How to revive yourself when you’ve hit the January slump

Doesn’t it feel like January is three years long? This time of the year can be really hard. We are recovering from the holidays, wanting to create new habits, and feeling the pressures at work all at once. Keeping up with all of these with only what seems like hints of sunshine and glimmers of warmth can really put us into a slump. Here are five ways to revive your mind and body during one of the country’s least favorite month’s:

1. Acknowledge it: One of the hardest parts of the January slump are the emotions we experience during it. Take a moment to check in with your mind and body and note what you’re feeling. Give yourself time to understand what your emotions are telling you. Whether you’re anxious, stressed, or down, these feelings are not to be ignored. Remember that ebbs and flows in your emotions are normal and trying to push the ones you dislike away won’t make them disappear. Once you realize and acknowledge that you’ve hit this point, you can continue the revive process. 
2. Find Inspiration: While you might be feeling so many emotions, feeling overwhelmed could be overpowering the rest. If this feeling is dominating right now, you may be in need of some inspiration. Grab a new notebook and write down your desires and future goals or even make it more visual and create a vision board! This can be a way for you to pull away from the logistics and give yourself time to dream. When we let ourselves live outside of the practical world for even a moment, we illuminate parts of ourselves that need it. Want some inspo to get you inspired? Listen to your favorite songs, an uplifting podcast (we know one!), or edit your social media feed to engage with more enlightening content. 
3. Map Out a Plan: If the dreamer approach is not your thing and you like to stick to practicality, then mapping out a concrete plan to dig your way out of your slump may be more your style. When you’re motivated and prepared to act, position yourself for success. One way you can plan this out is using the S-M-A-R-T system. Find a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Using this format is an easy way to help you map out your plans and give you just the right amount of a nudge to feeling like your usual self again.
4. Take a Personal Day: If work is also feeling like too much, take a personal day! Not only will it help you look forward to something, it can also give you an opportunity to give you some much needed rest. Reserve this day as a commitment to yourself. Listen to what your body needs and plan around it. Even if you just go to a new workout class, catch up on personal tasks or take a much needed day in bed, this one day can really help boost you out of that slump. Sometimes less productivity breeds more productivity!
5. Find Pockets of Joy: Pockets of joy are small moments of happiness or pleasure derived from the small things in life. Especially when we’re not at our best, it can seem impossible to leap into a better mindset. Sometimes feeling complete happiness is asking too much of ourselves. That’s why leaning into the smaller moments can give us the relief we need. Think about something you have done or noticed that incrementally shifted your feelings in the past. Write it down so you have it handy when needed. These pockets of joy can be helpful when you’ve had a rough day, few days, or have been struggling all month long.

The January slump is no joke and if you’re experiencing it in some way, we encourage you to use one of these tips to help you manage it. Let us know which one you try!