If you’re an entrepreneur,you’re ambitious, motivated and, on most days, believe down to your toes that you have a product or service worth sharing with the world. You’re not afraid to take on challenges, and you probably work more hours in a day than you thought was humanly possible.
You may also be feeling isolated and lonely- and for good reason. Especially if you’re just starting out, you’re likely doing everything yourself. There’s no one to kick ideas around with, no one to take a break with, no one to give you a boost when you’re lagging, no one to get you out of your own head. If you’re working from home, as many entrepreneurs do, there’s not even anyone to nod at in the elevator.
It’s not only that working alone can come to be depressing and slow you down. It’s that ideas don’t usually come to you in a vacuum. Once you pour out everything you’ve been thinking about, it’s often very helpful to get a fresh perspective that points you to a new way of approaching an obstacle you haven’t been able to crack.
One way to do it is to amp up your business skills and take them to a higher level as well as learn new methods of critical thinking and creative problem-solving. You can do that by earning an online MBA while you’re getting ready to put your project on its feet. It will not only challenge you, it will give you a chance to interact with a like-minded community and keep you current on what’s going on out there.
In the meantime, here are some additional ways of beating the loneliness of entrepreneurship:
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Take a Walk
It’s simple, it’s free, and you can do it any time at all. This isn’t just about the exercise, though a little activity in the fresh air is always a good thing. It’s about going outside and keeping your eyes open to the scenery and the people passing by. Don’t speed walk with your head down to check your Fitbit every other minute, and don’t talk on the phone, text or even listen to an audio book. Stop and look in a shop window, chat with someone, stay loose. You’ll return to your work with a clear head.
Work Somewhere Else
If you spend all your time hunched over your desk at home, give yourself a break and take yourself and your yellow pad or laptop to a coffee shop a time or two each week. Just having something else to look at when you pick your head up can be a refreshing change from seeing the same four walls every day.
Put Some Music on
Even surgeons listen to music in the operating room. Oddly enough, most choose classic rock, but some choose classical, some choose country, and you can choose whatever you like. Music can be calming or
it can be invigorating, but either way, it enhances focus and improves efficiency. If it works in life-or-death situations, imagine how it can help you in whatever you’re doing.
Meet up With People
Humans are social animals, and if you’re getting all your social contact from Twitter and Facebook, you’re missing out on the added benefits of real person-to-person interaction. Join a local business group, a bowling team, a wine club. Anything that will get you out into the world where you can hear different voices and different ideas.
Not a joiner? Then make sure you carve out time to see friends on a regular basis. Meeting up with people face-to-face is a different and fuller experience than limiting yourself to email. While you should be able to put your work out of your mind while you’re socializing- actually, it’s the point of it -a random comment from someone can spark your imagination about something you’re working on.
Take Yourself out to Lunch
Not every meal has to be cold leftovers eaten standing over the sink. If you’re bogged down in the middle of something, comb your hair and take yourself out. The work will still be there when you get back, but you’ll be in a better mood to tackle it.
About Carson Derrow
