Seems crazy I know, but it’s possible to become bored with your business. You likely still enjoy serving your clients, you live and breathe everything about your business, you may even be kicking some serious goals, but sometimes it can seem all a bit Groundhog Day.
You’re going through the motions – you post on social media at the right times, you follow the trends, you make the sales. But something’s not quite right. You’re feeling exhausted and kind of bored.
Now, it’s unrealistic to think that we can be ‘high vibe’ 100% of the time, so we’re bound to come up against some speed bumps along the way. But what happens when it’s more a hill than a speed bump?
When my clients start talking like this, I know that it’s time for a values check in. Feeling out of alignment with your business usually means that what you’re doing doesn’t match your values.
Here are three of the most common ways your values can become misaligned and what you can do about it.
1. Lifestyle value misalignment
Most people start a business to unify (or at least try and have a healthy balance) in all aspects of their life, whether it’s work, family or interests. But the issue here is that you’re often so engrossed in making your business succeed that you spend all of your waking hours working on, or thinking about your business! The other pieces of your lifestyle are being pushed to the side which doesn’t sit right with your values.
The solution is to start small by bringing some of the other elements into how you do your business. Work from a different café every day or even check out ones attached to attractions such as museums or ones that have a view. That way you can take regular breaks and enjoy somewhere different. You could book a couple of days in a hotel in the city and have the family come and join you for a meal or even stay overnight.
2. Service value misalignment
You’re in business to serve the needs and wants of your clients,
so it makes sense that this value means a lot to you. The issue here is that you love your clients, and you love what you do for them, but you feel like there’s something missing.
The solution is to think about a cause that you really believe in. How can you donate your time or skills? What’s a reasonable amount of time that you could dedicate to providing your services for free, and still feel fulfilled in other areas of your life?
For example, if you’re an event planner, is there a charity that could use your help in organising an event? If you’re a website designer, could you update the website for a local charity? Do some research and see where you can re-align your service values.
3. Independence value misalignment
Independence is all about doing it your way and not following the rules to the letter. Being in business for yourself epitomises this value, as you don’t have an employer to answer to! The issue here is that doing all the right things, following a strategy, going through the motions and ticking all the boxes isn’t doing much to help you feel fulfilled.
The solution is to try something new that’s not part of your strategy! Jump on Clubhouse (let me know if you need an invite), try a new online or in person networking group, target a few of your followers and offer them a free mini-session. Whatever you decide to do, make it different to how you think you’re supposed to run a business.
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
If you’re feeling a little indifferent towards your business at the moment, don’t fear. It happens to all of us. You’ve taken the first step to identify the problem, now you can move forward by making small changes in your day.
If you’d like help articulating your values and understanding how you can build a financially sound business around them, then let’s work together on a Full Circle Audit. You’ll be empowered to approach your business with a new set of eyes, armed with the data that can help you grow your business even further in a way that feels good for you. You can find out more here.