What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Growing a Business While Dealing With Relationship Issues The safest passion you can follow is that business you're building.
By Kimanzi Constable Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Love can be one of the greatest feelings a human can experience. It can make us feel like we're capable of anything, and as if we're living in the clouds. It can also be one of the hardest things to get over. It's fair to say that most entrepreneurs reading this will have experienced the negative side that comes with love. A hard breakup or love not returned in the same way it was given can be depressing and kill our inner drive to grow. Many an entrepreneur's businesses have suffered because of issues with romantic love.
Life doesn't always go as planned and sometimes relationships don't work out despite our best efforts. At that point, you have a choice to make. You can let the feelings overwhelm you into quitting and worse. Or, you can view the experience as something you learn from and grow through. Either way, there are some things you should understand about relationship struggles and maintaining the growth plan in your business.
You are human. It will affect your motivation and productivity.
As entrepreneurs, we try to be strong. It's not easy leaving the security of a job for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. To do that, we tap into something deeper. When we're dealing with relationship struggles, we try to go to that strong place and muscle through what we're feeling. Don't! We are entrepreneurs but don't forget that we're human first. We have feelings and emotions.
When you are dealing with the side effects of negative relationship experiences, realize that it will affect your motivation and productivity. Realize that it's hard to focus on business because a huge part of you is invested in what's happening. This is all normal. Don't beat yourself up during those days when you only feel like eating all day while you binge watch your favorite Netflix show. Don't punish yourself for not being Superman 24/7 and for taking a break from the hustle.
Related: 5 Reasons Heartbreak Is Good for Entrepreneurs
Give yourself time to process and heal.
After reminding yourself that you're human, give yourself the proper time to process everything that's happened so you can heal. You just went through something traumatic and that's not easy to overcome. Take a few days off from business and have some "you" time. Do something fun. Do something that helps relieve stress. Hang out with friends and vent. Mediate and get all that junk out of your head. If you give yourself the proper time to heal and process, you will be more productive when you come back to business. Trying to do business in this state can lead to less than your best work.
Related: The 10 Jobs With the Highest Divorce Rates, and the 10 With the Lowest
Create a to-do list every night that will keep you focused.
When we're going through emotional stuff, our natural inclination is to wing it. We do a few things here and there so we feel like we're getting things accomplished. During these times, structure can help. Spending a few minutes each night planning out the next days will help you stay focused on what you need to do. Don't go nuts with tasks. Realize that you're not at full strength and give yourself manageable goals for your current state.
Related: 5 Ways to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder In Your Office
Continually evaluate your 'why.'
The reason most of us started a business was to create freedom, financial security, and make an impact. It's easy to lose sight of that—especially during relationship struggles. If you are going to accomplish major goals and dreams, you must have them and you must update them. Maybe you're not moving forward because you don't have a big enough "why" anymore. At least a few times a year, you should take time to make sure you're pushing and challenging yourself as a human and entrepreneur.
Related: 5 Tips for Working With Your Spouse -- and Making It Work
Never settle or get complacent.
Maybe the relationship struggles are happening to show you that it's time to move on. Life would be amazing if we found the "one" and nothing ever went wrong. That's not a reality. Listen and learn from the experience, good or bad. Don't justify or make excuses for a relationship that you know is holding you back and is not healthy. You might have to make a hard choice right now that saves you years of pain and worse. You deserve someone who loves you for you and wants to do anything they can to make your life better. You deserve the real thing in your life.
Life is too short to spend it constantly stressed out and not moving forward because you are dealing with relationships issues. Fights happen. Things go wrong. Sometimes love takes more to make it work. Recognize the kind of love that's worth fighting for and the kind you need to walk away from. Realize that it can and will affect your business and use these strategies to get through it. This is your year -- you've got this.
