Everyone goes through a lull during the work day
Do you ever have those moments during the day where you just can’t find anything to do? You want to work but you can’t think of where to start, and everything has gone quiet. Below is a list of some of the different things I try that get me started back up again and pulled out of a lull. You can save this, copy it and add a bunch of your own, so that when you find yourself stuck, just go back to the list and start at the top.
Call someone
This is always a good one. Do you have a past client you haven’t talk to in a while? Maybe a prospect who has fallen off of the map? You never know what a phone call can lead to. Plus, just calling someone seems to get things jump started again, to break the lull during the day.
Read something
Hey, if you find yourself with nothing to do, try learning something. I read a lot, every day, usually about new technology, or new techniques to conduct business. This could spark a new idea, or help you create a new plan to get your day going again.
Write something
Writing is always good. This is a little more involved, but when you create something and it is good, you can use it. Share it on your blog or publish it elsewhere. If you took the time to make it, you can point a link back to your site, and maybe you will get a call.
Start a conversation
This is kind of like a phone call, but you can talk to anyone nowadays. Sometimes I strike up conversations with people I read about or Facebook message, or twitter. The great part is that most people will talk to you and answer questions. I have struck up plenty of random conversations with a person I read about on Forbes or Inc.com. It’s always fun talking to these people because they are very smart, and they always give me great ideas and insight.
Organize
Sometimes it’s hard to get going when you can hardly tell what you have in front of you. Maybe try reorganizing your desk or computer folders depending on how you work. Personally, I can focus a lot better when my workspace is not a mess.
Brainstorm
If you can’t find any work to do, maybe you can invent some ideas to work on to fill up those empty parts of the day. Just think about what you have so far, then map out how you can build on it. I came across a cool program called mind maestro that lets you map out you thoughts or plans on a nice looking web platform. You can do this on paper also, but hey, it just looks cool to build it on a computer.
Stumble
If you really cannot think of anything to do and are running on a completely empty slate, try stumbleupon.com. This is a cool site that helps you discover great articles and websites, chosen by millions of people around the world. You will be hard pressed to not find something interesting or useful on this site. It is full of great ideas.
Review
When was the last time you reviewed your business? If it has been a while, you may be short-changing yourself on great feedback. Maybe check your marketing and review where the leads come from. Make a few changes to make it better. You could go back to the hundred sites you made a profile on years ago and update what’s changed since then. You may find some great opportunities to improve your business.
Getting out of a slump is always very hard. It helps to have some backup plans so you can just jump on some kind of activity. Even if the activity is not directly or immediately productive, it will get you going again before the day goes to waste. What are some of the activities you do when in a slump? I’d love to them to my list and keep it growing.
