How To Pull Yourself Out Of A Slump: 13 Simple Tips

Getting out of a slump can seem tricky and daunting, so I’m sharing with you super easy tips to get out of one!

Slumps are hell. They feel a lot worse than the occasional bad day and its like theyre never-ending. Pulling yourself out of a slump is a lot harder than a one-off bad day, and that why I think it’s super important to approach slumps with different mindset and plan

What Is A Slump?

According to thehealthjournal.com: Mental slumps are a period of time when one may feel unmotivated, depressed, unproductive and easily irritable.

What Causes A Mental Health Slump?

This can occur as a result of excessive stress due to causes such as an extreme workload, assignments that keep piling up and more.

Use these 13 tips to get out of a slump

1. Recognize you’re in a slump

Denial is the safest option, I get that.

I mean, you’re already feeling super tired, so the idea of acknowledging it is anxiety inducing and cause for even more stress.

Sure, telling yourself it’s just a bad day, or you’re just tired is way easier, but in my experience that only made it worse. My slumps would last alot longer and feel a lot worse because I knew deep down it was more than just having a bad day.

Accepting it is the first step.

2. Get up

Chances are if you’re in a slump you’re also laying around, most likely in bed. Lounging around feels great, but it doesn’t help when you’re in a depressive state. The best way to begin fixing your funk is by getting up and moving around.

Moving can mean anything to you. For me, that involves taking a five-minute walk outside. It’s easy and there’s no need to make it fancy by doing something like a powerwalk (unless you want to of course)

Walking around the house, doing the dishes or some light cleaning is a great way to kick-start improving your mood.

Set time aside for self-care

In some cases, a slump may be related to mild burnout or overwhelm. In that case, taking the time to do self-care will help.

If you’re in a slump, chances are you haven’t been taking the time to do self-care anyway. So it’s a great opportunity to get back into your self-care routine.

Create a comforting space

Cleaning is a great way to get moving and force yourself back into a productive mindset. But if that’s too much too soon, then creating a small comforting space should do the trick.

The bedroom is optimal but go wherever you feel safest. Try making the bed or tidying up a bit to make the space as relaxing as possible (do your best). Spend as much time there as you need to gather your thoughts or do some of the other things on this list.

Journal

I say just brain-dump into your journal. Slumps attract negative emotions such as guilt or doubt. You don’t need to make the page pretty, instead, focus on writing down how you feel and why.

Next, consider journaling with some positive emotions in mind like gratitude and self-love. Drowning out negative emotions with positive ones will help fix depressive episodes.

Breathe / Meditate

Anxiety can come along with slumps, especially if your episode interferes with your work life.

The easiest way to attract more positive emotions is by taking deep, mindful breaths or meditating.

I love meditating. It’s my answer to literally everything, especially when I get anxious and I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulder.

Review your goals

Sometimes we need a little motivation to get out of a slump. One of the best ways to do that is by going over some of the goals you already have.

I get lost in seas of daily to-do lists and upcoming deadlines too. And sometimes I forget why I’m even putting myself through the trouble. But taking the time to remind myself what it is I’m truly working towards will put me back on track without fail.

Reach out

Sometimes doing stuff ourselves isn’t enough. And that includes pulling yourself out of a negative headspace.

We often create shame around the idea of getting help. And that sucks but it’s in our best interest to get over that.

Most people have at least one person they feel the most comfortable with. So feel free to reach out to that person to simply chat or get advice. Having someone like that is needed, especially if you have a hectic life.

Re-Energize

Exercise is an amazing way to get your body and mind going again. But exercising after days of feeling low may sound a bit daunting for some.

Start slow. Like taking a short walk or doing a simple stretch routine. Those are my go-to exercising for slowly pulling myself out of a slump. They’re super easy and the best way to work up to my regular routine.

Finding motivation through audiobooks and podcasts involves less movement. I love a good podcast for inspiration and motivation

Listen to Feel Good Music

Music is my world. My mood can completely change based on the kind of music I listen to. So of course I may or may not have 3 different playlists dedicated to brightening my mood when I really need it.

Listen to your favourite song and dance, or clean vigorously if it puts you in the mood. A good pop song can get anyone going.

Slumps aren’t the end of the world. And most importantly, it’s totally fine if your slump lasts a bit longer than you’d like. And sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to do anything about them and that’s okay too. We’re only human and mistakes get made. Think of this post as a guide and motivation to get out of a slump on days you feel up to it.