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

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

#1

Post by ministrator »

Created a throwaway for a variety of reasons. I am currently running a profitable service business, making $10k+/mo. But I feel miserable and I don't understand why. The work I get to do is easy and enjoyable. The clients I get to work with are great. Once I get started working I get stuff done pretty quickly, but the problem is getting started every morning. ONCE I get started, everything is fine, but every day I feel demoralised to GET STARTED. The time period of waking up until getting started feels absolutely miserable. I have no idea how to solve it since, from my perspective, it isn't clear what the problem is. Like I said, the work + customers are fantastic. But why do I still feel so demoralised and horrible every single morning? How could I solve this?

Update: Additional info

* I work from home

* I only work 5 days a week, around 3/4h a day.

* Don't follow a specific diet and don't exercise regularly

I've been struggling with this feeling for a few months now and I can't seem to see why. My days are not long, the work itself is fun, but to get started in the morning is absolute hell. I keep postponing work until late in the afternoon sometimes.

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

#4

Post by fairpx »

What helped for me is build a team around you. The moment there are others that join your mission, everything changes. I started out my service based UI design business (http://fairpixels.pro) as a solopreneur. At some point, I started getting the same feelings as you're describing and realised (from past projects) that having a team for support had always worked for me. If you don’t have the budget, no worries. You don’t have to hire full time people. These can be VA’s, freelancers that occasionally help you out or even a mentor that actively pings you to keep updated on the progress you’re making. Knowing you’re not by yourself has been a huge motivator for me and might be the solution you’re looking for. Good luck & feel free to ping me if you have additional questions.

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

#8

Post by davismwfl »

fairpx wrote: post #4

What helped for me is build a team around you. The moment there are others that join your mission, everything changes. I started out my service based UI design business ( http://fairpixels.pro ) as a solopreneur. At some point, I started getting the same feelings as you're describing and realised (from past projects) that having a team for support had always worked for me. If you don’t have the budget, no worries. Yo…

fairpx has the right advice. I can echo it nearly word for word. Get some help even if you are specifically carving out say work that takes you 10 hours a week to do and you hire a VA or freelancer to do it each week.

A few additional things I'll add, make sure you are eating well, getting some exercise/activity everyday and make a plan to take say a week off 1-2 months from now. Part of your job during that 2 months is to make it so you can take the time off and not panic. Just remember this, if you can't take time off you don't have a business you have a job.

One other suggestion which I have personally done. I was having trouble with doing the above personally, but I knew I was going to implode if I didn't do something. So in my case I took my laptop got a hotel room on an island and worked from the pool, hotel room, etc during a week. I found I could work a few hours a day and accomplish everything and had enough time to go explore and relax. That helped energize me, I think just getting out of my pattern was the most important part.

Good luck!

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

#9

Post by the-dude »

ministrator wrote: post #7
the-dude wrote: post #6

Do you work every day?

yea, but usually not more than 3h

Start taking weekends and holidays like normal people do.

I take days off whenever I feel like it.

Also, if it was me having trouble to start, I would consider it as an early burnout symptom.

Good luck.

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