What to do for your small business start-up when you don't feel like doing anything
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When you’re the puppet master of your small business, you get to do all the things or pay someone else to do those things for you.
However, when you’re just starting, you might not have the income to provide for another employee, either full- or part-time. While you might not be great at everything, you still might have to do everything yourself for a little while.
I know with COVID that I’ve had plenty of days where I won’t want to do a thing. Or I might have to focus on my personal life rather than my professional one. Those days can be the toughest when it comes to working on your small business start-up.
For me, I know I have to do something to help my business start-up grow. I can’t afford to be negligent and let it flounder. So, I found a few things that helped me feel productive while putting in minimal effort.
Please keep in mind, planning or percolating ideas is something to do for your small business. They happen to be similar actions that you can do anywhere and at any time.
Read/listen to a business book/blog/audiobook/podcast
The reason I suggest this is because books can come in such a variety of topics. Same with podcasts. Even if you’re learning about something else, you take some pressure off your mind about what might be bothering you.
When I feel overwhelmed or am procrastinating, I tend to pick up a book to calm me down. It allows me to focus on one thing while grounding me in one spot.
Suppose you’re not like me and prefer audio rather than a physical book. In that case, I highly recommend listening to a book as well. Even if you’re folding laundry or cooking dinner, you can still gain a new perspective. Plus, you kill two birds with one stone!
I prefer the self-help genre. Otherwise, I’d suggest finding something from a journalist or non-fiction-based theme, like history or business.
Strategize your social media marketing
Don’t think about the technical aspect revolving around your business just yet. Focus on the fun parts of social media, like national holidays.
Social media marketing can be daunting for many small businesses, especially when you understand how it works. So when it becomes overwhelming, think of a content calendar for your business. You’ll not only have a plan, but you can have fun thinking of all the ideas for different times of the year.
Don’t overthink this process either. Leave the hashtag research and caption writing for later. Solely focus on the content and what you want to do and gear your focus on for a few days.
When thinking up the fun ideas, try organizing a new type of post theme throughout your content. It might not gain traction on your feed, but you can use your ideas for stories, highlights, or maybe a reel or two.
Create a content calendar
Similar to social media marketing, content marketing can be just as overwhelming for many business owners.
Again, this doesn’t have to be rocket science. Good content revolves around the time of year, trending topics, and great ideas. If you need a few ideas, generating a few ideas around Tailwind’s Pinterest Planner is a great way to organize and plan your content.
Always stay true to your niche. No matter what it is, staying close to content within your niche will help you grow your SEO and help your audience trust your expertise.
Plus, your content can be fun! Think of holidays and times of the year to help ground your audience with your niche to reach the most people.
Clean or organize your workspace
While cleaning might be the last thing on your mind, remember that you’re cleaning one space, not your whole house. Even if you only organize or place items in an orderly fashion, this process will help you feel more organized to tackle your work.
You might not feel like you need to clean your space. That’s okay! Consider organizing your papers, bills, or projects. This way, you can do something without agonizing over a large area.
Still don’t know what to organize? Open your laptop and consolidate your filing system. I’m sure your files can be more organized, or you can transfer some of your older files to an external hard drive.
You don’t have to undertake an overwhelming space or all of these workspaces at once, but having some of them organized or cleaner than before will help you clear your head.
Have a ‘meeting’ with another business owner/mentor
Sometimes being a business owner can be a lonely process, especially if you are a sole proprietor and have no employees yet. It’s not surprising to go for days on end without speaking or communicating about anything other than using your sales pitch.
Connect with other business owners in your area. You can easily do this through social media and the internet.
Keep in mind; this doesn’t have to be a formal or uptight type of meeting. Everything can be casual and revolve around the light conversation as you learn about each other. Arranging an informal meeting is why coffee can be a great and easy ice breaker.
If you hit it off, that’s great, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t. At least you learned about another business owner, the passions, and possibly networked a bit in the future.
