Have you been feeling that Pre-Spring Slump? It hits about mid February. You got all charged up with your plans in January and now it just feels like WORK. Plus you’ve got bills to pay, so there’s added stress, too.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. We all go through it. The key is to go ‘through’ it and not get stuck IN it.
February can be a hard month. The winter sinking in without an end in sight. The holidays have past, but the treats linger on around your middle. Chances are you made some big plans in January which require you to step up a bit – and that can start to drain you toward mid February. Not to mention the post Valentine depression from either being too loveable or not loved at all.
Odds are you need a bit a recharge. You could get out the old jumper cables and give yourself a jolt – but that could end badly. So here is a 6-step system to get you back in the game without needing CPR (unless of course, you’re farther gone then we thought…).
- Take a break. If you’ve been bullying yourself to keep your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel, maybe it’s time to step back a bit and give yourself some down time. I let myself go in and play the piano more often at this time of year. A little boogie can do wonders to improve my mood. Just stepping away for a few minutes can help. Walk the dog, or tidy another room. Don’t under estimate the value of a good nap.
- Take a look. If you find yourself avoiding certain tasks – like calling past clients or doing your taxes – take a moment to look at what’s causing the resistance. You may be resisting calling those past clients because you’re ready to move onto new ones.
Don’t let it paralyze you, just see what’s going on. If you’re ready for new clients, create a wish list of who’d you like to work with and call them instead. - Revise your plan.After carefully looking at what is causing your resistance and – assuming you’ve taken a bit of a breather and come back refreshed – create a list of what needs to be revised. Do you need to ask for help? Do you need to craft a new introductory message? What needs to change for you to get into action?
- Make a map. Once you’ve chosen what you want instead work backward to create a map for yourself. Be sure that you include a step that you can take immediately. Don’t prolong your slump with a map that doesn’t allow you to make a move for a week or two. Give yourself a direction that you can move in now.
- Make a date. Now that you have the map, assign dates to each step and put them into your calendar (maybe that’s the one step you can make right now). Getting it down in writing on your calendar makes your plan more real and gives you incentive to move past the lethargy.
- Review you entire system. Once you’ve restore some forward movement be sure that you’ve got your own self maintenance taken care of. If you’re not taking care of YOU, no plan of action will get you very far. Be sure that you’re getting enough sleep and you’re on a schedule. Give your diet an assessment – are you eating too much ‘comfort’ foods instead of high-quality nutritious food? Get some easy exercise, even if it’s just stretching.
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Author Info: Barbara Saunders is a publication designer and has run a successful solo pro business for more than a decade. She is the Solo Pro Success Coach and the Director of the International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals and the Solo Pro Academy. She also hosts the Solo Pro Radio show everyday at 10am Pacific and 1pm Eastern It’s our mission to build community and help creative solo pros build and run successful businesses by providing support, innovation, tools, and strategies. Our goal is to liberate our members from the feast and famine cycle.
