At some point or another we’ve all found ourselves at a place in our lives where we’ve felt worn out, bored, stagnant or just plain blah. And as the pandemic marches on, we might be more prone to falling into these funks and ruts as we try to juggle a new normal.
Now is the Time
You might feel like you’re just going through the motions of life, doing the same things over and over again. This can be especially true if you’re now working from home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It can start to feel like the days all blend together.
Most of the time we can’t always articulate how we are feeling, or the cause. Rather than being judged, misunderstood or having to do the less-than-ideal work of talking about it, we say we are fine. After a while, ‘fine’ turns into our natural state and we are just existing day to day rather that “living” out our days.
If you are not satisfied with where you are at, it’s okay. Whether it’s your body, career or just life overall – you have the power to change it anytime. And there is no better time than the present!
Embrace the funk
First and foremost – don’t beat yourself up if you’re feeling blue. Slumps happen from time to time and they can affect anyone. Digging yourself out of a funk begins as an inside job. Sure, there are resources and people who can help you, but ultimately one of the first things to do is to look within.
So go ahead and watch that sad movie or listen to a sad song. It’s perfectly OK to nurture yourself for a few days while you work through whatever it is that you’re feeling. Take the time to feel cranky, sad, frustrated or just plain weird. Doing so doesn’t mean that you’re weak, it means that you’re human and you’re acknowledging yourself.
Getting out of a rut
Sometimes, distractions and self-care can be the best ways to help us work through ruts. And while you’ll want to try to work through your emotions, there are a few ways to speed up the process so you can start feeling like yourself again:
Take a break from your own thoughts. If you haven’t downloaded a mindfulness app yet, going through a rut is the perfect time to do it. Often times we experience anxiety when we’re worrying too much about the future and we feel depression when we’re too concerned about what happened in the past. Focusing on the here and now can become more apparent when we quiet our minds through meditation.
Create something. Some people aren’t very verbal, so when they feel down it’s hard to communicate. If you’re experiencing this, focus on creating something instead. Try journaling, drawing or take up cooking! Creating something engages our brain and helps us feel productive.
Clean or rearrange your surroundings. Vacuum your room, tidy up or completely overhaul your living room and rearrange the furniture. The change and refresh might be the jolt you’re looking for to snap you out of your funk.
Create a playlist of 10 to 13 songs that lifts your mood. This usually comes out to about an hour’s worth of music and you can turn to this playlist whenever you’re feeling down.
Take some time off work for the perfect reset. So if you think turning on your out-of-office and silencing the notifications will help – by all means do it!
Get outside in nature. The sights, sounds and smells of the woods can help our brains stop anticipating or worrying. At the very least, step outside for a few minutes to enjoy the fresh air.
Pamper yourself. Enjoy a nice, hot soak in a bubble bath, do a face mask, schedule a haircut or get a massage. You can even host your own DIY spa day by lighting a candle, giving yourself a pedicure and using your favorite lotion or beauty product.