Yesterday morning I woke up feeling a little glum. Actually, I wasn’t totally glum, it was more of an unmotivated feeling. There was no particular reason behind it, it just sometimes happens as we’re not robots. I decided to head out for a walk because the longer I sit about in bed the more unmotivated and stressed I become. Do you get like that?
I ended up meeting a friend for breakfast after my walk which made a very nice start to the day. I find that getting out into the fresh air can help to clear the mind. It forces you to stop dwelling on your lack of motivation, step away from the laptop and forget all about your projects and goals.
I had a good chunk of work to do on Saturday but decided that I needed to force myself to stay away from it. If you try working when you’re not in the right mood it can take twice as long to get the job done. I didn’t go near my laptop on Saturday. Instead I went to a meditation class at lunch (more on that later) and ended the day with an evening meal with friends. As soon as Sunday morning rolled ’round I was up bright and early to crack on with my tasks and get to a class at the gym.
It can be hard to pull yourself out of an unmotivated slump, trust me, I know. However, if you don’t try then your day is set to go downhill. Here are a few tips to cut off from stress, worry and feeling glum.
– Get up, get dressed and go out for a walk. It doesn’t matter where you go, you just need to avoid being stuck in the house. I often like to go for a walk around the shops if I fancy a bit of life around me, otherwise I’ll head towards the countryside with my camera.
– Arrange to meet up with a friend for coffee and/or lunch. Sometimes we all need a bit of company, even if we don’t realise it. Taking some time to have a laugh and even sharing our thoughts and worries is very important. I find that having another perspective on a problem or challenge I’m facing can really help.
– Treat yourself – This will mean totally different things to everyone. For some it could mean a big cup of tea and a chocolate bar, others might want a new book or perhaps a spring coloured nail varnish and if you’re like me then you will know that popping to the hairdressers for a blow dry will leave you feeling fab.
– Write a list – Make a list of your worries and stresses. Follow it up with a step by step plan on how to eliminate those worries from your life. It might be a work situation, a person or even that you’ve taken on too many things at once. Prioritise the things which are worrying you the most and then focus on fixing them one by one.
– Step away from the laptop. I mean it. Leave your laptop at home, forget about the internet and just take a break from your online life. I imagine that many of you are like me. You blog, work and read all on your laptop or tablets. Sometimes you have to just let it go, refresh your mind and take inspiration from new places.
These are just a few little things which I find helpful when I’m not feeling motivated. I hope they help you too.
How do you pull yourself out of a slump?
xx