Are you going through a slump and looking for a quick solution to regain your motivation? Whether at work, in a relationship or in life in general, going through a slump is never pleasant.

Here are 10 steps to help you regain your energy and motivation as quickly as possible.

What is an empty spell?

If you haven’t recognized yourself for some time. If you’re feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by everything. And that even the things that usually get you going have become too much to handle. I know what you mean. Because I went through this a while ago. And I know how anxious you are to get back to normal.

So I’ll start with some good news for you! It’s that by following these 10 steps to overcoming a slump, you won’t come back as you were before, but better than before. Because you’ll have picked up on the message this low point is sending you. And you’ll emerge stronger from the experience.

Shall we get started?

Read on for 10 steps to overcome a slump and regain your motivation.

10 steps to get through a slump and regain your motivation

STEP 1 TO GET THROUGH A SLUMP (DON’T SKIP IT! IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.)
This 1st step may seem paradoxical. Because if you want to regain your motivation as quickly as possible, you need to let go of your hands.

In fact, the more you think about when you’ll get better, the more you’re rejecting what you’re going through right now. And as long as you’re rejecting yourself, you can’t really get better.

So the 1st step is to stop thinking about when you’ll get better and accept your current state.

Right now, you’re in a slump. You’re flat. There’s no energy, no motivation, no desire. This is neither a good nor a bad thing. It just is. And that brings you to your 2nd step.

STEP 2: LETTING GO OF CURRENT GOALS TO REGAIN MOTIVATION
As long as you’re willing to accept your slump. You can also let go of all your current goals and projects. Not forever, we agree! But for as long as it takes.

And if you can’t let go of everything, I invite you to review your priorities. To keep only what’s really essential. Even if it seems crazy or risky.

For me, that meant completely stopping posting on social networks and my blog. And even though I missed interacting with all my readers and subscribers. I needed this time to refocus.

And so did you.

Right now, what little energy you have left should be used for one thing only: recharging your batteries. More on that later in this article.

STEP 3: COMMUNICATE WELL WITH THOSE AROUND YOU
“I’d love to, but I’m out of juice!

That’s what you can say to your sweetie, once you’ve agreed to let go. And let go of your professional and personal projects. Particularly if you have to put the brakes on certain projects as a couple.

Communicating well is an essential step if you’re to get through a rough patch without too much turbulence. Because you need the support of those around you. And for that, they need to understand AND accept that you can no longer do everything you usually do.

So whether it’s your partner, your children, your parents, your friends or even your boss, if he’s a bit open-minded. Make it clear to them that, for the time being, you need to take it easy and slow down until you feel better.

More concretely, this means daring to say things like :

Mom, I’m too tired to see you right now.
Boss, I can’t take on a new case right now.
Honey, I can’t dig a rainwater harvesting tank with you (any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental).
My little ones, Mommy’s taking a 15-minute nap. I’m counting on you to behave with Daddy.
Rachel, I can’t go shopping on Saturday.
Remember: “I’d love to, but I can’t. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s just that I’m out of juice.”

Above all, let them know that you need them to accept this and support you. And that no, you don’t have to give them an end date. It’ll last as long as it needs to.

If some of them take it badly, it’s hard to say, but that’s their problem, not yours. You don’t have to take on their difficulties. You’ve got enough on your plate. And for those who understand and support you, remember to thank them. And tell them how much they mean to you.

STEP 4: GET MOTIVATED AFTER A SLUMP
The truth is, there’s only one thing you can do during a slump, and that’s to take care of yourself.

But be careful! Not in warrior mode, getting up at 5 a.m. to go for a run. And start a super restrictive diet, because since we were little girls, we’ve been led to believe that taking care of yourself is what it’s all about.

By doing this, you’re just putting extra pressure on yourself. And you really don’t need that.

