Many people find themselves in a slump at one point or another. It is never easy to get out of it and can take time for some people. Being in a rut could come from the daily stress we face as well as the impact aging has on our bodies and our mental health. If you want to know the four best ways to get more energy and get out of a slump, then this blog post may help you find a way that suits you and your circumstances. Keep your chin up and let’s get going…
1. Change your routine
If you have too much on the go and are not able to take a break, you may find yourself in a slump. If this is the case, then it might be time to change your routine and do something different for a while. You can always come back to what you were doing if that’s what works best for you. Sometimes we need some rest from our lives so that we can focus on ourselves again.
Take Time off work
Taking time off of work for a few days will help you put work into perspective as it relates to the rest of your life. This is an opportunity for you to recharge your batteries so that you can unload some stress and reflect on the other areas of your life.
People may think that taking a break from work is going to put them behind in their tasks and may draw negative attention to them. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The opposite will happen because you’ll have a clear mind and better perspective to focus on work when you return. Also, upon reflection, you will see the things you need to do at work that will help you to succeed in your career and focus on what is important rather than just what is urgent.
Meditate or Practice Deep Breathing
Meditation and deep breathing are great ways to calm your mind and body. When we are stressed out the fight-or-flight response kicks in, where hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline flood our system to help us survive a stressful situation. These stress responses can be debilitating over time. Continuous high levels of cortisol take a toll on our bodies. It can cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, which triggers the body’s hunger response that encourages overeating..
If you are going through a rough time, a quick fix such as taking deep breaths or meditating for just ten minutes each day may make a difference. These practices have been proven to lower our heart rate and reduce our stress levels.
Join a gym, club, or volunteer
Another way to get out of a slump is by joining an organization that shares your interests. Joining a health club or volunteer organization introduces you to new people and other things to focus on. It also allows you to meet new people and do new things.
Joining an organization to volunteer your time can also help prevent feelings of isolation by getting involved in solving other peoples’ problems. Sometimes being involved in solving other people’s problems helps you forget about your own or at least helps you realize your problems may not be as bad as you may have thought.
2. Take care of yourself
Self-care involves taking stock of your well-being and fitness level. If you’re not taking good care of yourself and don’t have good habits this will slowly take a toll on your body and mind. This is more pronounced the older we get and more difficult to correct the longer we wait.
Exercise
If you are in a rut you may find that stress is one of the biggest contributors. By getting some exercise, whether by walking for 30 minutes or doing something more intensive, like playing sports, you will notice that you can relieve some of the stress that is building up.
Exercise also improves your mood by releasing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This helps to reduce anxiety and depression. It also makes you feel more alert as it increases the amount of oxygen in our bodies. When the body has enough oxygen it can help us make better decisions, be less irritable and sleep better at night.
An exercise routine can be simple but should be regular so that you can reap the benefits physically and mentally.
Eat well
Feeling bad about our body image as we begin to age can lower our self-esteem and affect us mentally by making us feel like we’re not good enough. You can reverse years of bad eating by improving your diet and adding regular exercise to your routine.
The best way to make changes is by reducing the amount of junk food we eat and by starting to eat things that are good for our body, such as fruits, vegetables, and foods high in protein. You will begin to feel better by eating more healthily and can start to look better if you combine better eating with regular exercise.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep each night helps our mental health and gives us more energy to do what we need.
Adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep but usually get much less as they remain restless thinking about their day. Quality sleep is important. It helps our immune system, allows us to focus better during the day, reduces stress, and helps us avoid more serious health problems.
You can improve your sleep quantity and quality by reducing and eliminating the use of caffeine, eating less at dinner time, and practicing deep breathing before you go to bed.
Drink more water
Many things can negatively affect your mood, including dehydration.
When your body is dehydrated it will produce more cortisol which can lead to anxiety or depression. If you’re feeling down in the dumps make sure you drink 8 glasses of water a day. Be sure to adjust this by the amount of exercise you do and the climate you are in.
