Getting Out of The Slump
Have your motivation levels been a little low lately?
Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.
None of us feel motivated 100% of the time! There are a variety of reasons why our motivation levels can drop, so let’s explore them!
Why You’re Not Feeling Motivated
Fatigue: Are you physically, mentally or emotionally drained?
Boredom: Are you bored with the tasks that you are doing? Are things starting to seem repetitive?
Stress: Do you have too much on your plate? Is there too much pressure? Are you managing and relieving your stress?
You Don’t Believe In Yourself: Do you believe that you aren’t capable or that you lack the skills, knowledge or resources to be successful?
Your Goals are Too Big / Too Small: Goals that are too large can be overwhelming and can cause us a lot of stress when we don’t see any significant progress. Goals that are too small don’t challenge us enough for us to make any significant changes or improvements in ourselves. Are your goals too big or small?
Distractions: The world is filled with distractions that will drain your time if you let them. Are you falling victim to distractions, preventing you from making any strides in your own life?
You’re Not Passionate About What You’re Doing: Sometimes we are in a slump because we know deep inside that we are not doing what we are meant to be doing. Sound familiar? Is it time to make a change?
Getting Out of the Slump
Figure Out Why
The key to getting out of a slump is to figure out how you got there in the first place. Acknowledge your emotional state and engage in “Affect Identification” which refers to identifying the emotions you are experiencing, allowing them to run their course, and determining their root case. It might help to talk to someone about your feelings or explore them through journaling.
Determine What’s Missing
Often, when we are experiencing a slump, it is because a particular need in our lives has been neglected. It could be health and wellness needs, love needs, social needs, understanding needs, growth needs, autonomy needs, esteem needs, purpose needs, or any other need that is important to you.
So whenever you find yourself in a slump, ask yourself what has been missing from your life and then make it a priority. In order to prevent yourself from slipping back into a slump, you must practice and find balance addressing all of your needs so that you are being nourished physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Assess Your Habits
Sometimes our very own habits, if left unchecked, contribute to our slumps. Habits are not just physical tendencies, they can also include emotional thought patterns such as always thinking about the worst possible outcome. It’s time to get honest with yourself and identify habits that are not contributing to the life that you want to create. Start interrupting those negative thought patterns by posing questions to yourself and challenging yourself to do something that will help create a positive, growth mindset.
Rest
Rest is an underrated motivation strategy! When our minds and bodies are fatigued, it can be tough to perform at optimal levels. Refuel your motivation by making sure you are getting adequate amounts of mental and physical rest. This does not only include sleeping, but also strategies to give your mind a rest, such as taking a bath, exercising, meditating or listening to some soothing music.
Change What You’re Doing or How You’re Doing It
Sometimes our slumps or our lack of motivation occur simply because we are not passionate about what we are doing or how we are doing it. A large part of motivation stems from autonomy and being able to control our time, tasks and techniques.
Evaluate what you are doing to determine if you truly enjoy it or not. If not, start making a plan to switch gears by first identifying what would bring you fulfillment.
Sometimes we love what we do, but we fall into a slump because we are taking an approach that is less than ideal. Is there a different way that you can do the task? Can you change the environment or any other aspect that would make it more enjoyable?
Do Something Exciting
It is in our human nature to crave variety, and when we find ourselves doing the same thing day in and day out, our motivation can start to fade. Sometimes we just need a change of pace or a way to change up our daily routine with something new and exciting. Building these new and exciting experiences into your life is important to bring in new perspectives, create variety and ultimately help refuel your motivation levels and get you out of a slump.
Let us know if these tips work for you and if there are any strategies that we missed, let us know in the comments!
