I feel like we all get to that point where we find ourselves getting caught up in the motions and routines of day-to-day life. It tends to happen so slowly that we don’t even notice it, but then one day you just can’t quite seem to trudge on through anymore. The motivation is gone, the creativity is gone, and that’s it… you’re in a funk. So when you find yourself in this situation, you can ask yourself a few questions:
How much sleep have you been getting? Too much? Too little?
One way I can tell that something is off with me is if my normal sleep pattern has changed. If I start to notice that I’m sleeping through my alarms or when I find that I just can’t fall asleep at night something is off. And it’s not just about the amount of sleep, but also the quality of sleep as well, because even when I get “a full 8 hours” but am restless throughout the whole night, I will be off the next day.
One way to counteract this problem is to set up a relaxing night routine to reset your sleep schedule.
What have you been eating?
I find that when I don’t get a good balance in my diet I start to get a bit foggy, but if I eat some fruits and veggies I level out a little more. Eating Chick-fil-A multiple times a week may sound fun and easy, but in the long run, it’s just not a good idea. You don’t have to go on some crazy juice cleanse, but you can make sure that you’re not only eating junk.
To keep yourself from falling victim to a junk-funk, try keeping a food journal. This can be as simple as keeping a running list in the Notes app on your phone of what foods you didn’t feel so great after eating.
Have you done anything you truly enjoyed recently?
When I don’t take any time for myself and am just in go mode, I find that my mind goes into what seems like autopilot and without rest, your spark will eventually short-out. Whether you’re more extroverted and like to be surrounded by people, or are more introverted and enjoy quiet reflection time alone, taking time to recharge in the way that works best for you will keep you from getting lost in the motions of day-to-day life.
When was the last time you got your body moving?
Now I know what your thinking, “please, not another one of those ‘just go out for a walk and everything will be fine spiels,’” and no that’s not what this is. I’m not saying that exercise is a magical cure-all, but I do think that getting your body moving, even if it’s just sitting on the floor in your room and doing some stretches is a good way to give yourself a little break and release some tension that you may not have even noticed that you were holding in your body.
Instead of going on your phone whenever you want to take a study break, take a few minutes to get up and stretch a bit.
When was the last time you took a day off purely for rest?
Taking a mental health day is so much more effective than trying to keep dragging yourself through the day without being able to be completely present. At the end of the day you wouldn’t have gotten as much done and you’ll just feel worse than if you took a day to rest so that the next day you could focus better on whatever you need to get done.
Setting aside a mental health day every once in a while will save you several mental breakdowns in the long-run.
What kind of media have you been consuming? Positive? Negative? Gloom? Doom?
Lastly, when you find yourself falling into a funk, stop to look at what kind of media you’re consuming. So many shows nowadays seem to have no filter━they’re filled with more violence, swearing, and negative sexual context than they use to be and over time this can take start to take a toll on your mental state. To keep things fun and fresh, have a go-to show or movie that you can watch whenever you need your spirits lifted.
But, it doesn’t end there. As you know our generation practically lives for social media, so you also want to make sure those you follow on there are also a source of inspiration, motivation, relation, or positivity, rather than accounts that will make you feel inadequate.
Basically, the real key to get yourself out of a rut and to keep yourself from falling into another one is to be mindful and in tune with what’s going on with you.