When your special events career has you working day in and day out, it is easy to fall into a place of feeling stuck--and it might be hard to break out of it to renew your creativity and dedication to your business.
There are a number of strategies I’ve found helpful. Above all, I’m a people person and like to take time to talk it out with a trusted friend or colleague. I am also immensely grateful for a Mastermind group that I belong to that allows me to bounce ideas and challenges off them on a regular basis.
So how are others breaking out of their own work ruts?
Step Outside of Your Office
Removing yourself from your environment can make a world of difference, even if it is just a walk around the block. Or you can make it a more extended trip, as Paula Ramirez of Historic Mankin Mansion suggests. "The best way I've found to get out of a rut is to schedule a trip,” Ramirez says. “A short getaway to a spa or a relaxing jaunt to Paris. Whether near or far, getting away to regain gratitude and perspective always does the trick!"
Jacqueline Hill of Jacqueline Hill Events and Design takes the proactive approach and sets herself up with a refresher before she feels as though she needs it. "I will look ahead in my calendar and see what I have on the horizon that is refreshing,” she says. “A trip, conference or a meeting that will excite me and reveal new opportunities for my business."
Find a Friend
Sometimes you need to reconnect with a friend or colleague to reignite your passion for a project. Brittny Drye of Love Inc. explains, "The struggle is real! It's easy to let the mundane day-to-day stifle your creative juices.” Drye adds, “When I'm feeling uninspired, I try and book a meeting with another creative. An in-person coffee---or cocktail--is ideal, but sometimes even just a quick Zoom meeting can work wonders. That face-to-face time often leads to collaboration ideas, which always has me walking away feeling inspired and excited for a new upcoming project."
Get a Fresh Perspective
And it’s not just your own attitude that can fall into a rut—your business itself can. To keep your business moving forward, you have to look at it from another person's perspective. "The best way for us to get ourselves out of a rut is to look at our business through our client's eyes," explains Bill Tzizik of Classic Photographers. "With a primarily Internet-based company, we always have areas to grow regarding marketing strategies and new developments that are compatible with our target market."
Tzizik also suggests looking back on how you got where you are now.
"It is important to remember how and why your business was started in the first place,” he says. “Reminding yourself of the accomplishments rather than focusing on the rut you may be in can help to redirect your energy into feelings driven towards success.”
It’s inevitable, over time, that you too will find yourself at a standstill. But with the above tips in mind, you’ll no doubt come out even better on the other side of it.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.
