Seven things to do when you feel like giving up

As much as you love your job, there are likely to be times when it seems nothing is going right. We all have days when we are frustrated or feel there are too many hurdles to overcome. These trials are sent to challenge us; instead of being tempted to give up, we need to find ways to stay positive. Here are seven things you can do when you feel like giving up.

Remind yourself why you went into business
Sometimes you just need to revisit the list spelling out all the reasons you decided to set up your own business. This can help you to stay positive and focused and can be useful in making sure you are on track and achieving what you set out to do.

Overcoming hurdles
Instead of letting obstacles stand in your way, look at how you can overcome them. This can be a learning process, as you find out your strengths and weaknesses as a business person and become better prepared for when a similar situation arises again.

Learn to delegate
You may feel you should do everything in your business, from sales through to balancing the books’ however, this will not be possible, particularly as your company grows. You are also going to find some parts of your business that you do not enjoy or simply are not very good at – these are the ones to offload to partners or outsource to another company, leaving you with more time to concentrate on the things you do enjoy.

Start networking
Always remember to surround yourself with similar-minded people and other entrepreneurs. Many of these will have experienced what you are going through and can help you.
You can join a business association, find a local networking group for businesses, hire a mentor, or sign up for courses that will help you in your business. If there is not a suitable group near you, start one up. You can ask around locally or put posts on social media, such as Facebook, to find out who would be interested.

Keep positive
Do not let the situation get you down. You may need to switch off for a moment and do something that makes you happy. Whether this is an hour of dancing around the room to your favourite upbeat music or going for a long walk with the dog, just do it. You will then feel positive and energised to tackle any work problems.

Picking yourself up
It may sometimes seem easier to stay on the ground when you have been knocked down; however, the best thing you can do is pick yourself up and keep going. You have worked hard to set up your business and you need to keep believing in yourself.
Important: if you have confidence in your abilities, so will other people.

Have pride in yourself
Don’t beat yourself up over what you have not done; instead, look at what you have achieved. Every three months, reassess your business and your goals. See what you have achieved and be proud of yourself for having the courage to go it alone.