It is no surprise that home based businesses are on the rise.  The desire to be your own boss has become a reality and this is compounded by the lack of security in today's workforce. It is questionable whether any role would last the life of a person these days, and so many of us find ourselves as directors, managers and owners.

I wanted to look at one of the most common struggles many of us face when running our own business, and that is moving forward with the same enthusiasm on the days when you aren't speaking with someone or have clients and are left to depend on yourself to do parts of the business that are not fun, perhaps uncomfortable. This then can lead us into a state of procrastination - putting off some crucial areas of the business. If you have a home business or are a sole trader you know it can be tough and not having anyone to sound off can make it a lonely road.

There is a way around this. Whilst we are determined to succeed in our chosen market with the product or service that we are completely passionate about there are ways to remain connected without compromising our business goals.

Consider some of these options to keep you focused, passionate and on track to gaining the success you know you can and will achieve.

1. Create Joint Ventures – meet with people that you connect with on a professional basis that can complement what you do and vice versa. This does not necessarily have to be only through networking events but consider looking through your social media network for someone that seems to be on the same page as you. Have a coffee and a chat and see if can help each other out.
2. Networking – there are numerous networking events. Some are amazing and others leave you wondering why you bothered getting out of bed. Do your research and be clear in your mind what you want to gain. Rather than trying to befriend the entire room, pick a couple of people that resonate with you and see if there is a connection. Whilst this is a networking event, take the time to listen to who they are rather than what they do and take it from there.
3. Move the Office – having your office at home with the family and numerous things that need to get done constantly staring at you will only become a distraction. Find a local cafe or similar to get you out of the house into a different and fresh atmosphere. It does not matter if it is only for an hour. It allows you to look forward to going home as well as having a break from home life.
4. Create Your Own Support – sometimes finding the right people to mix with is challenging and at times frustrating. So, if it is not the way you want it to be then create your own circle of like-minded people getting together. It does not need to be formal and can be as casual as sharing a coffee and a chat. It is such a simple thing to connect to another person but can make all of the difference in refocusing on your goals and providing a fresh perspective to your business.

As humans we love to connect; we need to connect. Just because we have our own businesses does not mean that we need to segregate ourselves whilst working on the business.

Consider what you need to inspire you and get you motivated, sometimes it is a half an hour out to discuss why you are putting off doing one of those not so favourite tasks. You may very well find when you get back into focusing on the business these tasks all of sudden become something that just has to happen rather than being the heavy burden it was a short time before.

The power of success of your business lies within you, your perspective and the meaning you attach to all aspects of the business. It is amazing what a five minute conversation can do to your level of enthusiasm and motivation.

Hally Rhiannon-Nammu is the Founder and Director of Creative Balance, coaching specialists.

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© Hally Rhiannon-Nammu 2011