It’s not unusual for business owners and entrepreneurs to fall into a business rut. For some reasons, nothing seems to work. There are problems with employees, suppliers, global warming – everyone and everything. It can all become too much.
You may not want to reinvent your business every time, but some changes can breathe fresh air into it. Here are steps you can take to break out of any business rut.
Revisit Your Goals
You probably had specific goals for yourself and your business when you first started. Your goals may have included filling a niche in your neighborhood, making more money, spending more time with your family, or building strong relationships with your customers.
Now that you feel you’re in a rut, take a new look at those goals and decide if your reasons for operating your company have changed. For example, if your goal was to spend more time with your children and they’re already grown, decide whether you should focus on growing your business at this point.
Revisiting your goals will help you find a new reason to love what you’re doing.
Introduce “New”
Most entrepreneurs love the concept of new ideas, new clients, new projects, and new products, more than they love doing the work. So start by thinking about the “new” things you can introduce into your business to get that energy and enthusiasm flowing back.
Get Rid of What Drives You Crazy
Every business has things that drive its owner nuts. This could be a certain client, a system that doesn’t work anymore, or a certain piece of equipment.
It’s time to get rid of that thing that drives you crazy! It might be that one client whom you can never please, who despite what you do is never happy and takes up most of your time – making you neglect other customers. Whatever that thing is, address it today.
Complete Your “Incompletes”
Whenever you’re going through a business rut, there’s likely a pile of complicated things you could call your “incompletes.” Shut the door, switch off the phone, turn off your email notifications and systematically work through all those things. There’s nothing better than completing the “incompletes.” You feel clear again.
Remember Where You Came From
One of the biggest reasons many people fall in a rut is that they feel like they’re making no progress. Take a lot of photos, keep old brochures, keep printouts of old advertisements, websites, logos, etc. This will remind you of where you came from and it will give you a sense of progress.
Interestingly, all the above steps will help break you out of a rut, even if it seems like there’s no logical reason behind it. They have worked for many others before you!
