Every business experiences phases of peaks and valleys. Recently, I went through one of the most challenging months in my company since I began. I referred to this as the “slow season,” which was a tremendous learning experience. I gained a lot of insight into how I managed my business, my character as a leader, and my mental outlook. I learned a lot about myself, my personality and my mindset “slow season” lasted approximately six weeks. If you’re experiencing the same thing, this advice might be helpful to you. They could also be a source of reflection for me as I am sharing another slow time.
1. Do not use this opportunity to excuse yourself from overworking or working too much.
For business owners, when the workload slows and is directly impacting their earnings, we usually get anxious. Working more, the situation will improve. However, often this leads to even more exhaustion. On the other end of the range, some tend to relax and not work as intensely during this period. I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum, and both end up detrimental. They made me feel more ill, so whenever I notice myself doing either of them, I take a break from my work for a few hours to recharge and reset my mental state.
2. Be sure to communicate with your employees and rely on your network.
This is why it’s vital to dialogue with your staff openly. If they feel that there is something wrong in their leadership but don’t know why it could be the cause, it could lead to a feeling of stress and anxiety and could cause more internal stress. Being transparent with your team members about what’s happening and the steps you’re taking is essential. In addition, being an entrepreneur can be lonely when you feel your business isn’t performing as well. It can be helpful to speak to others in your network who you trust to connect and assist you. However, avoid talking with your rivals or those who don’t inspire you to be your best.
3. Pause for a moment.
In my downtime, I realized that the reason was caused both by events at work and things happening in my personal life that affected my health. My ultimate solution was to have some mentally healthy days. Indeed, this isn’t easy, particularly in the case of deadlines to meet, so be aware of what you have to take care of, but make sure to plan an escape for a day or two because it can assist you in getting your mind back on track and return with a clearer head.
4. Use positive criticism and use it as an opportunity to make improvements.
In my downtime, I saw several flaws within my system that can be fixed by talking to my employees and long-time customers. I used this opportunity to improve and enhance my plan to ensure we can improve. This will result in happier employees in general.
It’s crucial to be aware that just like an influx of people, it is possible to have an unproductive time within your business, but it’s just a phase. It isn’t easy to believe that things will improve. However, the idea of telling yourself it’s just temporary can help.
