I’m very fortunate to have attended Commando Steve’s Fit Camps a couple of times. Now you may not automatically associate that with business, but there are some important lessons that I’ve taken away and here are my top four.

It’s all in the mindset

I’ve been on my own fitness / get healthy journey for the while. I’m still a work in progress, but it’s not all about my physical transformation. I’ve learned that my mindset needs to change before anything else does. If I’m not feeling positive and motivated, then I’m not going to get off the couch and get moving. The same can be said in my business – if my mindset isn’t right, then chances are things aren’t going to go right in my business. Some things seem to be going wrong left, right, and centre, so it’s hard to have a positive mindset about anything. If things are getting overwhelming, try these ideas.

1. Take a break. I know, when you’re in the middle of overwhelm with a million things to do, taking a break seems like the last thing you should do. But just removing yourself for an hour to go and have a coffee, walk around the block, or even hang a load of washing on the line if you work from home can give you some space and you’ll go back feeling a little fresher.
2. Try meditation or yoga to calm your mind. This isn’t something that I’m very good at, and honestly the only time I’ve done either is at Commando Camp, but it may be something that could adjust your mindset to where it needs to be.
3. Reward your triumphs. When you’ve completed a task or reached your goal, reward yourself for your hard work. And before you get there, set yourself a reward so you’ve got something to look forward to.

Be Part of a Team

Although my participation at Commando Camp is largely an individual thing, it’s really all about teamwork. I don’t go with friends so this is already out of my comfort zone to meet and work out with new people, who are all at different levels to me – and mostly I’m the weakest link so that’s really difficult too. But when I’m not the weakest link, I love to feel like I’ve helped somebody else.

Teamwork and being in a supportive environment is so important in your business too. And that’s whether you’re a sole operator, or work with a team. We all have different experiences and perspectives so having regular contact with your team is so important to keep you on track and fresh.

Even if you’re a team of one, you can still surround yourself with people who you can bounce ideas around with, dispel the feelings of isolation, or just to vent some frustrations to other business owners who understand your challenges. Your team could be your bookkeeper, your accountant, your business coach, your peers. You could also consider co-working spaces where other solos are working and you can create your own little community.

Learn more: Being the perfect mum, wife & business woman – whatever that is!

We Never Stop Learning

Commando Steve is passionate about teaching correct technique and good form. Some things I learned on my first camp were also covered on my second camp. Some things I’ve learned at bootcamp, were covered in the camps. Some may consider this a waste of time because you already know it. But there’s always something I can learn – either because I didn’t quite get it the first time, or because I’d become complacent and needed a reminder, or it could be something completely new.

It’s the same in your business. You might have been in business for many years, or spent a long time studying and earning your qualification, or you’ve simply always done it that way. Unfortunately that may not be enough to keep your business relevant. With the technology of today, the way we do business looks dramatically different to the way it did only 20 years ago. If we don’t continue to learn and embrace these changes, then we run the risk of being left behind.

You Can Overcome Any Challenge

The last workout at Commando Camp last year started at 3am, in the dark, with a 5 minute call to be dressed and in formation. A gruelling five and a half hours later to were done. At which point I collapsed on the ground sobbing. Sobbing with relief that it was over, overwhelm at what we’d just done, and pride that I’d actually been able to achieve it. I felt physically and emotionally broken. But in the quiet of the morning, with the palpable emotions of everybody around me, Steve told us something that for me, was life changing. I know that sounds very dramatic, but it’s true. Steve said that this workout was like life. Sometimes in life we are given a challenge that just seems like too much and our brains automatically try to shut down because it’s too hard. But when we push through that barrier, we actually can overcome the challenge. We can overcome ANY challenge.

This has stayed with me ever since. Now instead of clock watching during an intense bootcamp session, I focus on what I’m doing now – not what’s coming. So I can do those 20 air squats now, and when they’re done I’ll move on to the next thing. At end of the financial year I became very overwhelmed one morning thinking about the 100 BAS that I had to do, and the 1000 Payment Summaries that needed to be prepared. Then I realised that I didn’t have to do all of that right now – I just needed to focus on the one thing that I was doing in that moment. And that, I could do! When my kids are overwhelmed at the big task of cleaning their room (and they’re small messy boys so it’s a mammoth task!!) I try to teach them the same technique – don’t focus on the whole messy room. Start with the bed, then move on to the floor, then move on to the bookshelf, and before you know it, the room will be tidy (well, as tidy as a little boys’ room can get!).

Learn more: Dealing with small business overwhelm

So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed in your business, it may be because you’re focusing on the whole big picture of the task at hand. And if it’s a really big project or you just have lots of things going on, that can be overwhelming and sometimes debilitating. Try to break things down and focus on just what you need to do NOW, not what you need to do this week. Because you CAN complete that one small task now.