I’m going to be real with you: I was in a funk all last week.
I’ve been avoiding my To Do List and pushing off tasks that aren’t time sensitive. And after working all day, I would immediately play video games until dinner time. Just to chill out. Lately… I’m just not feeling it.
The worst part is, I don’t even feel that bad about it. Because after three years of running a business while trying to stay human, I know that motivation isn’t constant. And pretending it is only makes things worse.
Some weeks, you’re on fire, and you’re crushing it. You’re excited about everything and can’t wait to work.
Other weeks, you can barely drag yourself to your desk, and you’d rather do literally anything else. You have zero desire to adult, let alone run a business.
Both are normal and part of the process. And both require different strategies to navigate.
So if you’re reading this from the bottom of your own motivation slump—whether in life or in business—here’s what I’m doing and what you should do to.
The Truth About Motivation (That Nobody Talks About)
First and foremost, motivation is not discipline. Motivation is a feeling. It’s the excitement and energy you get when you want to do something. It’s the “I can’t wait to do this” spark.
The discipline is showing up even when that spark is nowhere to be found. The challenge is, you need both.
Motivation gets you started. It makes the work feel easy, fun, and exciting. When you’re motivated, everything flows. But motivation is also fickle. It comes and goes. It’s unreliable, and sometimes it disappears for days, weeks, or months at a time. That’s where discipline comes in.
Discipline is what keeps you going when motivation has left the building. But—and this is important—discipline without rest leads to burnout.
So the real question isn’t “How do I stay motivated all the time?” Because guess what? You can’t. The real question is: “How do I show up when I don’t feel like it, without destroying myself in the process?”
Step 1: Figure Out What Kind of Funk You’re In
Not all low-motivation periods are the same. And the solution depends on what’s actually going on.
To figure it out, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I tired? Like, actually physically or mentally exhausted?
- Have I been going hard for too long without a real break?
- Am I avoiding something? Is there a task, conversation, or decision I’m dreading, and I’m procrastinating by doing literally anything else?
- Am I burnt out?
- Has the work stopped feeling meaningful?
- Do I feel disconnected from why I started this in the first place?
- Am I just… not feeling it today? Is this a temporary blip, or has this been going on for a while?
The answer matters. Because if you’re tired, you need rest. If you’re avoiding something, you need to face it. Feeling burnt out means you need to reassess. And if you’re just having an off day (or week), you need (and have) permission to ride it out.
Step 2: Identify the Bare Minimum
When motivation disappears, you don’t need to do everything. You just need to do enough.
What’s the bare minimum that keeps your business (or life) running?
For me, that looks like:
- Responding to client emails
- Showing up for scheduled calls or meetings
- Keeping existing projects moving (even if slowly)
- Not letting anything fall through the cracks that would hurt my reputation or relationships
That’s it. Everything else can wait.
I don’t launch new offers. Creating new content (well, except this blog, but that’s because I want to) can wait. And I’m not overhauling my systems or starting any big projects. I’m just keeping the wheels on the bus and that’s okay.
Your bare minimum might look different. Maybe it’s:
- Getting your kids fed and off to school
- Showing up to work (even if you’re not firing on all cylinders)
- Paying your bills on time
- Keeping one commitment per day
Whatever it is—define it. And then let yourself off the hook for everything else.
Step 3: Show Up Without Forcing Productivity
Discipline doesn’t mean grinding through every task on your list when you’re depleted. It means showing up. Even if “showing up” looks like:
- Opening your laptop and staring at it for 10 minutes
- Doing one small task and calling it a day
- Working for 30 minutes instead of 3 hours
- Answering three emails instead of clearing your inbox
You don’t have to be productive; you just have to be present.
Forcing productivity when you’re running on empty never works. You either burn out completely, or you produce subpar work that you’ll have to redo later anyway.
So instead of pushing through, give yourself permission to do less. Work slower, take breaks, and show up without the pressure of being “on.”