If you don’t like water consider drinking coconut water or eating watermelon as both are excellent natural fluid sources with good sources of electrolytes.
Smile to get more energy
It is amazing how such a small thing as smiling more often has such a big effect on our mood and well-being. Smiling affects our body by creating serotonin which improves our mood and outlook on life.
Smiling also affects the people around you because it makes them feel better and more at ease. This may result in less negativity directed to you over time. It’s important to smile to be happy, healthy, and successful. If you don’t feel like smiling at least stop grimacing or frowning. Doing so has the opposite effect on you and will make you feel worse.
3. Find what makes you happy
Sometimes it isn’t easy to know what makes you happy. Finding what makes you happy may take some reflection and an honest review of your life and your goals. Once you know what makes you happy, it’s important to be thankful for these things every day and try to do more of them.
Review your goals
Reviewing and reflecting on your goals helps you remember what you’re working towards. It can also help to remind you of what makes you happy, and how your work will make your life better.
Be sure to treat goals as targets and not reflections of who you are. Remember, targets change as your interests and life change. Also, try to break goals into achievable tasks and don’t overdo them. Let time work for you – doing one thing consistently over a period of time will give you more success than trying to do several things at once.
Live your own life
Sometimes we get too caught up in following other people’s schedules and taking substantial amounts of our time to do things for others. At some point, we lose focus on what we want or need. This can make us lose motivation and forget about our own dreams and goals. Ensure you make time for yourself – don’t be a hero for everyone else.
Change bad habits
We often fall into routines or habits that hurt us physically and mentally. Many of us are tied to social media or are continually checking the news for updates. Both do little for our well-being and both are a waste of time. Rather than checking your tablet or phone constantly, go for a walk or try doing something that will make you happy. Similarly, if you find yourself snacking every time you sit on the sofa – don’t sit on the sofa – find a comfortable chair with good lighting and read a book instead.
Bad habits can slowly, over time, lead us to a dark place. We end up worrying about things that we can’t change to the detriment of things we can change. Introducing positive changes or habits if added over time can make a huge difference to our well-being.
Do something new
Small changes in our routine to get you out of your comfort zone may be enough to change your perspective and get you out of a slump.
This could be as simple as trying a different route on your morning commute, or going outside in the middle of winter when it’s cold instead of staying inside by the fire. These small changes can improve your mood and your brain health.
4. Talk to someone about your feelings
Our mental health depends on us being able to deal with or cope with negative feelings. If you are like most guys, you probably aren’t comfortable talking about your feelings. On the other hand, talking out loud with someone as a sounding board may help you solve problems, even if that other person doesn’t contribute much.
Talk with your partner or family member
Guys don’t like to burden their families with their problems, so don’t bother talking about their problems. Rather guys are problem solvers – we are fixers and feel we can deal with it on our own. The problem is most often our negative state impacts our family in other ways. It is easier to get things off your chest speaking with someone you love and who loves you.
Talk with friends
Similar to your family, you may not want to burden your friends with your problems. If it is difficult to talk with your family it may seem more so to talk with your friend. Remember, you aren’t the only person with problems, perhaps talking with your friend may make them confident enough to bring up theirs.
Try bringing up your concerns as a subtext of why you are meeting. For example, it may be easier to bring up some of your problems with someone else when there is some other reason for talking.
Seek professional help
There may be valid medical reasons you are feeling the way you do – it may not be something within your control to fix. If you cannot shake your slump or are considering negative thoughts, don’t be too proud or macho to seek professional help.
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you get out of your slump and back to feeling like yourself. Whether it’s changing your routine, taking better care of yourself, or finding what makes you happy – there are lots of ways to adopt the right mindset and kick start your life in a more positive direction.
What is one thing that has helped you get out of a slump? Check out How to get more energy at 50 years and older
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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the support and guidance of your physician when you are unsure about any health issues.
