Well, here we go again…this next rollercoaster ride is called recession. Or, as Mike Michalowicz called it at ProfitCon earlier this month, Progression. He shared that life will be what we choose to see. With Q4 are you expecting to see a positive result? Do the recession worries have you down?

Here are a few tools to help you on the ride.

Get Unstuck

First of all, when there is a triggering event that impacts the economy and more specifically our business, we may feel shock. Shock is that overload to the system that really is a mechanism to keep us from feeling pain. If you are feeling overwhelmed and are uncertain what to do, then here’s a technique to help you know where to start: Block Control.

First think about and write out what it is you have to do in the forever time block. This is a way to download all the concerns in your brain so you can start to prioritize them. In your next block write down what you know you have to do next week. Then repeat the process for what you know you have to do tomorrow, and the final block is what you have to do in the next hour.

This technique will allow you to move from overwhelm to action you can take immediately. It gets you unstuck.

Follow the Map

Next, you may need to boost your confidence to get through the challenges you haven’t faced before. A great way to do this is to look back at something you have mastered in your life. If you are great at Excel or playing the guitar, or even drinking water, remember it was something that you learned. You didn’t start out great. Think back and then list out what you did to build those skills.

Maybe you tried again, practiced daily, laughed off the mistakes, or even a combination of those plus a few more. Remember what it was like learning the new skill and make yourself a map of how you developed the skill and confidence in it. Then you can use that map to face the new challenge. See, you’ve been learning your whole life, so you’ve got this too!

If you find yourself moving from shock to panic, that is a normal response as time goes on and the rollercoaster ride continues. Here is a great tool for managing the panic and beginning to evaluate your potential responses. This technique is called the 10-10-10 method for making a decision. Simply ask yourself these three questions:

How will this decision impact me in 10 hours? 10 months? 10 years?

Often it gives you the clarity so you “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”

 Find Your Support

The final advice that I have for you is to make sure you have support. I have an accountability buddy that I talk to every week. Luckily our problems seem to alternate so one of us can help the other. I also have a mastermind group that meets monthly. We have met for the last seven years. We’ve been through a divorce, children leaving home, children struggling at school, and a whole host of business changes.

These people help me see things more clearly and they have my back if I need a lift. Life is just easier if we support each other during the good and the bad times. Ya know, a rollercoaster ride is more fun with a friend.

So, grab a buddy and talk about your life and why you started this business. Figure out how you are going to show up for this progression and build a stronger business using these tools to make the ride more fun!

bookskeep is here to support you too! If you are struggling with the overwhelm and don’t know where to start working on your business, reach out to the bookskeep team today!