Lost your Mojo? …here’s why it’s a good thing!

Lost your Mojo? …here’s why it’s a good thing!

It’s September again, with that “back to school” feel – not only if you’ve got kids, but for all of us who took time off over the summer as we gear up ready to get back into the flow of work and business.

There is one thing I am guaranteed to hear several times a day at the moment and that is some variation of:

“I’ve lost my mojo, I just can’t get motivated and back into the swing of work”.

Sometimes followed by a worried:  “What if this is the wrong business for me?” or even “What if I’m just not cut out to be in business for myself, and I should look for a job instead?”

And it’s not just my clients – it’s exactly the same for me.  When I take a long break from work I also normally come back with my Mojo nowhere to be seen!

Another thing I’ve heard this past week is:

“I feel like a fraud or an imposter”, or “I’ve lost confidence and belief in myself and my business”

have you lost your mojo

This summer I didn’t take a full “proper” holiday – instead of my normal 2 week break a series of events and an injury meant I ended up just taking one week off to attend a festival.  But in previous years I’ve taken a full 2 week summer break with no email, no social media, no blogging or creating a new programme, and even no business books or podcasts in the interests of giving my brain a complete rest

And it always takes a bit of time for my mojo to kick in again when I get back

And I’ve seen the same thing over and over in my clients too.  (So much so that I used to run a Refocus Day for my mentoring group every September, and in my membership we have Refocus September).

So I don’t panic, or worry,  or buy into those little voices whispering at me “What if this just isn’t for you any more?  what if your passion for this business has run it’s course?”, “What if I’m actually no good at this after all?”.    Instead I get on with what needs doing – but I’ll admit it isn’t always easy to move those gears up a notch and it can take me a full week before I feel fully back in the groove of my work again.

So if you are also feeling like you left your mojo somewhere on a beach in August, and are despairing of getting back into that flow and momentum you had in June, then read on:

You see, a bit of Mojo depletion after the summer is completely normal.

More than normal, it’s a good thing – a positive thing!  I’d go as far as to say that:

Losing your Mojo is something to Celebrate!

Because what I observe is that it’s not everyone who loses their mojo by the end of summer – it’s only those people who have taken a proper break.

A break to spend quality time with the kids and family, or just to swim, sunbathe, walk barefoot in the grass and hang out with friends.

The people who tend to not lose their mojo are those who haven’t taken their foot of the pedal – they have kept going at the same pace throughout the summer.

And I know which of those two is best for your business.

I know what it’s like to work too long without a proper break or holiday – in the years when I’ve done that I have felt I haven’t quite had the juice in the engine to see me through to the end of the year.  I haven’t had the full energy to really immerse myself in my launches and programmes and give the best of myself to my clients.

But when I take a proper break I come back fully refreshed and recharged and ready to give my all to the rest of the year.

You see, we are not robots or automatons and we can’t just keep working at an intense pace throughout the whole of the year – it’s just not how human beings are designed.

I believe that it’s best for us and our business to take a complete break several times a year, to switch off completely from business  – to let our brains wander to other interests and focuses – even if that’s just a series of chick-lit novels by the pool or playing with our kids on the beach.

This resets and refreshes our brain, just like a holiday refreshes our body.

And you come back with more energy, clarity and inspiration that before.

But there is a downside:  The transition back isn’t easy.

It’s my theory that as humans we are naturally programmed to want to rest and relax – and that once we do get into that relaxed, unstructured mode, there is a lot of resistance to cranking back up a few gears.  It’s certainly the case for me.

This doesn’t mean I don’t love my business and my clients, passionately and with all my heart.

It doesn’t mean I’m not brilliant at what I do.

But it does mean that if I’ve taken a lot of time off I don’t naturally want to get back into “work” mode.

So the secret here is not to beat yourself off if your Mojo seems to have remained on holiday while you know you should be back at work.

Instead recognise that this is normal.  Even a good thing!  It’s a sign that you have given yourself, your business and your clients the gift of a proper break, so you will be on top form and available to do your best work for the rest of the year.

It’s to accept that yes, it might take you a few days (in my case usually a week) to fully get back into the “groove” but it doesn’t for a minute mean that you don’t love your work or that your business is the wrong one.  It just means that you’re human, and that the pre-historic part of you that just wants to curl up in the cave and snooze by the fire doesn’t really want to get up and get moving yet.

It also helps to have strategies ready to help you get back in that groove more quickly:

Before you go Away:

Next time, before you go create a clear plan for your activities when you get back:

  • Book client calls in the diary for first few days after you get back.
    (I find that connecting with my clients is the fastest way to get that Mojo back up and dancing).
  • If you are in a very early stage of business and don’t have paying clients yet you can achieve the same result by booking in some research calls.
  • Plan a series of webinars, a challenge, or a workshop you will be promoting as soon as you get back. (Anything with a deadline will get you moving – especially if you announce the date publicly before you go!).

When you get back:

If your mojo needs an extra kick-start as soon as you get back then:

  • Put an offer out for free 1-2-1 sessions with no other agenda than to connect back in with your community and with your own magic – and who knows, you might even net some new clients as a result)
  • Run a free webinar, or series of webinars – again, with the purpose of reconnecting (and of course you should make an offer while you are there!)
  • Commit yourself to a certain level of activity – whether that’s calling 10 potential clients each day, or getting out to a networking event each day for a week, whether you feel like it or not
  • Reconnect with some business buddies and talk about your plans and vision to get your passion re-ignited.
  • Pick the thing in your business that feels most in flow for you and go do it – today.

