During the months of August and September, I was in a bit of a business slump. As much as I tried to be as focused as I usually am, I found myself failing miserably.
To be fair to myself, I’d just come off of several months of frequent travel. I’d also just moved, launched a group program for the first time, and dealt with a hurricane during this time. It’s actually a miracle I got much of anything done in September due to Hurricane Irma.
None of these things are excuses, of course. But it’s important that we remember to fair to ourselves when we’re experiencing a business slump. Sometimes, as was the case with the hurricane, the situation is out of our control. Therefore, making ourselves feel bad about it serves no purpose.
Now that we’re in the fourth quarter, it’s time for me to get it together again. I also find myself slowly getting out of my business slump. Here are some of the things that have helped me get back to business.
Working out regularly.
I noticed a common theme in August in September: I wasn’t really working out. Meanwhile, in July, when I had a nearly five-figure launch, I was working out at least a few times a week.
Research does show that exercise not only gives us more energy, but it also helps with cognitive abilities and focus. Judging from my own experience of starting to hit the gym again, I have noticed both increase for myself.
Trying a change of scene.
One thing that always helps me get out of a business slump is a change of scene. Sometimes this looks like going to my coworking space instead of working from home. Other times, it looks like forgoing both those options and going to a coffee shop instead.
When I was first getting into the swing of things after Hurricane Irma, I could only get work done at a coffee shop I’d never been to before. Being home just made me want to take a nap and my coworking space was a mad house as people tried to get back to work after a natural disaster.
I also spent a random day at the new science museum to get my mind off of work. Two days later I had one of the most productive days I’d had in weeks.
Finding another creative outlet.
For the last year, I’ve been working hard to find other creative outlets. While I love writing, it’s essentially become my job. It’s no wonder then that I’ve been craving other forms of creativity in my life.
In my case, my roommate is a fashion designer so I get to play with clothes. This is especially true when I have a speaking event coming up. I also recently went to support a friend who runs a fashion magazine and had a blast with clothes and jewelry. By the way, this has also led to having a lot of fun with Instagram.
The result is that by exercising my creativity in different ways, I am able to come back to my business with a new perspective. What was once a struggle to come up with content ideas, started flowing more easily after I found other creative outlets.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes the best way to get out of a business slump is to not focus on your business. While it may seem counterintuitive, research and personal experience suggest that it does actually work.
