Rough Sledding Meaning

(idiomatic) A difficult period of time.

Example:   We're running out of money. It's going to be rough sledding from now on, but we'll have to cope.
2007 December 3, anonymous GOP strategist, quoted in Dan Balz, "'30 Days of Rough Sledding'" (blog entry), The Washington Post online:
  Rudy's team did not handle last weeks discovery well. They are in for 30 days of rough sledding.