How to get out of any slump

Ever since I entered high school, I always dreamed of the day when final exams would be over and I could enjoy the holidays.

Well, as my dream of sleeping until noon and doing nothing all day came true every year, I slowly found myself sliding into a slump, and even though I completely hated the feeling, I couldn’t get over it.

If you’ve ever experienced a crisis, you can most certainly understand how disempowering and exhausting it is. Also, I think everyone has gone through such a phase where you don’t feel like yourself and don’t really know why.

In this article, I share some tips and tricks to get out of that funk.

What is a collapse?

“When you’re in a fit, you don’t have much fun. Getting weak isn’t easy to do.” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the places you’ll go!

According to Princeton’s WordNet, the term slump refers to “a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality”. It is often characterized by a lack of motivation or the feeling of being at an impasse, stuck and unable to do anything.

How to get out of a crisis

While every student fantasizes about not having any homework or review pending for school, this particular idea left me demotivated to the point that I could barely get out of bed. However, with each passing day, the guilt and the lingering feeling of sitting still and doing nothing finally led me to recognize that it was necessary to get my life back on track.

Realization

The first step to getting back to your normal life is realization. When you’re in crisis, you have to recognize and accept that you’re not doing well. By denying the problem, you only complicate the task of freeing yourself from the quicksand of boredom and lethargy. Try to think about the root cause of this rut- Why do you feel like this? Once you have discovered the source of your crisis, you can easily think of a solution to get out of it.

For me, the drop in my daily productivity was due to the fact that I had little to no responsibilities, no homework, and no particular goals to achieve throughout the summer.

Logging

The timeless art of journaling is a tool for self-reflection. When you journal, you begin to develop self-awareness by keeping track of your emotions and what makes you happy or productive.

Since journaling can help you forget things, making a list whenever you’re feeling lethargic has been known to improve your overall well-being and boost your personal growth. Try starting with gratitude lists, which help you get a fresh perspective on what’s important to you and what you truly value in life.

Also, journaling does not have to be done on paper. Your phone could be a great way to jot down your thoughts. Another creative yet powerful way to express yourself is to write on your mirror, like in the movies. Try to list the things that make you feel alive and empowered. Trust me on this one!

Clean up your personal space

Cleaning has been shown to have a positive impact on our mental health, as it helps us gain a sense of control over our environment. It has also been found to help improve our mood and provide us with a sense of satisfaction.

To beat this rut, you can start by forcing yourself to make your bed as soon as you wake up. Personally, I like to clean my room whenever I feel unmotivated. Small tasks like putting away my clothes, tidying up my desk, changing the sheets, and rearranging my bookshelf make me feel accomplished.

get lost in a book

If you like to read, a great way out of a crisis is to get lost… in a book! Reading is a great way to escape reality in difficult times. Stepping into the realm of fantasy will surely be a great way to distract yourself and feel productive!

I know it’s hard to read during a crisis, but you can try genres you like or read highly recommended books. Personally, when dropped, BookTok and Bookstagram have a huge influence on me, because the vibrations and the heat make me want to start reading again!

Set deadlines and goals

You can sometimes find yourself in a slump when you feel like your life has no meaning or when you are focusing on too many things at once. If you feel like there’s too much going on in your life, it’s time to pull all the fluff out of your schedule and re-evaluate your goals. Using daily planners to assess your plans and set deadlines can be incredibly helpful in regaining motivation!

(Point: Try to stick to one goal at a time to avoid burnout or even worse meltdowns.)

Self-care

All of these tips and tricks won’t work if you don’t take care of yourself. Taking the time to take care of your holistic well-being is important to feeling productive and healthy. To become your best self, your social, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health must be taken into account.

Meditation, mindfulness, walks, exercise, and watching your favorite TV shows are all different types of self-care activities you can try. Plus, adopting a skincare routine is a trendy act of self-care, providing both comfort and rejuvenation.

When I’m in crisis, I like to wear masks, sip chamomile tea, and listen to podcasts and motivational speeches. It’s a peaceful way to have “me time”, to reflect on various issues and to find inspiration. Find whatever makes you feel loved and safe and live it!

Take care of plants

Growing plants and caring for them is in fashion. You’ve no doubt come across people posting pictures of their plants or incorporating them into their aesthetic bedroom decor. In fact, being surrounded by greenery can boost your mood and ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, which can help you get out of your slump.

Despite having a huge garden, I have only recently started spending time with my plants. I found myself obsessed with daisies and urged my parents to buy me a daisy. Now, whenever I’m bored or feeling down, I surround myself with my plants and water them.

Do things you love

When he’s stuck in a rut, he’s encouraged to do the things you love the most. You can play guitar, write short stories, cook, etc. While self-care activities make you feel calm and safe, self-care activities make you love being alive!

Last weekend, as I was going through this phase, I baked a chocolate cake and felt great. It’s often the little things that motivate you. The effort you put into your hobbies will transmit positive energy and promote a healthy state of mind!

Make a vision board

A vision board is a kind of board where you post images that represent everything you want to be, do, or have in life. It’s a great way to visualize your goals. Cut out pictures and images that make you happy, no insecurity. You can even fill your board with motivational quotes or photos of strong women/men who inspire you.

Pinterest is an amazing place to collect images! There you will find yourself in an endless hole of quotes, aesthetics and life inspirations. To make a digital vision board, you can follow these not!

From the good side

The truth is that we all fall into crises. They are part of the ups and downs of life. It’s completely normal not to feel energized and happy all the time. However, whenever necessary, never hesitate to return to these tips and return to your normal state!

On that note, we can even say that we should be grateful for the occasional crisis, because we are sure to bring much-needed positive change in our lives very soon.