Sometimes, especially when you work by yourself, you get demotivated. Yes, even someone as positive as me!
So, what do I do when that happens?
Firstly, I try and think of the root of the problem. Why am I feeling demotivated? There must be a reason? Do I need a break, is my work boring, am I not getting on with the client? Or, do I simply need to turn my attention to something super creative and more ‘fun’ for the rest of the day?
I generally always know what my problem is, so I’ll firstly try and fix it. If it’s a longer term challenge, then I’ll think of the solutions and start to put the wheels in motion, but I always like to turn on the creativity to get me out of the low mood.
So, here are my tips on things you can do, even for a short burst:
- Is it coming up to the time of month when your next email campaign is due? Get on it early!
- When was the last time you picked up a random conversation with someone on Twitter, or spent time commenting on posts on Instagram? These can be inspirational!
- Go for a walk in the nearest area of greenery – it’s calming and you’d be surprised how many ideas I get when I’m walking the dog
- Switch over onto the news websites and get a quick glimpse of what’s changed in the last few hours
- Have a look at your desk and see what admin things need done, so your desk is tidy – maybe pay the invoice you’ve left out, file the receipts, tidy away scraps and pens. I like to think a tidy desk leads to better productivity
- If you have a podcast show like me, link here to most recent interview, email a couple of people you’d be interested in interviewing and set up some fresh content ideas
- I’ve always got questions about stuff – personally and for business – why not set up some Twitter polls or an IG story with a poll, so you get some answers?
- Unfollow 20 people you’ve not even seen on Twitter or Instagram recently (and you’ve not missed so they are worth deleting)
- Quickly scan the industry events and training calendars and websites and see if there is anything worthwhile for you to book (I recommend PRFest 😉 – content marketing training session in a few weeks in Glasgow FYI!)
- and finally, if you’ve got a good network of like-minded people around you, contact them. Tell them how you’re feeling and get things off your chest. A problem shared is a problem halved! Trust me, it’s so worth having people you can speak to who understand.
