“Mama said there’ll be days like this”
As I write this, I am battling this very thing. Sometimes in life there are certain circumstances that cause you to shut down or want to forget your responsibilities. Unfortunately, when we put off what we need to do today until another day, we tend to feel bogged down and it can be a difficult rut to climb out of.
But there’s only one way to eat an elephant and that’s one bite at a time! So how do you start busting out of a funk? Here are a few small things you can do today to jumpstart yourself out of it:
Do something small
This will get the ball rolling to pull yourself out of a funk. That plastic bin that you need to buy to put the Easter stuff away? Those air filters that need to be replaced? The batteries in the remote that have been dead forever that need to be changed?
Tackle any one of these little things, and you’ll be feeling on top of the world. We get so overwhelmed by all the little things we have to do that we forget that we can just PICK ONE and DO IT.
If you’re feeling great after that one thing, try another and another. Another small victory would be to do some light exercise. I’m not talking about signing up for the gym or buying a bunch of equipment or committing to working out 5 days a week.
All you need is 2 minutes. Commit to doing 2 minutes of light exercise daily for a week and see how you feel. Try this one before you shower! Other little things you can do to get you moving: 1) Take a bath 2) Eat a refreshing salad 3) Make your bed 4) Declutter a drawer or cabinet.
Drink MORE water
You’ve probably read this a million times in different health articles. Water remains and always will be one of the main sources of replenishment, so it makes sense that drinking more of it will bring you out of a funk.
Studies have shown that tension, depression, and confusion goes down as water consumption increases. Another study also confirmed that if you decrease your water intake, you will experience more mood swings, more headaches, and more fatigue.
The recommended 8 glasses a day should suffice. If these results don’t improve your mood individually, try increasing to 10 cups or more per day. You’ll also start seeing more benefits such as improved sleep and reduced swelling or puffiness.
Wake up a few minutes earlier
Be a morning person! Easier said than done especially if you’re looking to get out of a funk. But give it a chance for about a week by waking up a few minutes earlier each day, you’ll find there are many advantages to being a morning person.
- You’ll get more done. Now, you might not jump right into working out and eating breakfast at the crack of dawn. But perhaps you can use your extra morning time to relax, make a to-do list, check social media or email…something small to make you feel productive right when your day starts. It will help you prioritize more & procrastinate less!
- You’ll get more natural light. Hey…a little vitamin D can go a long way. This study shows how the timing of your sunlight exposure contributes to overall health, better mood, and increased productivity.
- You’ll get a better night’s sleep. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise…as the saying goes. Your natural body’s rhythm will start to adapt to your early riser tendencies and you’ll get a full-on better night’s sleep if it remains consistent.
- You’ll be happier. If you’re constantly staying up late, this sleep deprivation over time can lead to depression which leads to more sleep deprivation which leads to more depression. It’s a never ending cycle that could possibly be broken by going to bed a little earlier and waking up each morning a little earlier. Over time and with consistency, it can help you get out of a funk.
Take your vitamins
Remember how a little sun (Vitamin D) can lift your spirits? Daily vitamin intake can definitely help with a variety of issues including that funky rut feeling. Just the act of taking vitamins, for me, is a huge confidence booster.
It makes me feel accomplished even if I didn’t do anything productive all day. At least I took my vitamins! I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist so these are just my personal opinions on this matter.
I take 3 main vitamins: 1) Multivitamin 2) B-complex 3) Magnesium. They are not small or easy to take, but darn it, they make me feel especially adept when I’m done! The multivitamin is just for overall health, but the necessary nutrients in a multivitamin can improve your overall mood as well as your physical well-being.
B vitamins are best known for energy boosting, mood boosting, and improving nerve function while reducing symptoms of depression. You can also get B vitamins from your food in the form of eggs, cottage cheese, sardines, and mackerel.
Magnesium is an absolutely amazing nutrient that not many people purposely seek to supplement. It has the power to reduce stress, relax your muscles, and regulate heart health. It’s also great right before bed to help insomnia. It is incredibly underrated, but it has so many great benefits especially for the person looking to get out of a funk.
Read something nice
Reading is a great way to get your mind active and learn something new. Even if you’re just reading something silly, your mind will get more active! Reading is an easy thing to do and can be broken down into small bites…like one chapter per night.
Just the act of reading can give you an extra confidence boost and reduce anxiety levels. According to the study mentioned here, reading helps our anxiety levels by allowing our imagination to transport us to the protagonist’s body.
As humans, we need good stories to help us relate to the hero’s journey and reconfigure our brain. Say what! Reading about something you can relate to increases our compassion for others which is a huge step towards self-growth and decreasing anxiety and depression.
It will help you get your mind off worrisome things and think about others. This will surely spark you out of a funk!
Meditate on a daily basis
Simply put… just be in the moment. When you wake up each morning or before you go to bed (whichever works best for you) take 1-5 minutes to breath in your nose and out of your mouth.
During that time, ONLY focus on the coldness & feeling of the air going in your nose and out of your mouth. That’s it! If your mind wanders (and it will), simply bring it back to the feeling of the air entering your body and leaving it.
Meditation brings everything back into balance. Just like reading rearranges your brain, meditation will also help you think more clearly and concentrate on the important things instead of worrying and wanting to stay in bed.
If you are ready to really step up your productivity game, check out these 11 home hacks you can knock out on a Saturday.
This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional.
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