Beat The Three-Month Slump: Energise your Projects
It’s a curious phenomenon, ever noticed how projects can lose their spark after three months? The excitement from the kick-off fades, the initial clarity begins to blur, and reality starts to take hold as things become hard when the first deliverables become due.
This drop in energy feels almost inevitable, but it doesn’t have to derail your project. As the leader, your role is to bring the energy. Projects will ebb and flow because constantly running flat out is a path to burnout. You need to make sure that you rebuild enthusiasm on a regular basis.
Momentum Is Everything
In complex projects, momentum isn’t just helpful – it’s vital. Progress comes from consistent movement, learning, and adapting as new challenges emerge. Without momentum, uncertainty becomes exhausting, and the team risks stagnation.
To counteract an energy dip, you need to intentionally bring vitality to the team. How you show up matters. It’s in your presence, the time you invest in your people, and the positivity of your interactions.
The level of uncertainty in a complex project drains energy. It takes a lot of effort to keep showing up when the direction consistently changes and you have to resist the voice of doubt that you don’t know what you are doing. It is powerful to reframe the situation with a few simple questions:
What did we learn this week?
How have we adjusted our approach?
What progress did we make on our key metric?
These questions kept the team grounded in what mattered most while reinforcing that it was okay to adapt and learn along the way.
Do you have a Flywheel?
Think of a flywheel in an engine—it stores energy and keeps things moving, even when power delivery varies. Without a flywheel, everything grinds to a halt the moment the power is removed.
Some projects are like this: as soon as you look away, progress slows. They require constant energy to stay alive.
To create a “flywheel” in your project, build systems that sustain momentum. This can be regular check-ins to reflect and adjust or giving the team space to connect, think, and recalibrate – this is where breakthroughs happen.
Don’t overuse Standups
Daily standups, where everybody gathers and updates on their progress and actions for the day, can be great for maintaining rhythm, but over time, they can lose their spark. If they stretch on for months, they risk becoming repetitive, operational, or worse—an opportunity for micromanagement.
In one project I observed, daily standups dragged on for six months, devolving into a box-ticking exercise. What had once been energising became a chore. The lesson? Routines need purpose and renewal to remain effective.
Bringing the Energy
As a leader, your job isn’t just to provide direction and accountability – it’s to infuse the project with energy. Here’s how you can keep the momentum alive:
Think in 3-Month Chunks: Even in agile environments with sprints, ensure the team sees tangible progress every few months. It’s the antidote to burnout and disengagement.
Prioritise Thinking Time: Dedicate time for the team to step back, reflect, and reconnect. A single day spent regrouping can reignite creativity and clarity.
Celebrate Small Wins: Don’t wait for the final whistle to cheer. Acknowledge every victory, no matter how small—it fuels morale and keeps spirits high.
The Bottom Line
Projects naturally drift toward disorder without regular infusions of energy. As a leader, your role is to keep the fire burning—through your presence, your systems, and your celebrations.
As we close out 2025, it is a good time to reflect on how intentional you are about the energy that you bring to your team. Make sure you celebrate what has been delivered this year and build the habit of regular time out with your team to reflect and refocus.
I hope you get some time over the next few weeks to do the things that bring you joy and energy with those you love.
