" I can't seem to get motivated or focused. I feel stuck, I feel tired, distracted - like I should be doing more and I just don't feel like doing very much." Sound familiar?
A colleague of mine emailed me (and some friends) saying she was feeling stuck, very blah and couldn't seem to find the energy or enthusiasm to be involved with people or her business. Typically she's a mover and a shaker - an energetic, enthusiastic, goal-oriented entrepreneur who actively engages in building her business and forging relationships
First let me say, she had just come off of a very heavy period of networking, meetings, social events and entertaining, etc. She hadn't even considered that as she was judging herself! No wonder she was dragging - she was in a much-needed period of RECHARGING!!!! Once she recognized this need to recharge, she gave a sigh of relief and stopped " shoulding herself."
The influx of emails that responded to her request for help was FABULOUS.
Here are some of their suggestions:
1. Play.... read, draw, sew, sign up for a class, schedule a massage, have lunch with friends, go away for a long weekend, light some candles or whatever will feed your spirit on a personal level. Involve yourself in some light-hearted fun activities.
2. Get a great new outfit to wear at your next big meeting then come home and schedule the meeting!
3. Call a friend who always seems to be able to motivate you. Make it a person with high energy and a great laugh.
4. Give in to the need to be quiet right now and read, write, plan, toss, or do whatever feeds your creativity on the business end.
5. Stop beating yourself up. People in Corporate America feel the pressure to produce, produce, produce. Instead of seeing yourself as being stuck, think of it as filling your gas tank before the next big trip. (What a great metaphor!)
6. Instead of struggling and fighting with where you are/aren't, celebrate this gift of time and space. How often do you wish you had a moment to breath and relax, stepping out of the fast pace of life?
There is a difference between procrastinating and recharging. People who procrastinate have developed a habit of excuses, distractions, attitudes, and self-created obstacles to consistently delay action to resist change. Pausing to regroup doesn't mean you are taking a detour from your course; slowing down and adjusting your lens of perception is necessary to move forward in your life with strength and purpose.
A Strategic Tip:
Create a defensive strategy in anticipation of high stress and high activity periods. What this means is identifying those things (people, habits/routines, nurturing activities etc.) that keep you on track and in balance, day-to-day and during busier periods. When people are stretched too thin and feeling on the edge of burnout, figuring out what is needed to restore equilibrium can feel like one more task, burdensome and overwhelming. Preparing a strategy in advance allows people to recharge with deliberate intent.
If you're feeling stuck, ask yourself " Am I procrastinating or do I need to recharge?"
