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I’m very pleased to welcome Iman to The Little Blog of Positivity with her top tips on what to do if you are feeling stuck in a rut. I’m definitely feeling motivated to try some of these ideas. Thanks Iman!
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Are you stuck in a rut? You know, moving through life like a robotic snail and feeling unfulfilled?
Firstly, you should know that that’s okay. We all go through phases in life where we feel deflated and unmotivated.
Our productive routines go out the window and the only thing we want to do is sleep and eat ice cream. Nothing excites us, and we find little enjoyment in anything we do.
Why Do We Get Stuck In Ruts?
There are many answers to that question. And the reason is different for each person.
Maybe you hate your job and it’s affecting you. Perhaps you’re going through some family drama, and it’s taking its toll on your mental health. Or maybe, you’re just not happy with the direction your life is taking.
Whatever the reason is, by now, I’m sure you’re tired of feeling low all the time. You want to be productive again and move forward with your life. You’re longing for fun and excitement.
When you’re stuck in a rut, it might be hard to believe you’ll ever get out of it. But guess what? You can.
How? I have six tips that’ll teach you.
And, for the record, you should give yourself a pat on the back for reading this. It shows you’re ready to spark some change in your life and start being productive again.
1. Question Why You Feel This Way
Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash
The first step to dealing with a problem is to acknowledge the problem. Many of us don’t realise we’re stuck in ruts.
If you’ve noticed that you feel low and unmotivated, ask yourself, “why am I feeling this way”. You can even write down your answer on a piece of paper or journal, to get to the root of the problem.
Maybe you’re afraid of something in the future? Did someone hurt you and you’re finding it hard to move on? Is school, work or university stealing all your excitement?
It can be anything, and it’s important to know what. Often, these situations are teaching us a lesson. They’re like silent alarm bells.
When you’re stuck in life, question what is it that is making you feel the way you do. What is it you need to change or fix?
Even if the self-reflection is uncomfortable, it’s worth it. Because finding the reason why you’re stuck is the first step to escaping a rut.
2. Change Your Routine
Having the same routine can contribute to this feeling of being stuck in a rut. If you’re doing the same thing every day, it’s easy to get bored and unmotivated after a while.
So what change do you think you could add to your daily routine?
It doesn’t have to be something dramatic that’ll change your life completely. It can be something as simple as waking up half an hour earlier than you usually do. And having a productive morning routine.
You can then use that time to benefit your mental, emotional and physical health. Here are some ideas of what you could do in the morning:
- Read
- Journal
- Stretch
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Do breathing exercises
- Recite positive affirmations
- Listen to a beneficial podcast
Not sure what to write in your journal? Check out these 50 Helpful Journal Prompts to get you started.
3. Do Something That Will Inspire You
One of the main reasons we get stuck in ruts is because we disconnect from what inspires us. Instead, we focus too much on our daily routines that involve doing mundane tasks.
It’s okay to take a break every now and then and to do something that ignites our creativity.
One of my favourite ways of getting productive again is to connect with what sparks my desire to be productive. And that is different for everyone.
So ask yourself, what is it that you love doing?
If you don’t know, here are some ideas of what you could do:
Connect With Nature
Nature is healing to humans. Besides being comforting to be around and beautiful to look at, nature can reduce our stress and anxiety. It can restore a balance in our moods and increase us in happiness.
Try Out A New Hobby
Is there any skill you’ve been wanting to develop? Maybe you’d like to start being good at painting sceneries or baking delicious cakes?
Whatever it is that you want to learn, if you’re in a rut, now is a good time to start. It’ll keep you focused on a specific goal.
Read An Inspirational Book
There are many self-help books that’ll inspire you to be productive and start changing your life. Maybe a good book is what you need right now to start feeling motivated again.
Related post: Why You Should Read These 3 Self-Improvement Books
Listen To Podcasts And Audiobooks
Photo by Siddharth Bhogra on Unsplash
If you’re not a big fan of reading a physical book, audiobooks are your friend. They’re fantastic because you can listen to them regardless of what you’re doing. Even if it’s a boring task like house chores.
Podcasts are educational, and there are so many topics you can explore and learn about. My favourite podcasts to listen to are those that deal with the theme of personal development and productivity.
Change Things In Your Home
Maybe you don’t have the extra money right now, so you can’t redecorate. But that shouldn’t stop you from changing things around a little. How about experimenting with a new setting for your bedroom or living room?
If you love the end result and find it comforting, you’ll appreciate the feeling of a “restart” it’ll give you. It’s another perfect way of breaking out of a rut because it’ll break the standard of what you’re used to. So put your creative hat on, and start shifting the look of things in your home.
4. Set Achievable Goals
Think about the last time you set a goal for yourself, how long ago was that?
Having objectives to work towards is a great way of pulling yourself out of a rut. And it doesn’t have to be something boring that you’ll dread.
Sometimes we associate goals with things like losing weight or changing certain habits. But not everyone feels excited about this.
How about setting the goal to learn a new skill? Or build a habit you’ve been meaning practice? Something that’ll improve your life and make you more productive.
If you want to set goals but you aren’t sure how to go about reaching them, the acronym SMART might help you.
SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. You can use it as a guideline to set achievable goals you know you’ll be able to meet.
5. Surround Yourself With Positive People
You are only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with. So if you find yourself surrounded by people who make you doubt yourself and make you question your self-esteem, who don’t support you or make you feel loved and appreciated, then it’s better to be alone.
Who we surround ourselves with has an effect on us. No doubt. And sometimes, we don’t realise that the company we’re keeping isn’t beneficial for our mental health.
Related post: 7 Top Tips For Dealing With Toxic People
Whenever I feel stuck in a rut, I love connecting with friends that have a good attitude towards life. Their positivity rubs off on me, and I’m inspired to start being productive again.
It makes sense if you think about it. After being repeatedly told you should change your outlook on things and loosen up a little, you’ll start being productive. You’ll absorb these messages, and they will inspire you to climb out of this rut.
6. Disconnect From Anything Toxic In Your Life
What is something you know is bringing toxicity to your life right now?
It can be anything. Maybe there’s a negative person in your life you need to detach from. Or a bad habit you know you need to stop doing.
Sometimes it’s things we don’t realise like social media that affects our mental health. How many of us scroll through Instagram for hours, staring at pictures of people leading seemingly wonderful lives? Then we compare their lives to our own and start feeling awful.
Image by William Iven from Pixabay
This year, I made the decision to stop reading the news. I felt so overwhelmed by the amount of negativity. It would always have an effect on my mood.
Of course, I do occasionally read an article or watch a video to be aware of current events. But I’m specific about the information I let my mind absorb.
We don’t always realise the little things in our lives that are toxic. So think about what you know you could do without right now, and disconnect from it.
Final Thoughts
There you have it.
Six tips you can start applying if you are stuck in a rut to start being productive again.
Is there anything else you can think of doing to change your life a little today?
Let us know in the comments if you try any of these tips, we’d love to hear from you!