Let’s face it. It happens to the best of us. One day we’re checking things off our to-do list and the next day we enter a not so productive rut lacking motivation and the will to achieve anything. Okay, that sounds dramatic, but if you’ve been there, you know that it’s the worst.
As a mom, wife, and business owner, I can’t afford to stay in that place for long and I’ve had to find creative ways to get reinspired. Losing momentum makes it hard to get back on track, but if you have a few tools in your toolbox, it may be easier than you think.
That being said, here are the 3 ways I “snap out of it”.
Fill my brain with positive thoughts.
I know what you’re thinking. “Thanks Jess, but I’m not in the mood”. I get it. However, lesson number one when you’re in a rut is doing things you don’t want to do to make yourself feel better.
Your subconscious is very powerful, and we are constantly absorbing our inner dialogue, the music we listen to, and other forms of influence we choose to take in. So, if you’re sitting in your car, telling yourself that you’re not going to get anything done today while listening to sad music and looking at your ex best friends Instagram page, you’re probably going to have a very difficult time making your way back to a positive place.
Instead, turn off the sad songs, choose an uplifting podcast, and tell yourself you’re unstoppable. Whew. I even felt the difference just writing that out. The mind is a powerful thing and if we want it to work to our advantage, we must fill it with things that will make us want to be our best selves. Slowly but surely, you’ll start to believe what your mind is telling you one way or another.
Eat a Frog
Okay, I know this sounds alarming, but I don’t mean you should go and eat a literal frog. I swear it’s a book, but I heard it from my mother throughout my childhood whenever a project came up that we didn’t want to do but needed to do.
I’ve found that sometimes a rut begins because we’re stuck on something. Whether it’s how to take the next step at work, being overwhelmed by your to do list or feeling like you need a change, the best remedy is to move on and tackle something that can help you feel unstuck.
There’s actually a bit of science that proves this is a real thing. You’ve heard of being in a state of fight or flight, right? Well, there is another state that people don’t talk about as much and that’s called a freeze state. This is the third stress response that can happen as a result of any of the reasons I listed above. By completing a small, simple task or easy project, you can allow your brain to find its way out of freeze while also gaining confidence, making it easier to keep that momentum.
Put the devices down and go outside.
If you have kids, my guess is that you’ve given this advice more times than you can count. There are proven benefits to getting outside in the sunshine while there is also a proven downside to excessive screen time. When I’m in a rut, it’s SO easy to sit on my phone and endlessly scroll to avoid having to deal with my own thoughts.
Just a 10–15-minute walk can spark more inspiration than an entire week of scrolling through Instagram. Your next greatest idea is right around the corner, but sometimes we must force ourselves to do the things that will help us find it. Gettig outside, taking deep breaths and allowing your thoughts to sort themselves out is a great first step.
If you’re in a rut, pick one of these things and don’t think twice about it. Just do it. Take one small step forward, allowing yourself the freedom to make your way back to the determined, motivated, inspired, YOU.
