Running a business is hard. I’ve been working really hard lately, doing things like:

  • the real estate guide
  • a lot of outreach and guest posts
  • podcasts
  • new feature development

I also haven’t had a real vacation in almost a year. I’ve had a few three days weekends (ish, because I still answer emails) and I try to take an afternoon a week off, but I’ve not had more than 3 consecutive days off in almost a year, even around the holidays. My wife and I are also working through some big life changes and those are taking my mind other places.

I’m tired. That’s why this video today is late, because my brain has been elsewhere.

The password is CredoPlus!

That’s the reality of running your own show. You’re never off.

Today I have a lot on my plate – new features to manage the development of, clients to respond to, proposals to get out, invoices to send. I also have coffee at 2pm with a fellow entrepreneur, and I probably need to write a guest post.

So how do you get things done even when you don’t feel that you can? Here’s what I do.

First, get organized. Write it all out and prioritize. Also write out what will happen if you don’t get that done today, or why you don’t want to get it done. This often tells you a lot more about your mindset and helps you break through fears that are not real.

Second, allow yourself some space. When I get really stressed I dream about quitting everything, shutting down the site, firing my clients, and booking a one way ticket to Western Europe (again, like I did in 2009). I even go and look at plane tickets. After I’ve let myself dream about moving to Amsterdam for a few years, then I come back to reality and realize that life is pretty good.

I meditated this morning. This is a practice I’ve taken on in the last few months because I was super stressed out a number of months ago.

Third, tackle some easy items to get yourself some momentum. I was stuck this morning, so I responded to a few requests to participate in some expert roundups about the SEO/marketing industries and how people work with agencies. Once I got those done, I was ready to tackle this video, get my clients what they need, and then head off to my coffee meeting.

Here’s the video link again if you need it. The password is CredoPlus!

I love hearing your feedback. Hit Reply and you’ll get me directly. If you have a question you’d like to see me address, that is the perfect time to do it!

Until next time –

John