It's hard to always be feeling up in the world of business. There are always going to be those times when there just isn't any mojo left for anything. The real problems arise when it's not just a bad morning or a bad day, but a bad year.

Over the years as an entrepreneur, I've certainly had those moments and I had to learn how to pull myself out of this kind of funk. So here are my top strategies for reconnecting with your business:

1. Take that vacation you've been dreaming of for years

I can normally tell within a minute or two what the issue is with a business owner, and more often than not, he or she is simply exhausted and in need of a good break. The more reasons you can write down for not having a vacation right now (for example: no money, no time, no staff, it's the busy season) the more important it is that you have one. Everyone will benefit from you having a decent break.

2. Think about what your business gives you, not what you feel it takes from you

We tend to find a lot of fault in our business and all the perceived negatives, such as the hours we have to work, the amount of money we have tied up in it, the stress, the staff issues and the pile of other problems. But how often do we sit and make a list of all the wonderful things that our business gives us, like independence, satisfaction, challenge, freedom and financial reward? Spend some time coming up with your own list of things your business gives you, and your perspective likely will change.

3. Get uncomfortable, all the time

We all need a pea under our cushion every once in a while, and getting uncomfortable is one way to wake ourselves up and renew our zest for life. Those people who are constantly challenging themselves, either intellectually or physically, rarely appear to be depressed or negative.

4. Do more of the things you really love to do

Running a business certainly can become all-consuming. All too often, we stop doing the things that we really love to do, simply because the pressure of business, family and relationships don't leave us a whole lot of time to do the things we used to love.

In my workshops, I ask people to write down the things that they love to do in their spare time and next to each one I ask them to write down when was the last time they did it. Interestingly enough, lots of people put down a hobby like fishing and the last time they did it was 10 years ago. This is not a hobby; it's a memory.

5. Outsource the parts of your

business that wear you down

Too many business owners waste time and energy doing the things in their business that they literally hate — and they do it badly to make matters worse. You will be stunned at how your outlook on life changes when you outsource or delegate all the jobs you really can't stand doing. Make up your own list and commit to getting other people to do things you don't want to do anymore.

6. Surround yourself with awesome people

And I say “awesome” here for a reason, because surrounding yourself with “good” people is just not setting the bar high enough.

Typically when I encounter people who are struggling in life, they don't have positive or energetic people around them. In fact they have the opposite — negative, low energy people who bring everyone down.

If you haven't got awesome people around you, go out and find some.

7. Contribute to the community where you run your business

If you want to feel better about your life, spend time with someone whose life is really, really bad. Commit to helping out at a homeless shelter once a week, and you will soon see just how wonderful your own life is.

8. Change something dramatic in your business

It might be time to do a re-brand of your business, or move your offices or start a new business on the side. Even though you don't feel like taking on more right now, sometimes this can be exactly what you need to be doing. It can jolt you back into the right frame of mind to get the things done you need to get done.

9. Lighten up; it's only business

Sometimes I think we simply take ourselves far too seriously in business and in life. The more we learn to lighten up, laugh out loud and accept that our business is just a part of our lives, not the whole picture, the easier it is to enjoy our life and our business.

Andrew Griffiths is an Australia-based entrepreneur and the author of 12

best-selling books on starting, managing and growing small companies.