Step 4: Rest Without the Guilt
This is the hard one. Because we’ve been conditioned to believe that rest is lazy. That taking a break means we’re falling behind. And that if we’re not constantly productive, we’re failing. But that’s a lie.
Rest is not optional. It’s required.
Your brain needs downtime. Your body needs recovery. Your creativity needs space to breathe.
And sometimes, rest looks like playing video games for hours, binge-watching a show, or lying on the couch doing absolutely nothing. That’s not wasting time. That’s refueling.
So if you’re in a funk and you need to rest—rest. Without apologizing, feeling guilty, or telling yourself you “should” be doing something else. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. And trying to force motivation when you’re depleted is like trying to start a car with no gas. It’s not going to work.
Step 5: Ask Yourself: “What Do I Actually Need Right Now?”
When motivation disappears, it’s usually trying to tell you something.
Maybe you need rest. Or you need a change. Maybe you just need to reassess your goals. And maybe you need to let go of something that’s not working.
So pause and ask yourself: What do I need right now? Not what you think you should need or what someone else would tell you to do. What do you actually need?
It could be:
- A full day off with zero obligations
- A conversation you’ve been avoiding
- Permission to pivot or let something go
- A reset on your goals or priorities
- Space to just… be, without the pressure to produce
Listen to the answers that come through. Honor those thoughts, even if they seem inconvenient. And especially if they don’t make sense.
Because ignoring what you need doesn’t make it go away. It just makes the funk last longer.
The Difference Between Rest and Avoidance (And Why Both Are Sometimes Okay)
Here’s where it gets tricky: Sometimes you’re resting and sometimes you’re avoiding.
Rest is when you genuinely need to recharge. It’s when your body and brain are asking for a break, and you’re giving it to them.
Avoidance is when you’re escaping something uncomfortable. It could be a hard conversation, a difficult task, or a decision you don’t want to make.
Both are valid. But they require different responses.
If you’re resting, lean into it. Give yourself permission and don’t rush it.
If you’re avoiding, acknowledge it. Figure out what you’re avoiding and why. Then decide: Do I need to face this now, or can it wait?
Sometimes avoidance is your brain saying, “I’m not ready for this yet.” And that’s okay. You don’t have to force it.
But if it’s something that’s going to keep weighing on you until you deal with it? Rip the band-aid off, do the thing, and get it over with.
Avoidance doesn’t make hard things disappear. It just makes them loom larger.
What I’m Doing About My Funk
So what am I doing about my lack of motivation this week?
I’m honoring it. I’ll be working as much as I can and then doing something for myself. If I need to do the bare minimum, then that’s what I’ll do. I’m resting without guilt. But you bet I’ll be keeping my business running.
I’m also staying aware. I’ll be checking in with myself and asking: Is this rest, or am I avoiding something? Right now, I think it’s a bit of both.
I’m tired, going hard, and I need the break. But I’m also avoiding some things that feel big and uncomfortable right now. And I’m not ready to tackle them yet. So I’m giving myself space.
When I’m ready—when the motivation comes back or when the deadline forces my hand—I’ll show up and do the work. But right now? I’m letting myself be in the funk. Without shame or pressure. And I’m not forcing it.
You Don’t Have to Be “On” All the Time
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s this: You don’t have to be motivated all the time.
You don’t have to be productive every day. Or feel excited about your work 24/7. Or have to power through when your tank is empty.
Some weeks are for grinding. While other weeks are for coasting. And there’s always a time for playing video games and doing the absolute bare minimum. All of that is okay.
Because you’re human. And humans aren’t machines. We have ebbs and flows and highs and lows. So if you’re in a funk right now—whether in life, in business, or both—give yourself permission.
Permission to rest, to do less, and to show up without being perfect. If you need someone to give it to you, I’m giving you permission to just… be.
The motivation will come back. It always does. But in the meantime? You’re allowed to take care of yourself.
