How To Get Out Of A Funk.

4 Ways to get out of a funk. Click through for some simple tips on how to get yourself out of a slump and get back to being yourself!

Sometimes Summer brings on the funk for me and it can make me feel a little out of it/unmotivated/lazy.   Does that happen to you, too?  I think it’s a combination of the weather (it’s so nice!) and it being the ‘vacation time’ part of the year that throws me into a sort of haze.

The other day I was a total sloth. I ate my weight in coconut milk ice cream, vegged on the couch watching a Say Yes To The Dress Marathon for 3 hours and took a nap that would rival Rip Van Wickle himself.  I just couldn’t seem to snap out of that lazy feeling.

I have tried to accept that funks are just a part of the waves of my life.  I can go through some periods of super productivity and clarity, and then others of total idleness.  

I can be super-assertive and be totally on top of things.  Bulleted list? Check.  Timeline? Check.  Feeling amazingly organized?  Check, check, check.

Then on the other hand, I can also be the best couch potato in the world (see above).   Who needs lists when you have movie marathons, takeout and a cozy blankie?  Pure heaven.  But too many hours clocked into the couch can feel like it’s swallowing me and my motivation whole.

So instead of beating myself up when I get like this, I’ve figured out a few simple steps to help me get out of a funk and maybe they’ll help you, too:

  1. Acknowledge the reason for the funk.  Am I eating right/getting enough sleep?  Am I working through a personal issue?  Do I feel nervous about the next step (whatever it is)?  Imbalance of any one of these things can drive me right into funk-ville, but acknowledging the cause can often alleviate some of the burden.  Once I address the culprit, I can get working on the solution.
  2. The only way out is through.  When I’m feeling funky, I just want to instantly snap out of it and get back to normal; but it’s not always that easy, is it?  Saying to myself, “I’m going through a weird phase and it will pass” lets me off the hook and gives me the room to be a little off without feeling like an odd-ball.  When I’m honest with myself and admit I’m less than my best, I bounce back to being me, quicker.
  3. Make small changes.  The most valuable lesson I have learned from my off times is: the secret of my success is found in my daily routine.  So instead of a total routine re-vamp, I try to make small moves everyday to get me closer to where I want to go.  Just putting one foot in front of the other–small movements aren’t overwhelming and I can stick to them.  And these small, consistent actions usually create big, awesome results.
  4. Reflect on the funk from the other side.  Once I get through my off kilter moment, I like to look back at how I handled it.  Was I patient and kind to myself?  Or was I a nervous wreck, fighting the process?  Looking back not only helps me develop compassion for myself (and others who are going through the same thing) but it shows me that nothing is permanent.

Life is always changing, and part of that is trusting that I can work through whatever comes my way.  You can do it, too!

Signature