And you’ll soon be celebrating the return of your Mojo!

What about you?  Do you find you lose momentum after a holiday, or do you bounce back to work bright-eyed and raring to go?  Have you found the tips and advice in this article  helpful to get you back in the groove?

I love to hear from you so let me know in the comments below!

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12 Comments

  1. Monica Douglas on September 17, 2023 at 12:33 pm

    I love this blog post. I often see my clients have a dip in motivation and an increase in the ‘should be doing’ list. That’s why I love the Business from Heart Membership and being a mindset mentor in the group. We have an opportunity to inspire each other and to honour where we are in our business and energy cycles. I agree that taking small actions in service of our clients and our self belief really helps to break the stagnation. Great post.

  2. Rose Cooney on September 15, 2021 at 1:52 pm

    I was hooked into reading this when I saw the phrase “losing your mojo” and, having stopped working for a paid salary a year ago, realise that losing a daily structure has fed greatly into losing my mojo with the disappearance of deadlines set by an employer. With these in place, fitting in what I wanted to do by myself in my spare time was relatively simple. I got a lot done – crafting, reading and planning working for myself.

    Without that structure in place, I am rudderless and build overwhelm. So, I have started to attend exercise classes, declutter and tidy at home. There are times I still wait for my own permission to try new things. Then I lose track and give up rather than understanding it’s okay to have hiccups.

    Thanks for writing this. Finally the information has hit home.

    Organise. Plan. Set goals. Find an accountability partner to keep focus and gain emotional support. Mistakes happen – learn from them. Breathe. The past is past. Let it go. Start now with small steps forward. Find your mojo and welcome it back. Revisit when life events take you off track for a while.

    • Helen Vits on September 15, 2021 at 4:06 pm

      Rose, I absolutely loved reading this the connection to the article is wonderful and it is great to see you opening up and working with yourself gently in the process. What an uplifting and marvellous take on the blog it is so wonderful to be connected.

  3. Kate Lloyg on September 11, 2018 at 11:54 am

    Thank goodness I am the most optimistic individual and I LOVE September. It always feels like a new start. This year I did take a holiday in August for a couple of separate weeks with a Craft Fair in between
    I love the autumn though and one of my tricks to sustain the excitement is to book an adult education class.
    I know myself well enough not to book a course as I would miss sessions due to work travel, but I find a Saturday all day session on something quite different and new, not related directly to the job, but still creative. So great to look forward to learning something new. Whoopee!

    • Catherine on September 13, 2018 at 7:03 pm

      That’s a great idea Kate! Pre-booking a 1 day workshop to kickstart you and get you feeling inspired. I might have to steal that and add it to my list of things at the end of this article next time I republish it. 🙂

  4. Cristina Barbosa on September 11, 2018 at 11:49 am

    This rings so true in my ears: I come back from Summer holidays not only doubting whether I can do this job (personal development coaching) and whether I can engage new clients, but also feeling rusty and forgetful of my previous skills and techniques. I am so glad to hear that this only makes me human! What helps is getting back into a routine, revising previous notes/webinars/books, etc and yes, definitely, reconnect with peers and friends for exploratory conversations. Thank you Catherine for another useful and lighthearted article.

    • Catherine on September 13, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      Hi Christina, Yup. Not only makes you human. It also makes you NORMAL. Even after 7 years. Even with a business I LOVE. Even when I’m always coming back to full programmes and a full book of clients I still ALWAYS lose my mojo when I take an extended break. So celebrate that you took the time to give yourself the holidays – and get those reconnection calls booked in pronto! So glad the article was valuable to you.

  5. Helen on September 7, 2016 at 2:43 pm

    This was good timing for me Catherine! I was back to work yesterday with my kids returning to school and I managed to achieve absolutely nothing! I’ve decided not to beat myself up and ease myself in gently and reading this gives me the verification that it’s ok!

  6. Sara Stafford-Williams on September 7, 2016 at 2:16 pm

    Fab article with some great tips Catherine. I’ve learnt I need to ease myself in after a break so that it doesn’t feel too overwhelming – and making sure I schedule in the bits of my business I truly enjoy. Thanks x

  7. Katie Duckworth on September 7, 2016 at 12:17 pm

    Great advice, Catherine. I’ve taken a long break in the school holidays and my mojo has definitely been lacking! Talking to people has been the key for me, as well. When I talk to people in my tribe I remember why I’m doing what I do and it makes it all exciting again. Thanks very much!

  8. Daniel James Paterson on September 7, 2016 at 11:34 am

    Couldn’t agree more, Catherine! I too find that reconnecting with clients is the moment my mojo fires back up – they are the reason for doing it all after all. In the gaps I fall back time and again to a Henry Ford quip: “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”.

    • Alison Derrick on September 18, 2023 at 3:31 pm

      I booked a big event (in error) for the day after I return from hols (in fact 12 hours after so praying the flight usnt delayed.

      Colleagues are hopefully dealing with anything last minute but my mojo needs to make a very quick return. It can then doze off again for 3 days until the return date I had planned before I realised my faux pas.

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