Your attempts don’t have to be your normal amazing results, especially if you normally do other types of photography. The exercise itself is what is important here.
All photographers should try still life photography at some point and especially during one of those lulls work that happens every now and then. Still life photography first and foremost forces the photography to be creative. How are they are going to set up their still life? What items will they use? It forces you to think about composition.
So, you have set up your still life, now you need think about lighting it. Do you use natural light or artificial lights? Will you be using reflectors? The good things about doing still life is that you really get ot play around with lighting. Usually when I photograph people I already have the lights set up, but when doing still life you can move the lights around during the photo session as your inanimate objects don’t mind waiting.
Finally, if still life photography isn’t your usually style, then do it understanding that. You are not going to be doing your usual amazing work. That is important because you go back to look at your usual work you might appreciate your skill in that photography a little more and have a little confidence in what you normally do.
Give still life photography a try, you have so much to gain and so little to lose from doing it.