How to Bounce Back from a Slump

Do not read this if you are lazy, pessimistic, or blame others for the problems in your life.

Do read this if you are open minded, optimistic and take responsibility for everything in your life and business.

I’ve been sick as a dog for two weeks.

The worst flu I’ve had in a long time, and what I didn’t realise comes along with being sick is a deep feeling of apathy.

I don’t care.

I don’t want to go to work.

I just want to lie on the couch and feel sorry for myself.

My wife looked it up - apathy is a result of your body being sick and not being able to regulate your emotions.

Hence - feelings of anxiety, depression, and well apathy.

Now, try going back to work properly after almost two weeks of feeling as low as you can go…

This week I did that and I relearned a really important lesson.

Activity creates energy, energy creates momentum, momentum creates results.

This is an especially important lesson for designers and creatives who work for themselves and can’t just pass the buck back to their boss or their colleague.

I had a lot to do, and it was overwhelming and all the while I just kept thinking, I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to be here.

(all a result of a chemical imbalance due to being sick mind you).

Instead of letting it overwhelm me I did two things.

I wrote down all the things I had to do.

I started doing them.

I planned a workshop, I planned some content, I worked on some copy for a funnel, I met with some clients.

All of a sudden, I felt better.

I had 6 sales calls booked into my calendar.

I was chatting to a bunch of amazing designers who came to my talk at Designer Boss.

All of a sudden I was in momentum again.

If you’re lazy or pessimistic you might say, nah fuck it I give up.

If you understand to get yourself out of a funk, you need only start to do something.

Then you can always recover, and you will always come back stronger.

Hayden