If life’s feeling hard right now, I get it. As I write this, my dog has been frighteningly ill for more than 24 hours. I’ve barely slept, my brain’s foggy and typing’s still a struggle thanks to my broken hand.
But maybe your version of this looks different. Maybe you’re dealing with a family crisis, burnout, money stress, or just that low-grade exhaustion that comes from trying to hold everything together.
Whatever your version of “hard” looks like, this is for you because the truth is, life doesn’t stop when you’re self-employed. The bills still come. Clients still expect. And the world doesn’t give you a pause button when things fall apart.
So here’s what I’ve learned (and relearned) about keeping your business alive when you feel like you can barely keep yourself upright. If everything’s just hunky-dory for you right now (yay!), this still contains invaluable resources and tips:
1. Build your scaffolding before (and during) the storm
When your energy’s low, automation and structure are your best friends. They carry you when willpower can’t.
Use a proper task system – I rely on ClickUp to keep everything in one place: notes, tasks, and follow-ups.
If that feels like overkill, try Trello https://trello.com
or Notion https://www.notion.so
Automate what you can. Tools like Zapier https://zapier.com connect your apps so things just happen while you’re tending to real life.
Save your words once, use them forever. Create boilerplate templates for client emails, proposals, and posts. Use TextExpander to save snippets you type often:
https://textexpander.com
Delegate the drudge. Even five hours a week of virtual assistant help can free up your brain for what truly matters.
2. Ruthless triage – you can’t keep every ball in the air
When things crumble, trying to do everything means you’ll do nothing well.
Pick the two or three things that absolutely must keep going – client work, income streams, or your core content.
Let everything else slide. The world won’t end if your newsletter’s late or your Instagram goes quiet.
Focus on small wins. One thing finished is still a victory on a hard day.
Progress beats perfection every time.
3. Remember…you’re human first, entrepreneur second
We tell ourselves we can’t stop but burning out completely costs more than slowing down.
So here’s what actually helps:
Mini resets – 2 minutes of deep breathing, stretching, or stepping outside.
Decent food and water – your brain chemistry literally depends on it.
Boundaries – even if you only work short bursts, protect downtime.
Reflection – a 5-minute journal note at night can make chaos feel manageable again.
4. Reframe what’s happening
Crisis has a nasty way of whispering that you’re failing. You’re not. You’re adapting. You’re doing what humans do best which is improvising under fire.
Ask yourself: “What’s this trying to teach me?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?” That tiny shift is the difference between panic and progress.
5. A helpful toolkit you can rely on
These are tools and reads I’ve personally checked and recommend. Bookmark them for later – future-you will need them.
ClickUp – all-in-one task and doc system
https://clickup.com/
Zapier – connects your tools so you can automate everything
https://zapier.com
TextExpander – reuse text, templates and replies
https://textexpander.com
Calm – guided meditation for stress relief
https://www.calm.com
Headspace – mindfulness and focus support
https://www.headspace.com
Four Keys to Building Resilience
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2025/04/07/four-keys-to-building-resilience-as-an-entrepreneur/
How to Overcome Rejection: 20 Tips to Build Entrepreneurial Resilience
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2025/04/17/how-to-overcome-rejection-20-tips-to-build-entrepreneurial-resilience/
My bare-minimum plan for chaos days
When everything hits the fan, this is the checklist I come back to again and again:
1. Triage fast. List everything. Highlight what matters most.
2. Communicate clearly. Tell clients what’s happening. Honesty builds trust.
3. Delegate. Hand off anything you can.
4. Work in sprints. 60–90 minutes max, then rest.
5. Measure movement, not hours.
6. Reflect nightly. Adjust what’s not working.
7. Rest. You are not a machine.
Whatever your current storm looks like – or the next one that rolls in – remember: you’ve survived 100% of your hardest days so far.
You don’t have to do this perfectly. You just have to keep going, imperfectly, / heart.
Your TED talk this week is Denise Mai’s How to Build Resilience as Your Superpower. It’s ten minutes that feel like a warm hand on your shoulder when you’re falling apart.
Take a break and watch it. You’ll thank yourself.
