Small Business Motivation: Wild & Weird Ways to Get Your Mojo Back (particularly for you ADHD'ers out there)

Some days, running a small business feels like starring in your own success montage—wins rolling in, emails answered, clients happy. Other days? It’s more dramatic breakdown in a rom-com, staring at your screen while questioning all your life choices.

When motivation disappears, you don’t just need a pep talk—you need to shake things up (as Taylor Swift wisely suggests). Whether you’re neurodivergent and battling focus issues or just feeling uninspired, here are some wild, weird, and science-backed ways to reset your brain and get back on track.

1. Chase a Waterfall (Literally, Don’t Stick to the Rivers and the Lakes You’re Used To)

Water resets your brain—it’s a fact. If you can, find a river, waterfall, or ocean and just stand there for a while. If getting to actual water isn’t an option, find a big hill, a forest, or anywhere open and different.

💡 Why it works: Nature is dopamine-rich, and changing environments triggers fresh thinking.

2. Shake It Off—Literally

Movement is the fastest way to kickstart dopamine and motivation. But forget the gym—try:
🕺 One-song dance party (bonus points if it’s "Shake It Off")
🎳 Bowling—because throwing things is therapeutic
🤸 Trampoline park—childhood nostalgia = instant mood boost
🚀 Jumping into a cold pool (chaotic but effective)

💡 Why it works: Shaking things up (literally) breaks mental loops.

3. Work Somewhere Outrageous

Your home office is boring. Try:
🔹 A hotel lobby (luxury vibes, no cost)
🔹 An aquarium (work next to sharks for main character energy)
🔹 A museum café (get inspired by history while smashing your to-do list)
🔹 Outside, under a tree, with snacks

💡 Why it works: New environments force your brain to wake up and engage.

4. Dopamine Dressing

What you wear affects your energy. If you’re in a slump, try:
🎩 A literal top hat (because why not?)
✨ Sequins—nobody’s stopping you
🌈 Rainbow socks or shoes that make you happy
💼 Dressing like a CEO, even if you’re working from the couch

💡 Why it works: Dopamine dressing tricks your brain into shifting gears.

5. Find a “Hype Human” (or Fake One)

We all need that one person who hypes us up. If no one’s around, try:
📞 Schedule a call with a pep-talk friend
🎙 Record a voice memo hyping yourself up for future you
🦾 Use AI text-to-speech to have a robot read you motivational messages

💡 Why it works: External energy kickstarts internal motivation.

6. Make Your To-Do List a Fortune Cookie

If the standard to-do list feels like doom, turn it into a game:
🥠 Write each task on a slip of paper.
🥠 Put them in a jar (or an actual fortune cookie).
🥠 Pick one at random—that’s what you do next. No thinking. Just action.

💡 Why it works: Surprise eliminates decision fatigue and makes boring tasks fun.

7. Use “Temptation Bundling” to Trick Your Brain

Pair boring work with something your brain actually enjoys:
🍫 Emails + your favourite chocolate
📺 Admin + a rewatch of your comfort TV show
☀️ Invoicing + sitting outside in the sun

💡 Why it works: This builds positive associations with tasks you normally hate.

8. Watch or Read Something Totally Unrelated to Work

Stop staring at the problem and shift gears completely:
📖 A book about medieval castles (why not?)
📺 A documentary on deep-sea creatures
🎧 A podcast about space or sword-making

💡 Why it works: Your brain loves making unexpected connections—fresh input sparks fresh ideas.

9. Turn Your Workday Into a Role-Playing Game

Instead of "I have to finish this task," pretend you're:
🎩 A detective solving a marketing mystery
🧙‍♂️ A wizard casting spells (aka sending invoices)
🎬 A main character in a work montage scene

💡 Why it works: Neurodivergent brains love novelty, and role-playing makes dull work fun.

10. Quit Waiting for Motivation—Just Start

The biggest hack? Action creates momentum. Do something, anything, even if it’s small.

📝 Write one sentence of the thing you’re dreading.
📞 Send one email you’ve been putting off.
🔧 Tweak one tiny thing in your business.

💡 Why it works: Once you start, it’s easier to keep going.

Final Thought: Shake It Up or Stay Stuck

If you’re waiting for motivation to magically appear, spoiler alert—it won’t. But the good news? You don’t need to wait.

Go find a waterfall, jump on a trampoline, work next to sharks, wear a disco ball dress—whatever it takes. The faster you disrupt the slump, the faster you get back on track.

So blast some Taylor Swift, shake it off, and go do the thing. 🚀