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Not Sure If It’s Just A Bad Day Or Should You Quit Your Business? Read This.

They say in life “nothing is certain but death and taxes”.

I’d like to add one more thing to the mix:

Nothing is certain but death, taxes and an entrepreneur’s emotional rollercoaster.

Because if you start a small business, you are getting on a ride of extreme highs and terrible lows whether you like it or not. I have yet to meet an entrepreneur who hasn’t felt the full spectrum of emotions whilst setting up, starting and running a business.

It’s part of the course.

But if you’re struggling right now (and maybe have been for a while) and are asking yourself whether you should quit your business or chalk it down to a bad day/week/month/year then here are four things you should know:

 

1. It will get better

No matter what you decide to do, or whatever is next for you in life and business, you will experience good times again. Just as the lows can be expected from time to time, so can the highs and when I’m having a rough patch in business I remind myself of all the times it’s picked back up again, usually quicker than I expected. Trusting that it will get better gives me the resilience to keep going and helps me notice opportunities again.

 

2. Do priority tasks only

When you’re struggling and having a bad day, or feel like quitting your business, you might be in danger of becoming overwhelmed. It’s ok to strip everything back for a period of time and only commit and take action on priority tasks (usually client work, sales and marketing). Ditch or delegate anything that doesn’t absolutely need your attention or need doing. This will give you more headspace to deal with the emotions you’re experiencing right now.

 

3. It’s time to take a break

This may seem counter-intuitive, especially if the reason you feel like quitting your business is because it’s not as financially viable or successful as you’d like right now, but hear me out.

Taking a few days to get away from your business, rest, recharge and maybe reconnect with loved ones will be more productive than if you spend those days stressing, worrying, procrastinating and forcing a solution. Time out gives you perspective and energy to come back and tackle the problem with a clear head.

You don’t have to jet off to the Caribbean. Even turning off the laptop and mobile phone and having a long weekend at home where you completely disconnect from your business will do you the world of good. 

 

If you haven’t done this, please try it before you quit your business for good.

4. Reach out to someone who gets it

Are you keeping your business worries to yourself or shouldering the responsibility of this decision 100%? Even if you’re a sole trader or the only one running the show, you don’t have to do it alone. Talking to someone you trust, who”gets it” can really ease the pressure and help you find solutions, or just get support whilst you work through this.

A problem shared is a problem halved.

 

5. Trust your gut instinct

As for whether you should quit your business entirely, only you can make that decision. And, it’s likely that you already know what you truly want to do inside, you just might be ignoring it or hoping that someone else will tell you what to do.

That instinct you relied on when you took the leap to start a business? It’s time to trust your gut on whether you should continue, or quit it.

What’s your gut instinct telling you?

 


 

Something simple you can do if you’re not sure if you should quit your business

If you’re not sure what your gut instinct is telling you, and you’re just not sure which direction to go in right now, here’s a simple exercise that can help:

  1. Get a piece of A4 paper and divide it into two columns
  2. At the top of column 1, write Pros. At the top of column 2, write Cons.
  3. In the first column, list all the reasons why you should keep running your business. All the positives, the pros and the reasons to keep going.
  4. In the second column, list all the reasons why you should quit your business. All the negatives, the cons and the reasons to close it down.
  5. Once you’re done, compare the lists. Most people will find one column massively outweighs the other and seeing it written in black and white helps them realise what they knew inside but couldn’t admit or see clearly.

This is the exact exercise I did just before I decided to shut down my second business. I was so scared to admit that it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing and wasn’t working that I avoided the decision and made myself miserable for months. Once I had it in black and white in front of me, I realised that the only reason I wanted to continue with it, was so I wouldn’t look like a failure. That made me realise it was time to quit that business and pour all my energy into my other business which is now my sole focus.

 

Need additional support?

If you’re struggling more than usual, or you’re suffering from anxiety, depression or other mental health problem, or you just need someone impartial to talk to there’s so much free support available to you:

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Jen Smith

Jen Smith is our resident email blogger. Sign up for our fortnightly newsletter for more inspiring and insightful stories like this one.

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