8 TIPS TO GET YOU OUT OF THAT INSPO RUT
Inspiration: A sudden, brilliant or timely idea. The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
Disheartened, discouraged, lacking clarity: the opposite of Inspired, goal fog or an inspo rut.
Why is it that it seems to be lacking when we want or need it the most? Or that it comes to you at the most inconvenient of timing; the baby wakes up, it hits while you are talking to someone but don’t have a notebook or can’t write it down, when you are in the middle of a meeting or when trying to sleep at night.
Do you feel stuck in a bit of a rut? The excitement of a new year may have worn off a little already, maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the ‘2020’ talk? The old ‘what am I doing with my life?’, ‘what do I want’? questions can begin to rear their head and if you’re experiencing broken sleep or sleep debt (helloooo Mums!) then it can definitely contribute.
If you are feeling a little flat, lacking drive or motivation, fear not! Here are my top tips for helping you get re-inspired, clear the fog and connect to what you really want to achieve:
Get outdoors: This is one of THE best inspo triggers. Getting down to your favourite beach, nature walk, local park or even hanging out in your backyard can work wonders. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of fresh air and nature to put things in perspective and provide some goal fuel.
Move: Exercise and daily movement have so many benefits to our physical and psychological health that the list could go on for days. My best ideas have often come to me whilst I’ve been out for a walk or run. This can also be inconvenient if you don’t have anything to write these down with. I often voice record on my iPhone to help prompt these thoughts at a later time.
Prioritise sleep: When you are not have poor quantity and/or quality of sleep so many areas of your life can be affected be it mood, relationships, and your own personal health. Those that slept less than 6 hours per night have been shown to be 50% more likely to suffer from anxiety, stress, depression and suffer decreased mental health. Get to bed earlier, nap during the day, reduce your intake of stimulants and avoiding screen time before bed are just some of the ways that you can improve both your quality and quantity of sleep.
Switch off: ‘Put down yo phone!’ Have you ever seen the Kid President’s YouTube video on ‘Mom’s’? If you have you’ll know what I’m on about here. But seriously, switch off. Yes it can be hard to take some time away from scrolling your Insta or Facebook feed or online shopping purchases that you ‘add to cart’ but never actually ‘checkout’. Switching off stems into so many of these other top tips and helps take away all that extra distraction and/or procrastination.
Stop comparing: Comparison really is the thief of joy. We each experience our own ups and downs at different times and under various circumstances. It can be so easy to compare yourself to others and then feel disheartened or even more confused about what it is you want to achieve. Try not to worry about what anyone else is doing except for you.
Getaway: A road or plane ride is often where most of my goals become clearer and inspiration hits. I believe this has something to do with the ‘switching off’ point. No phone signal – no social distractions. Just be sure you have a notebook or laptop ready to record and save all of your goals, dreams, inspo for later actioning. This can be a long drive maybe to the end of town or event take a break: getaway, take a stay-cation or get out of town. You will be surprised at what a change of scenery can do for your soul.
Spend time with loved ones: Catching up with family or close friends that understand your passion and drive can be excellent sources to bounce ideas off and for that ‘sense check’ or pep talk. You might think it is easier to bottle things up or that no one wants to listen to what you have to say, but when you start saying your goals or plans out aloud it can actually assist in concreting your thoughts.
Read a book or your fave magazine: You might not think you have time to read a book because you need to do actual ‘work’, run a household, or a million other things. It doesn’t even need to be on self-help, love or growth, entrepreneurship, or any of those topics. It can simply be one of your favourite genres and taking some time out for yourself that is what you need to get your mojo back.
