We all have days - sometimes even weeks, months - where we feel unmotivated, like our work isn’t making a difference or we’re going nowhere. It’s easy during these times to feel like giving up, whether it’s on a particular project or your entire business altogether. The key, however, is not to look at this scenario as a lose-lose but as a time to take care of yourself and navigate yourself back to a place of motivation. Here’s a couple of techniques to use even in the worst of times:

1. Rest and recuperate
The intuitive thing to do during a time of low motivation may seem to be to push yourself through it, force yourself to go longer and harder until you get to the other side. It’s better, however, to be gentle with yourself during these times. You may be overworking yourself; you may be pushing yourself too hard and for too long. Instead of forcing yourself even further down the spiral of overworking, take a moment to step back and relax. Taking a day (or a few days) off can be just what you need to get yourself out of the slippery slope of fatigue that leads to difficulty with decisions and creativity.

2. Focus on the positives
It can be easy to fall into the trap that just because things aren’t going perfectly in the moment that all things are going poorly or that things won’t improve. The truth, however, is that in all things there is a silver lining and there are opportunities when you take the time to look. Instead of dwelling on the negatives of the moment, such as lack of motivation or feeling uncreative, focus on what you have going for you, be it a support system of friends, coworkers or family or a successful marketing campaign.

3. Reconnect with your why
Sometimes hustle culture drives us too far and too fast away from our core values, the reasons we do what we do. If you’re feeling unmotivated or unable to see a positive direction for yourself or your business, ask yourself why you got started in the first place. What is it that you love about what you do? What kind of positive impact can you have those around you? Focus on the reasons you have, beyond money, for what you do and let those reasons carry you forward.

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Sometimes things are tough - this year has proven that to be the case for all walks of life. It’s okay to feel that things aren’t the way they should be and it’s normal to go through dips in mood and motivation. Rather than letting that run you into the ground, look up, look at what you have and how far you’ve come. Take time for yourself and look forward to a brighter day.