TBD 82: Slump Season
Sometimes you take the L
“I hate going on LinkedIn and hearing people ‘pleased to announce…’ Ugh! I feel like I’m falling behind!”
Sometimes it feels like everyone is thriving and you’re just surviving.
Life isn’t an ever-profitable up and to the right growth curve of endless wins. We have boom times, successful projects, amazing career moments….and we have times that really suck.
We have Valleys of Despair. We have learning curves. We have economic downturns. Unexpected break ups, re-orgs and of course, most recently, layoffs. Since only a few brave souls post updates when they are truly having a down moment, it’s hard to remember the low parts are part of life, too.
What do you do when you’re in a slump?
My dad used to say, “when you’re in a hole, stop digging”. That means we don’t need to do a negative pile-on. We don’t need to be in a bad situation AND beat ourselves up, blame ourselves or remind ourselves of just how bad it is.
Acknowledge it:
Acknowledging doesn’t mean giving up, or that we’ve surrendered to a slump is forever. Just recognizing what’s happening without adding a story can help you orient. Zooming out to see the bigger picture also helps.Pace yourself:
If you’re looking for a new role, I promise you that scrolling on LinkedIN for an extra 4 hours a day isn’t going to make the difference. Set time aside each day to look for jobs and time to enjoy your life away from a screen.Take advantage of the slow time:
Get involved in your community, schedule time to exercise, do the side project, brush up on some skills or learn new ones. Be specific and intentional about using your time. It won’t happen “naturally”.Rest:
Ugh! This seems impossible and after all, if you aren’t doing something to move on it might feel like you’re going to end up stuck forever. You don’t have to use maternity leave for global travel. You don’t have to use the times between jobs to accomplish something amazing. You can restore. Take a well deserved nap.Connect with community:
Find a community to get involved in. There are so many ways to connect with a professional community online or even personal interest community. We can tend to isolate when we’re having a tough time. Reconnecting means you aren’t alone. New paths open in unlikely places. Design Ops Assembly and RETHINK are two professional groups I adore.Reconnect to your values:
Reflect back on what has been most meaningful to you professionally. What do you want to get out of a professional life anyway? Yes, you may need to grab the first job that comes along, but don’t waste the opportunity to take a look at the larger picture of your life. What’s most important to me? What really matters?
Life isn’t linear. Life comes in cycles and seasons. You’ll have another chance up at bat. You will have a winning season, too.
Hi! It’s me, Courtney!
I hope you’re still enjoying the last moments of this season. I will miss slow summer days but I’m really excited about what I have planned for fall. AND…I have a few spots open for clients this fall. Reach out and I’d be happy to set up a call.
I’m leading a fantastic monthly group coaching session with RETHINK. Join anytime and choose your commitment. You’ll also get video resources and access to a community for more support. Enroll here.
Are you listening to Re:Considering? I enjoyed this episode with Madeleine Dore
The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work. This is a book just out that talks about having a job that fulfills work needs, and allows you to build a bigger more rounded life. It’s an interesting idea to consider. What are your thoughts?
Your coach, Courtney