Thea's Thinkings: 5 tips for getting out of the work life slump

5 tips for getting out of the work life slump - the Introverts Guide

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Work/Life balance is something we all strive to achieve but come on hands up, how many of us are really doing it?

I know I don't always have it right, and it really impacts on my quality of life, not just in my personal endeavours but in how much I enjoy my job too and want to get out of bed in the morning.

Quick interlude - don't run away this isn't a sulky post I swear just hold on in there OK? OK. So...

Recently I had a real doozy of a slump. I'm talking a - are things ever going to get better should I just quit it all and give up on everything slump - like a said a real doozy - but also like i said not sulking promise. (I might have been sulking a little bit but it was a doozy OK?! No sulking anymore...anyway back to the story. Last sidetrack I swear).

For a good while I didn't think I was going to get out of it, everything was taking a hit. I wasn't eating right, no sleep ever seemed like enough sleep, I was beginning to be late for work all the time, and really hating my job, and when I came home I'd lost all motivation and energy to do anything I love - it was all going down hill.

Ending the cycle just had to happen, I want to feel good about life again so I tried and tested a few things, some more deliberate than others and finally came up with 5 things that have really worked for me.

Why'd it take so long (and it took a looooong time)? Well truth is there's plenty of advice out there - give it a quick google. You'll probably find a good 20+ articles all spewing out the same old tips and tricks, but they just weren't working for me and some were making things worse. I just couldn't figure it out! Was this now the way of things? If it was I tell you I was going to have to quit something - and the thing I was looking at quitting was the one I need to fund all the others so I was kind of at a critical point.

There had to be a reason, there had to be another way to get out of my funk.

Well there was, and the core reason for why everything else wasn't helping me was one very important part of who I am - I'm an introvert!

If I do a quick search now here are the top tips that just keep coming up:

Go socialise, surround yourself with people
Treat yourself, go get some retail therapy
Do something you love
Think positive, remind yourself of everything good in your life
Surround yourself with goals

OK before we go anywhere lets just be honest here and say - these things all sound great right? Of course they do, they are full of positivity so you can see why they're always recommended, and at some point all of them can add to boosting your spirits but as an introvert I see all of these things as being way down the line because they all avoid one very important fact - THE SLUMP!

If you're an introvert like me, or maybe your just in a slump chances are you feel exhausted and Socialising saps so much of what little energy you have left it only makes things work.

Treats probably don't feel enjoyable, neither do the things you love, positive thoughts feel fake and achieving goals probably just feels like it's too much too handle.

So my advice? STOP.

No really. Just stop for a second. It can seem like life won't let you but trust me, anything you don't do today is still guna be there tomorrow, and if it's not, it wasn't that important anyway.

So if you're an Introvert too, or maybe you're just looking for some fresh ideas here's my:

Top 5 ways to get out of your work life slump - the Introvert Guide

Find a quiet place free of clutter. Sometimes it can all seem like there's too much noise in your head and your environment isn't helping. Find a place to hide away and let yourself escape the noise of the world for a spell. It won't stop the problems being there, but taking some time to step back from it all can change your perspective and free up some space in your mind to manage them more easily.
Take a day to yourself. Don't force yourself to Socialise. Having time on your own will re-charge your batteries making socialising more of a pleasure than a chore. It's not that you don't care for or love your friends and family, but you also need to be taking care of yourself so you can show them the happiness you feel to be around them.
Don't set any tasks for today. Do something that soothes you. Take a bath, read a book, listen to your favourite soothing album or your favourite TV series or Film that doesn't demand anything of you. While you let your conscious mind rest, your unconscious mind will be working through a lot of your problems in the background and you'll come out the other side feeling calmer, less troubles and more able to focus and tackle whatever's ahead of you. I actually find that spending a few hours doing this gives me a little boost to clean up the house, getting some washing done and tidy away any mess. You don't have to be 100% task free but Cleaning can be a great way to let your mind work in the background and you'll find a clutter free environment can also really help towards a clutter free mind.
Keep a pen and paper handy. If you feel the urge to do something, or you can't stop fidgeting, keep a notebook handy to jot down your thoughts. Write down how your feeling. It can just be a note, as if your writing in a diary or maybe a friend, but you'll find it soothing and getting thoughts down on paper can be another great way to get them off your mind. Before the day comes to an end also take a moment to think about how tomorrow would look if you were on the way back to normality again. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, this doesn't need to be a perfect scenario. Just a single optimistic outlook for tomorrow. Mine was "Tomorrow I'm going to be awake and dress on time, and looking forward to the days conference". Telling myself, and believing that I would be happy was huge in helping me start the day with a more positive outlook in the morning.
Finally, Set an alarm for tomorrow. To make the most of your recuperation time, you want to get a good nights sleep and start the day well rested. Unplug, write down your final note for the next day, set an alarm for a good time, and continue as you mean to go on. A good night sleep will be ket in getting you back on track so stick to it.

It's not always possible to take a whole day to yourself but even a short amount of time can be valuable, so if you have commitments you can't let go of, that's totally fine but don't worry it doesn't make your 'you' time impossible. Just agree to a time and stick to it. Before bed or first thing are always best (both if you can).

The key is to let you get some calm time on your own to wind down and not put pressure on yourself to be meeting any expectations but to relax. If you have people that rely on you, or maybe you just can't get away, baths are a great way to find your alone time. Take a book, and go for a really long soak, and maybe try to get a few repeats in during the week. Every moment you get to yourself with no judgements will make the world of difference.

If you have any suggestions for finding your work life balance leave your comments in the box below and share your tips and ideas with us all. I'd love to read them!

Thanks for stopping by!

About Post Author

Thea

Thea is an Academic, a Crafter and a Musician from the West coast of Wales. She documents her trials and tribualtions as she wanders the maze of challenges that life presents, all while travelling the world and pursuing her dreams.

2 comments:

Rosa Fairfield4 October 2017 at 14:12
I think taking a break is such a good idea. It's something I struggle with though. I get restless really easily.

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kathcake24 October 2017 at 23:41
I think it's always good to sit and chill out on your own with a book or magazine to get back to your calm place 🙂 Http://www.glitzandglamourmakeup.co.uk