Feeling in a Slump?
Here’s how I got out of my most recent slump.
Recently, throughout the past month, I have felt myself slowly creeping out of my routine. I stopped going to the gym and haven’t been in a little over two weeks, I find myself passing more than enough time alone in my bedroom scrolling on my phone and playing games and have the hardest time getting out of bed in the mornings.
I know that with my past with my mental health issues that I don’t have the most perfect track record with maintaining a routine for a long period of time. The stuff feels like it gets to be too boring or too much work to keep up with.
I have slowly seen myself starting to come out of this. In simplest ways, I started setting my alarm on my phone and then placing my phone on the other side of my room. Nothing bothers me more than the sound of an alarm going off for more than 0.3 seconds, so this has encouraged me to get out of bed and stay out of bed in the mornings.
I still find myself scrolling on my phone in the mornings and late afternoons. But, as I have recently begun applying for jobs, after giving myself a mental break following my college graduation in mid-May, I’m starting to get back up on the horse when it comes to having more things and a rigid schedule to look forward to. The post-grad life has been treating me well and has given me plenty of opportunities to enjoy myself while I took some much-needed time off.
I am taking my medications, and being aware of when I take them as well. I had been skipping some doses on accident due to my extreme laziness and unwillingness to get out of bed for the most part. With the disappearance of some aspects of my morning routine that are so very important, I felt like I had never really been starting my day at all. Since starting to take these (and remember, too) my mornings have become a lot easier too.
I took myself out on “dates” with my boyfriend and other close friends of mine. I got myself out of the house at different hours of the day. I took myself to the library and read outside in the warm sunshine in my backyard. I tried to write a list of small things that make me happy. I wrote out a list of things that I would like myself to strive towards goal-wise and make a daily habit of routine-wise as well.
I reconnected with old friends too in my hometown. I gave them the update on life and didn’t hold back on the details of my recent mental health slump. I was supported by people that I knew had my back.
I stopped writing and reading. I stopped using something I enjoy as a mental and physical outlet for myself. Mostly because I simply “didn’t feel like it”.
I fell off the horse of a fitness challenge I had been participating in. And, I recognize now that it’s ok.
I found a new gym routine/workout plan that I want to start trying out, and that makes me super excited to start that this week. I am hopefully going to start hearing back from potential jobs following my busy couple of weeks of interviewing. I’m probably going to continue applying to places in the meantime…just to be sure.
I have my own ways of climbing out of my slump. At times, I felt buried alive six feet deep for almost no reason at all. On the other hand, sometimes I feel amazing and on top of the world.
I found that my life had gotten a little too stagnant for my liking. Relaxing has been great and all, but I have struggled in the past if I haven’t had something to wake up in the morning for. I know that I always had something to wake up for: myself. And you do too.
When this happens to me in my lifetime again, I know now to use writing as an outlet to figure out what may be hindering my motivation or discovering my perspective on certain things. With a routine and healthy and realistic goals written out, I can get back on the horse and take on the day again.
