How to Get Moving Again If You’re Feeling Stuck
If you’re feeling like nothing is working the way you want them to or your path towards the future is blurry, you can easily find yourself in a state of paralysis or reluctant resignation.
If you want to take control of your destiny, you mustn’t stay stuck or accept defeat. Here are steps to help you get moving again if you are feeling stuck:
1. Stop beating your head against a brick wall.
If you’re not seeing any results despite doing everything you can to get things moving, there’s no use continuing them. What you can do is reserve a block of time in your schedule to devote to the issue, and then do nothing until the scheduled time arrives.
The objective here is to go back to the issue with new perspective, restored energy and a change in attitude, so if the issue comes to your mind in the interim, tell yourself that you have set a time for you to revisit it. While waiting for this time do something else, like going for a walk or even going on a holiday if the problem you are experiencing has more significant consequences.
2. Take a look at the big picture again.
Usually when we’re stuck, the reason is we’re focusing more on the problems rather than on our objectives. When it’s time to go back to the topic, the first thing you should do is re-acquaint yourself with the reasons why the topic is crucial for you and what your objectives are for embarking on it.
Perhaps, if you stop thinking about the ways you can make things happen and instead concentrate on your best-case scenario outcome, you’d change from a defeatist attitude into a can-do one.
3. Focus on what you can do.
If you’re analysis of the big picture reveals that you’re on the right course and the issue you’re pursuing is one that you are fully committed to, you may still be hindered by still being clueless about the steps that you need to do to make a breakthrough.
But in most cases, we have some idea on what needs to be done, even if you don’t yet have a complete grasp of all the things that you should know.
When you find yourself at this stage, it may help to move away from the computer and go old school with pen and paper to come up with a list or a mind map of all the tasks and objectives you need to complete to accomplish your big picture outcome.
After you have done this, you will usually realise that you can’t fix everything in one go, but there are some things you know how to deal with and you have a starting point.
Finally, you can get moving, and as you do, it becomes obvious that you are starting to get un-stuck, often due to the fact that you are tackling the project with renewed energy, rather than feeling weighed down by it.
4. Have fun doing your project.
If you are still feeling overwhelmed, or you’re feeling like you’re not gaining any traction, why not make a game of some aspects of it?
For example, you’d decided to pursue an opportunity that you did budget for and the cost is so far out of your reach, but it’s a smart move on a big-picture perspective. If you commit to doing it, you can challenge yourself in thinking of the cheapest ways you can participate in this opportunity. Think of wild and wacky ways you can reach your goals while spending the least amount of money.
A process that had initially caused you stress becomes much more fun, and you can also learn some really important insights about ways you can think outside of the box when you need to.
5. Applying what you’ve learned in future projects.
If you don’t commit to learning everything about yourself, your business and what works throughout the process, and applying what you’ve learned, none of the steps recommended above will work.
Usually, an undertaking that is big enough to overwhelm you will also be big enough to encompass multiple layers or moving parts. Applying the steps repeatedly can help you get unstuck.
If you are considering outsourcing your bookkeeping, accounting and other business-related processes, while still involved in making the big decisions and remain in control, contact PJS Accountants. We have over 30 years’ experience with local Redlands businesses. Our team will be at your disposal, always ready to receive your calls and provide services, to help you to stay in charge of all aspects of your business. Call us for enquiries on how PJS Accountants can partner with you to improve your business.
