How to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur

In general, entrepreneur's are motivated people. We're fueled by our innovation, creativity, and our passion for our business. But....

But those long hours and can-do work ethic can cause burnout and make us lose motivation, especially during the heat of the summer when our friends are taking long vacations at the beach and we're stuck doing, well, 'work.' If you're starting to feel your motivation dwindling, don't worry. You're not alone, and even better, you can get through it. Here are some entrepreneur tips for staying motivated:

Set a quit time

Entrepreneurs tend to stray from the typical 8-5 workday, and global accessibility through emails and skype makes it more than easy to have a 24 hour workday. When you're an entrepreneur, you are probably working long hours, especially as you're building your business. But it's also important to recognize when enough is enough. Set a realistic quitting time for yourself, and stick to it at least most days of the week. Stop answering emails after 8 pm, or take Sundays off. You'll feel more refreshed and more productive when you allow yourself some down time.  Settle down, bro (or sis).

Take a mini vacay

You might not be able to get away to the coast for a 10 day vacation, but you probably should.  With your laptop, either way, go have some fun. Take next Sunday off and head out to the lake with your friends or family. Surprise your partner with a night out at a swanky hotel to reconnect and unwind.  Spend some money and do something wild because that's what you're already doing as an entrepreneur. If you're starting to feel overwhelmed, a short mini vacation can do wonders to boost your motivation and get you back to your normal productive, energetic self.

Review your progress

When all else fails, take some time to revisit your original vision and map how far you've come. There's nothing more motivating than comparing where you started to where you are now, and going back through your original vision will likely fuel your drive to move even further with your business.  I like to look back to before we had Brad Feld on the Handshakin Video Series and celebrate before I worry about how we're going to get Mark Cuban.  Entrepreneurship is fun, don't make it a pain.  

The life of an entrepreneur has its perks, but it can also be exhausting. Even the most driven entrepreneurs lose their motivation now and then. If that's the case for you, then take some of these tips to get your mojo back and get back in the game. For more ideas on how to hold yourself accountable and stay motivated, apply to the Handshakin Startup Pre-accelerator today!  Seriously, go do it now.  You can do it from your phone in a few minutes.  GO!