How To Get Back On Track If You Are Stuck In A Rut
I think we can all agree that we have moments where we feel completely stuck. For me, this especially happens during the winter months. It also happens if I find myself doing the same routine over and over again. Here are some ways to get back on track when you are stuck in a rut.
What does feeling stuck in a rut look like?
We feel stuck in our daily routine, doing the same things over and over again. We start to become unmotivated and our passion starts declining about things we used to love.
Life is hard, and I know that sometimes it seem like life is becoming more and more unfulfilling. You may crave change, but could be unsure of how to can achieve it.
Here Are Some Tips:
Social Media
This is probably the most important tip I could give you. Social Media provides you with a constant comparison game. I know I follow some pretty elaborate and ‘perfect’ people online, and whenever I find myself in the comparison game, it’s usually because of what I see online. Putting my phone down and staying off social media can really help you avoid a huge trigger for feeling like your life is boring and nothing special.
Get Some Alone Time
I love alone time. I would much rather spend a few hours alone than out with a group of people. But I especially enjoy being alone when I am finding myself stuck in a rut. Being alone can give you time to think about your feelings and help you identify why you are feeling the way you feel. And once you can identify why you are feeling like you are stuck in a rut, it makes it much easier to make some changes.
Remake Your Routines
I am someone who absolutely thrives off of a good routine. I love schedules and checking things off my to-do list (ah, there really is nothing better). But when you are feeling stuck in a rut it’s hard to feel motivated to complete your daily routine that has been the same for so long. So my advice is to try and ‘remake’ or ‘revamp’ your daily routine. Give it a tune up that will make you feel excited to jump out of bed and take on the day. This can include:
Switching up your workout schedule (morning vs. evening)
Look up new recipes to make for dinner
Block of some time one day a week to try something new or do an activity that you enjoy, but may not have had time for in a while.
Start a new self-care/skin care regimen (nothing makes me happier that giving myself the self-care that my body needs)
*sometimes completely changing around your daily schedule is just the ‘revamp’ your daily routine will need*
Prioritize Your Routine
Not only should you try to switch up your routine, but try to prioritize it as well. If you have a routine that works for you but you haven’t been prioritizing it, make a point to start getting back into prioritizing your routine in order to help you find that ‘spark’ again. Mark it off in your calendar and make it a non-negotiable.
Take A Mental Health Day
If you’re really struggling, see if you can take a mental health day. More and more companies are becoming more lenient to understanding mental health struggles. Especially if you are working in healthcare and you are always taking care of others, make sure to take care of yourself as well. Sometimes taking an entire day off work to do absolutely nothing will give you just the right amount of refresh you need. But if you aren’t able to take an entire day off work, try to spend the afternoon/evening doing some of your favorite things that you haven’t been able to do in a while.
Get Some Vitamin D
I think we all know how important Vitamin D is for our well-being (if you aren’t aware, read this and I promise you will start prioritizing it more). But if your someone who doesn’t naturally get a lot of Vitamin D, or you don’t have a ton of opportunity to get some sunlight outside, there are some great supplements that you can start utilizing in your diet. I’ve listed a few of my favorites below:
Diet and Food
Change Up Your Diet
Eating a ton of processed foods is probably something we all do (or have done). I think we all can identify when our diet isn’t the best, because it really can play a big role in your mood and digestion. If you aren’t incorporating enough greens in your diet, start doing it now. You don’t have to drink an organic green cold pressed juice every day, or start drinking a bottle of kombucha (ew, gross) every day. Start incorporating small changes into your diet including water and more leafy greens/vegetables to start seeing some benefits in your daily mood.
Here is an awesome resource to educate yourself on how beneficial leafy greens can be for you and your diet!
Writing and Journaling
Start journaling
As I’ve mentioned before in some of my previous blog posts about my therapy journey, journaling has been such a great coping mechanism when I am struggling. Journaling allows me to get all the negative thoughts out of my head and onto a piece of paper where I can really reflect and think about why these intrusive thoughts are bothering me so much. Getting them out of my head and onto a piece of paper can really help my mood.
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