30 Lunch and learn: How to pick yourself back up from a slump
Written by Julia Bickerstaff // May 11, 2012 // Daily Juice // No comments
A friend of mine, Kirsty Spraggon, is off on an adventure. She’s decamped to the US to achieve her dream of hosting a talk show.
Kirsty is one of those people who really seems to make stuff happen. She’s a bubbly, jolly person for whom everything seems to go swimmingly. But in her newsletter this week she confessed that sometimes things don’t go according to plan, and when that happens, she slumps.
She also shared this adorable Dr Seuss poem about slumping and, um, unslumping.
Dr Seuss ‘Oh The Places You’ll Go’ Excerpt
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to great heights…
EXCEPT when you don’t
Because sometimes you won’t
I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you…
You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself is not easily done…
I think we all slump, so today’s recipe is about unslumping.
What it is
A reminder that you are not alone if you have slumps, and a few tips for unslumping.
Why it works
We all have slumpy days. That’s business. There are times when, despite our best efforts, it all just doesn’t go according to plan.
There’s nothing wrong with a little slump – in fact I think, like a good cry at a sad movie, it’s strangely energising – but we don’t want to slump too long or too often.
What you do
Here are four of my favourite unslumpers:
- Say that you are having a slump: The old saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ comes into play here and I always feel better if I tell a few of my nears and dears about my slump. For me that includes telling the baby that dog. I don’t need them to understand the slump, I just feel better when I have articulated it.
- Remind yourself of all the good stuff you’ve done: I’ve written before about having a wins folder (link) and they really come into their own when you are mid slump. I can quickly unslump by reading through my wins, especially when they are notes from happy customers.
- Take a break from your business and do an activity: If something’s slumped me I find it hard to concentrate on work and the fact that I can’t concentrate gets me even more frustrated. I’m best if I down tools for a couple of hours and go for a walk or a shop.
- Talk to a wise old bird: I think everyone needs a wise person in their life. It could be a mentor or a coach but doesn’t have to be. I think the best wise old bird is someone who has seen a lot of stuff, is not emotionally involved in your business but wants to see you succeed and is calm and considered. More Nelson Mandela than Donald Trump.
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