3 ways to pick yourself or your business back up again when you’ve hit a wall

If you need a bit of inspiration, below are some ways you can pick yourself or your business back up and make a bit of progress.

Almost everyone will experience some kind of slump at least once in their lives. It could follow the loss of a loved one, the inability to cope with stress, some other unavoidable change, or just reaching a lull and not being able to see a way out. For business owners this is almost guaranteed – unless you’re unnaturally positive and have endless motivation and energy, and a massive support network who’ve all dedicated their lives to helping you make your dream work… I thought not.

Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional and this post is not intended to give medical advice, it is intended to inspire others using my experiences and perceptions. If you are struggling with your mental health, please contact a professional or talk to a friend or family member who can help you find an appropriate contact for professional help.

If you feel stuck and unmotivated in any way, there are a few different things you can try.  Maybe you’re already behind with posting on your business’ social media account and you’re not really sure what you’re doing with it, or on a personal level you’ve stopped reaching out to your friends, and the longer time goes on the worse it gets and the harder it is to get going again. The main thing to take note of if you’re in this kind of slump is that it’s all in your head (meaning you are in control of it and you can change your own perspective), and that you can take as much time as you need to get out of it.

Take a proper break.

Whether it’s taking a trip for a physical break away from your hometown, a few days or weeks break from your day job or business, or a break from a relationship (just make sure you communicate better than Ross and Rachel), do whatever you need to get that headspace. Taking a detox from anything that is causing you stress or draining you will give you a fresh perspective on the situation, and maybe even life itself, to recognise what’s important to you and that ultimately you are in control of your life, not anyone else.

You may be thinking ‘but I can’t just take time off work’ or ‘I can’t afford to go away anywhere’. But it doesn’t have to be some massive gesture where you disappear for six months and come back a changed person (however appealing that sounds). Taking a break can be something small like deleting apps, turning off your notifications for certain apps that normally grasp your attention in a negative way, or muting people or groups on social media. An alternative could be skipping a few hangouts with a friend who no longer adds anything positive to your life. You don’t need to block them or cut off ties completely (afterall friends don’t grow on trees), and you don’t need to make a big deal out of it. Just be busy working on yourself instead. Your health and your energy have to take priority over how others may feel about you. 

When it comes to hitting a wall in your self-made business that only a step back will resolve; if you’re still in the early stages then you can literally just stop giving it your time for a week or so, or however long until you’re ready to start again, then reevaluate your product, goals and motivation before you get stuck in.

If your business is established and you have clients who rely on you it’s a little more difficult to take time off, especially if you’re a one man band. If you’re a creator or other kind of one-off service provider, you could stop taking on more work for a period and just let any regular clients know when you’ll be back up and running. You’re allowed to take time off! If you have continuous clients who expect a service on an ongoing basis then you could try and do some work ahead of time so they’re not missing out during your break. Try having a conversation with them and negotiate the best scenario for you both – you’re only human and you can’t continue to serve your customers well if you’re struggling to function yourself.

There’s a reason that airlines ask you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others!

So try taking a proper break, whatever that looks like for you, and see how your perspective changes.

Remember why you started.

Whether your slump is in your relationship, your career, your business, or some other aspect of your life, you got yourself into this situation for a reason. It may actually be that that reason is now redundant and you’ve found yourself several years into a career you don’t really care about anymore which is why you’ve reached a lull, or perhaps your business venture wasn’t as fun as you thought it would be and the stress outweighs the good parts. Whatever the scenario, if it doesn’t seem worth it, then it probably isn’t. Life is way too short to stick around in any relationship, job, town, etc. that makes you unhappy.

On the other hand, chances are if you’re still working at something then you still think it’s worth it, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Reflecting on the reason you started a particular venture might just give you enough motivation to find a way of making it work out. Have a go at listing the reasons you decided to start your business, or whatever it may be, and then list the reasons you want to keep working toward your goals.

Involve someone else.

Accepting that you need help is probably difficult for most people, especially if you’re independent, and actually reaching out to ask for that help might be even harder than admitting you need it in the first place.

On a personal level asking someone else for help could mean visiting a therapist or relationship counsellor. Life isn’t a movie so this doesn’t have to be a permanent long term thing. (Good) counsellors are really expensive, and often just one or two sessions can give you a new perspective or help you realise what you need to do to improve a situation. Many counsellors give discounted taster sessions where you can figure out if they might be beneficial to you.

If it’s your career you need guidance with, most towns have a free career counselling service funded by the government to combat unemployment, which could be helpful if you need a complete shift or an independent viewpoint.

If your own business is struggling or you just feel overwhelmed or stuck with it, you could take on a third party service provider such as a marketing manager or content creator to help you vamp up your public presence and get your business on the right track. If you’re overrun with your workload, it might be time to employ an assistant to help with creating or delivering your products or a virtual assistant for managing your administration.

If you’re a bit overwhelmed by the thought of going to therapy or making a big change in your career or business, start by talking to a friend or family member about it. Sometimes just talking through something can make it less overwhelming – afterall, a problem shared is a problem halved. You never know, they might offer a fresh perspective on the situation that will lift a weight off your shoulders without the need for any drastic action.

Conclusion

No matter what’s causing your dip in enthusiasm, there is always a way out of it. Often you just need a change in perspective and a little patience, sometimes it takes something a bit more drastic like a last minute getaway or a complete rebranding. Remember, where there’s a will, there’s a way and nothing lasts forever, good or bad (and other clichés to that effect).

Hopefully you’ve found this helpful in some way, or can pass it on to someone else who might.

Please leave a comment below if this post made an impact on you.

^ Photographic evidence of me running from my problems by backpacking through Vietnam…