Whether you’ve owned a business for three months or three years, the warm summer months will always make you feel like you should be soaking up the sun instead of being stuck indoors running your business as usual.
Because we were raised to work hard during the year and enjoy a few months of downtime in the summer, it can be hard to stay focused and motivated during this season. But just because the sun is shining and the birds are chirping doesn’t mean you can’t still be productive.
If you’re looking for ways to beat the summer slump and continue building your business, take a look at these five tips.
- Since the summer months are the mid-way point of the year, it’s a great time to think about your initial goals and evaluate what’s working and what’s not. Whether you wanted to increase sales or improve your marketing tactics, use this time as an opportunity to regain focus on what you really want to accomplish for the rest of the year. It’s also a good time to really think about why you started a business in the first place and to remember what you’re working towards.
Do you want to retire young and travel? Do you want to pay for your children’s tuition without taking out a loan? Remembering these things will help you stay motivated and determined to work towards your goals, no matter what time of the year it is!
Do you want to retire young and travel? Do you want to pay for your children’s tuition without taking out a loan? Remembering these things will help you stay motivated and determined to work towards your goals, no matter what time of the year it is!
- Rest assured, you’re not the only one feeling antsy and unproductive during the summertime. A great way to stir up some excitement in the workplace is to organize a day of fun for your staff. Whether it’s a company BBQ, a pool day, a game night or even a potluck, you and your employees will look forward to coming to work that day, even – and especially – if the sun is shining outside!
- One of the most common tips among successful business owners is to work smarter instead of harder. This tactic is especially important in the summer; the last thing anyone wants to do is to spend eight hours working indoors. As a business owner, you have the luxury of determining your own hours – what better time to take advantage than summer?! The key to working smarter is to reduce distractions, organize your time and try to condense your workload into three to five hour chunks so you can leave the office and enjoy all of the beautiful things summer has to offer.
- If you want to cut back hours but the business can’t survive without the extra hands, consider hiring a summer assistant or intern. With the large amount of college students on summer vacation during this time, it won’t be hard to find a hardworking individual to help out at your shop for a few months during the year. Plus, it’s a great way to pass along some of the knowledge and expertise you’ve acquired over the years, perhaps to a son or a daughter.
- If all else fails, embrace the kid inside and take an adult version of a summer break. Owning a business is hard work and if there’s one time you deserve a vacation, it’s summertime! Whether you take a week or a month, you’ll come back feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to tackle the next two quarters of the business year.
