8 Tips for Getting Out of a Funk

How to Get Out of a Funk

I’ve composed a list of 8 of my personally most efficient techniques for getting out of a funk or replenishing your self-care.

1. Write down a list of your accomplishments, a list of your goals, and a list of your positive qualities. these three lists will serve as reminders of your success, hopes, dreams, achievements, future, and positive traits about yourself. just having a tangible reminder of these things will motivate you to push through the hard times and come out the other end stronger.

2. Surround yourself with positive energy. hang out with your favorite person, mine is my boyfriend, theo. so whenever i’m with him i just feel happy and distracted from all the shit going on in my head all the time. or hang out with a close friend who you can talk to about anything and have fun with. hang out with a parent or sibling who know you better than you may think and may actually be enjoyable to talk to or just hang around. just surround yourself with an environment that brings you joy & productivity.

3. Watch your favorite movies/tv shows/youtube videos. watching these forms of creative media/visual storytelling platforms will help you get lost in the story and spark your creativity. if you simply need a distraction from the stressors of life, i highly recommend it.

4. Expanding on tip #3, listen to your favorite music/artist. mine is taylor swift, as i adore her music, i’m impressed by her intricate lyricism, and it resonates with me. whether your favorite artist is eminem, clairo, taylor swift, juice wrld, phoebe bridgers, tupac, the beatles, elvis presley, aerosmith, celine dion, ariana grande, carrie underwood, or amy winehouse, there’s so much music out there that will move people in different ways. simply allow yourself to get lost in the stories of the songs, allow yourself to feel the emotions they invoke, and let loose and enjoy the music!

5. basic hygiene tasks and structure like showering, brushing teeth, and providing a schedule for yourself. sometimes basic things are difficult when you’re depressed or unmotivated, so just pushing yourself to take care of your hygiene and set structure for yourself is very beneficial in escaping the funk. i like to put makeup on, wash my face, shave my legs, shower, brush my teeth, and do very simple tasks like to get me going again.

6. help others. if a friend of yours needs advice, you want to make amends with someone you care about, you want to mentor someone, you want to donate somewhere, whatever it is, helping other people naturally helps yourself. i thrive off of being generous and compassionate, it helps me feel like i have purpose and reminds me that i matter to others and to the world. with that being said, don’t allow yourself to be sucked into toxicity or negativity. if you’re doing your absolute best to genuinely help someone and they’re not reciprocating that energy, or they’re being too stubborn to adjust anything themselves, that’s on them, not you!

7. plan something exciting. having something to look forward to will motivate you to do what you need to get done in present. once you get your productivity out of the way and you accomplish your work, you have a reward waiting for you. this could be a trip, a gift for yourself, a spa/pamper day, or whatever you find motivates you to do the hard stuff to get there.

8. distract yourself with puzzles, books, games, whatever you enjoy. i find doing workbooks and puzzles (books and jigsaw), helps bring me back to a calm state of mind and gets my creative juices flowing. then i can start to work on things i need to do. but you can’t do your best, most efficient work when your mentality is frantic and flustered. so start with calming yourself first. i also enjoy journaling. writing whatever you want, whether it’s a diary entry format, a poem, a list, a chart, a diagram, whatever is cathartic and helpful for you, do that!

those are my effective tips on de-funkifying yourself and getting that momentum of success and self-care going again.