people believe shame is a great motivator, what I know is this: people usually feel worse about themselves when they are berated for their actions or inaction. And when we feel beaten down, we don’t feel especially motivated to take action.

So, if shaming ourselves into action doesn’t help when we “drop a ball,” what does? Listed below are 15 strategies designed to help you get back on track. Since we’re all so different, some ideas may work for you and others may not. So, feel free to experiment with one or several of these ideas to see what works for you:

1. Rather than beating yourself up over “falling off the wagon,” forgive yourself After all, you’re only human, and we all slip up sometimes.

2. Remind yourself of why you wanted to pursue this goal in the first place. In other words, what is your motivation for exercising or blogging or whatever you stopped doing? Reminding yourself of this on a regular basis can help propel you forward in the long run.

3. Ask yourself, how important is this goal to me, on a scale of 1-10 (with one being not important at all and 10 being incredibly important)? This is important to ask yourself, because sometimes our priorities shift.

4. Think of a time in your life when you “dropped the ball,” but were able to pick it up again. In a journal, describe the incident and what strategies you used to begin, anew.

5. If you were able to recall a time when you were successful at getting back on that horse again, try that same strategy, if appropriate.

6. If you can’t think of a time when you were successful at resuming an activity you’d temporarily stopped, quiet your mind through meditation or by taking a nice long walk. When your mind is relatively quiet, ask yourself this: what would help me get back on track? Write down what you hear, and consider trying that strategy.

7. Something I’ve noticed, as a coach, is that taking one small step is often the catalyst for getting back on track. Success leads to success. So if we are able to successfully take one small step, we’re more likely to take another and another. And if we attempt to commit to too much too soon, we often set ourselves up for failure.

8. Think of one small step you can take that will help you get back on track.

9. Make a commitment to taking that first step. Make the goal as specific as possible, and put it in writing. For example, instead of saying “I’m going to start blogging next week,” say “I’ll recommit to writing one blog post a week, and I’ll write my first blog post on Tuesday August 25.”

10. Once you make this commitment, tell a friend or colleague about your commitment, and if possible, ask them to hold you accountable. As you may know, accountability is key to following through on goals.

11. Everyday, remind yourself of why you’re pursuing this goal. Consider using a visual representation of your goal as a reminder. For example, if you’re trying to become more fit, you could place an image of fitness in a prominent place, to remind you of your goal.

12. As you take steps toward your goal, find a way to celebrate your successes. Choose something you enjoy and reward yourself for a job well done!

13. If you slip up, forgive yourself. After all, you’re not perfect. But if you can be gentle with yourself, and avoid beating yourself up, it’s easier to get back on track.

14. If you’re having trouble getting back on track, consider hiring a coach to support you along your journey. A good coach can encourage and support you, help you find a way around your limiting beliefs, co-create a plan for you to achieve your goals, and keep you accountable.

15. Never forget that life is a journey, not a destination. So enjoy the ride!

When have you dropped one of the many responsibilities you’re juggling?

In the past, when you’ve fallen off the wagon, what have you done to get back on track?

I’d love to hear what you have to say. Please join in the conversation by leaving a comment, here, on Stepping Stones.

Ellen H. Brown is a certified coach who works with solo business owners interested in running wildly successful businesses without sacrificing their personal lives. Her business, Wellness Journeys, is based in Cleveland, Ohio. To sign up for her newsletter and download her free special report, How to Boost Profits and Productivity Without Sacrificing Your Personal Life, go to http://www.wellnessjourneys.com/profits-and-productivity.php