What Should You Do When You Hit A Slump? (5 Practical Things That May Help
Things don’t always go according to your pre-planned schedule, but forcing your way doesn’t always work. Sometimes, you need to allow yourself some flexibility through changes as the day unravels.
You hit a slump again. Everything feels harder, heavier, and slower than usual, including your body. You’re getting less work done, but you know well what you’re capable of. However hard you try, you’re running on half tank, and things don’t just seem to be working.
But you keep pushing, and before you know it, the days seem to bleed into each other, and suddenly it’s been weeks or months since you were at your best. You know that you need to find your groove again because that slump significantly pulled down your energy levels, and all areas of your life are suffering…and you’re only doing the bare minimum.
So now you are wondering if there is a way to get back to how things were and feel like yourself again, and to be better. There’s one thing you are certain of, that ‘this can’t be it!’ You can’t live and feel that way for the rest of your life.
But how do you move past it all?
- Stop feeling sorry for yourself
Self-pity is the worst form of self-care and if you want to feel good again and get off the hamster wheel, let go of self-pity.
Accept what’s happened and see what’s come out of it- someone strong enough to identify a problem they’re dealing with and willing to seek help, this article, for instance.
2. Can you identify the reason for the slump?
Anxiety and restless mind, poor physical health, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and stress are some everyday things that make you unmotivated. In some cases, it’s not that you no longer find your work satisfying, but because you have all these other things going on, and trust me, they’ll affect all spheres of your life. Deal with them.
You may be unmotivated because your work is no longer fulfilling, you’ve become redundant, or you’re not paid enough.
Is there something you stopped doing, either intentionally or inadvertently?
3. Change
Ask yourself: what can I do differently today? Or what did I stop doing? Could things change if I changed this one thing? Find a new job, move to a new city, start working out, add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, drink more water, or maybe switch workstations. Sometimes working from a coffee shop means more work than sitting in your home office circling the drain. Other times, a complete overhaul of your life is called for.
4. What’s your drug?
What’s that thing always takes you from zero to 95 or 100 in, say, a cup or 3? Fresh coffee, green tea, black tea, an energy drink, runs? If you’ve determined that you need it and that it’s good for you, go for it.
For instance, coffee is my medicine, and I realized that I’ve been off coffee for about 2 weeks and have been struggling. It happened inadvertently, but I’m close to 85% now. And before you come for me, several studies have shown that coffee is a multi-functional drink that can be very good for you. I’m not saying you should start taking coffee, but if it works for you, go for that cup of Joe.
Perhaps you need a nap or a cold shower to reset; lean into your senses and give your body and mind what it needs; just keep in mind your limits.
5. It’s okay if you just can’t or could do it today.
The reality is that however much you want to push yourself, to ride out the feeling of hitting a slump or getting through whatever needs to be done, it can be to your detriment sometimes. While there are things you can get away with because of muscle memory and that autopilot function you just have, other essential things call for more full-on attention.
If you try out all the tips above and none seem to be helping, it would be best to go easy on yourself and give yourself the chance to take a break and pick up where you left off later in the evening or the next day… I know you may judge me harshly for this, but procrastination can be a good thing before you do. I’ve had days when I’ve dragged my feet, fingers, and mind to get through some tasks, and after struggling for too many hours, I had a light bulb moment and thought to myself, what if I did something else to distract myself from what’s in front of me?
Other times, I’ve put off the work completely to the next day or even two days, but when I finally got to work on those tasks, not only did I feel more energetic and felt like the tasks were easier than I thought they were, but I also spent less time on them. There’s also the weight lifted off your mind, you feel more in control, and you can relax and let your mind wander and perhaps, come up with better ideas.
So, while procrastination gets a bad rap, it’s sometimes necessary. Why should you stop struggle with a task and end up with lower-quality or mistaken-laden work that needs to be repeated, when you could put it off until later?
It’s hardly talked about, but active (occasional and strategic) procrastination can be good for:
— It allows you to get much more done
— All those unnecessary tasks will disappear
— It conserves energy and increases efficiency
— It boosts your motivation to work when you’re ready to
— Reduces stress
— It improves your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
So, the next time you feel like your body and mind are letting you down, and you just get around to starting or completing some tasks, I hope that these tips will help you out, and also remind you that you are not alone.
