Ask HN: I'm a solopreneur and I feel demoralised

First of all congrats on your business success, many here dream of having this.

Could it be that your day misses structure? Is joining a tech hub/shared office an option for you?

I have been working from home for many years. The trick for me is that I have to be careful that my daily life doesn't become too comfortable. I absolutely need to start working first thing in the morning.

What also works for me is getting out. Physical work is important. I do weightlifting and really enjoy sweating and working out.

Go to meetups, do networking or meet clients. This works especially well if you don't like socialising! Because once you have done this, you will feel eager to be back at your home office to work.

I think you should prepare a solid morning routine, like workouts, running, meditation, etc whatever feels you good to do because it will pump adrenaline in your body which will motivate you to Kickstart your day full of energy. Try it one day and see what works for you.

At the end of the day, save yourself something very simple to start with the next day.

There are different stages in the life of a buisness, this stage may not appeal to you. Maybe it is time to start another one?

- The recommendation to stick to the parts of business development that you love comes up occasionally on the http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com podcast. Rob Walling actually does another podcast specifically targeting mental wellness: https://zenfounder.com

In basically the same situation, here's what's helped me:

1. Hard limits on screen time (e.g. no screens after 5pm)

2. Basketball, tennis, chess (find a social activity - physical ones are a double whammy)

3. Personal training

4. Spend time learning - I spend a good portion of my free time learning about my craft, but also about other things. Variability spices life up a bit.

5. Working from coffee shops

6. Writing. Serves mainly as a way to process my experiences, and the large positive feedback has been rewarding. (example: http://www.programmerfu.com/2017/04/20/fast-is-slow-slow-is-...)

My most recent strategy has been to wake up, make coffee and bust out an hour of focused work before I do anything. My wife works with me during this time, which is nice for accountability and togetherness. Generally, getting that first hour out of the way without "easing into it" with reddit/HN gives me a feeling of accomplishment that empowers me to tackle the rest of the day. And if I'm unmotivated the rest of the day, I know I've gotten a decent slice of work in already.

Hey,

I am currently also working remotely but without a team back in the company, struggled with depression and such for most of my life. What helped was a team sport, 3 times a week. Besides all the things the other posters say (sport in general, meditation, psychotherapy) bonding and having a human connection to other people is probably the most important one, IMHO.

I hope you are getting better, friend.

Cheers