Having Fun, Part II
Everything is fun, new, and exciting when a business is just getting off the ground. The adrenalin rush of a start-up will last for a few years, during which time things are relatively simple: do good work, collect the money, repeat.
Even when things aren’t going especially well an owner can still be having fun. After all, one of the things that drives so many entrepreneurs is solving problems. What better problems to solve than finding ways to make more money or to remove the obstacles that are keeping the business from making it in the first place?
At the same time, the increased responsibilities and complexities of running a progressively larger business can extinguish the fun a business owner had when they were running a smaller one.
Here are a few strategies that might be helpful to business owners who find themselves losing the sense of fun they once had in their business.
Address your stress. Stress is a serious issue and it can be a real fun-killer! When stressed, our mind is preoccupied with worries or concerns. This makes it hard to relax and enjoy ourselves, including the enjoyment an owner derives from their business.
Stress affects our physical and emotional states. Chronic stress can lead to fatigue, irritability, tension, and a host of health issues, all of which can make it difficult to engage fully in leisure activities. Plus, when we’re stressed, we might be more inclined to avoid social interactions or activities altogether.
On the flip side, finding ways to effectively manage stress—through relaxation techniques, exercise, or talking things out with another person—can help us to feel more present and engaged in fun activities both at work and at home. Finding a balance and incorporating stress-relief practices into your routine can make a big difference in how much fun you have at work.
Rediscover your fun work. Find the parts of running a business that you enjoy. Maybe it’s increasing sales revenue year over year or producing an exceptionally good product. There were skills you possessed and work you enjoyed when you started your business. As the company grew, maybe you found yourself doing less and less of those things and more of the kind of work you might not find to be as fun.
Without abandoning your current responsibilities, I bet you can still find time to rediscover the work that you found the most joy in doing and weave some of it into your current job.
Revisit your “why.” Dr. Spindler’s strategy for finding more fun is to help his clients revisit the reason why they started in their sport. This works in business as well.
What was it that energized you about starting your company? What physical, emotional, and intellectual rewards did you find in doing so? When you take the time to revisit your “why,” you’re tapping into your original motivations for starting your company. The accompanying emotions are usually positive; emotions like having fun.
Running a business is a long game. Continuing to have fun while “playing” can make the difference between winning or bowing out because of exhaustion or frustration.