On the contrary, taking care of yourself means listening to your desires:

Fancy a nap? You’re on!
Want to take a bath? Yes!
Want to get some fresh air? Ok!
Want to eat the spread straight from the spoon? Interesting!
Interesting?

Yes, because your body speaks to you through your cravings. So what if you’re dreaming of a 4-cheese pizza dripping with fat? Accompanied by a boooon sugar soda to wash it down. Your body’s message is clear. It’s telling you it needs lots of energy, and fast! The problem is that this kind of food recharges you in the moment. But in the medium and long term, it weakens you.

If this is your case, I suggest you focus your attention on 2 essential pillars of self-care:

What you eat. Without restricting yourself, but making sure it’s as healthy as possible. Because eating 1 pound of raw vegetables with hummus will never have the same impact as eating 1 pound of potato chips.
Your sleep. Because if your body is crying out for energy, it’s also by getting enough sleep that you’ll be able to give it some. And by paying attention to the quality of your sleep.

STEP 5: UNDERSTAND WHY YOU’RE THERE
Next, to get out of this slump and regain your motivation, you need to understand why you’re in this state.

I can’t answer that for you. But I can give you a clue.

You’re in a slump because you haven’t been meeting your needs and desires for several months, or even several years.

Remember the last time you wanted to take a lavender bath, with a kaolin mask on your face and the latest book in your hands? And when you ended up watching a series with your darling, because he wanted to spend the evening with you, “he hasn’t seen you all day”.

Or when you felt like having a picnic in the park with the kids. And you ended up at a fast food… Because it’s more convenient, it’s right next to the supermarket.

And maybe also your stomach, which tightens every morning as you push open the office door. Because deep down, you feel called to something else. But it’s safer to keep your job. Especially these days.

I’m far from telling you that you have to quit everything overnight to get better. And I certainly don’t want to make you feel guilty about it. I know you’re doing the best you can. What I want you to remember is that a low point never happens by chance. It’s a signal.

The signal that you’re going against your needs and desires, to do what you think you should do. And, if you were wondering, that’s where all your energy has gone. In the long run, it wears down your vitality, your motivation, your morale, your creativity and even your joie de vivre.

So it’s up to you to go into introspection to understand what led you to this void. But again, not in the guilt-ridden mode of “I’m so bad, what’s wrong with me?

It’s all about understanding how you’ve functioned up to now, and why. Because if you don’t, you’ll find it hard to get out of this slump. You might even burn out.

And if you realize that you need to make some changes in your life. I suggest you take the time to prepare for them. Because at this stage, you’re not ready to take action. It’s about taking a step back, so you can start afresh on a better footing.

STEP 6: RECONNECT WITH PLEASURE AND PLAY
We continue with a step that may throw you off balance a little. But don’t skip it! Because, if you’re going through a slump, it’s also because you’ve been too serious for too long (and I’m the first!).

So it’s time to ask yourself: when was the last time you did something really fun, just for fun?

Maybe you have some wellness hobbies, like yoga, running or meditation. But even if they make you feel good, do you find them fun?

And I’m not talking about passively rewatching the 1st season of Seinfeld. I’m talking about something a little more active. AND fun! Here, it all depends on your tastes. It could be coloring, game nights with family or friends, dive bombing in the pool, dancing, singing in the shower, etc.

To reconnect with what gives you pleasure and fun, you have 2 options.

You can set aside a little time for activities that are fun and enjoyable. But you can also rack your brains to put the fun and pleasure back into your usual activities.

For example, I write almost every day. I found that my old academic reflexes had taken over. And that writing had become too serious. For some time now, I’ve been enjoying it again by being more myself. Besides, you can talk about serious subjects and still be light-hearted. It makes the work on yourself less burdensome. And even a little fun.

And what about you? How can you put the fun back into your everyday activities?

If you’re struggling with this step, it’s a sign that you need it. So I suggest you keep at it, and find ways to have a little more fun every day.

STEP 7: GIVE YOURSELF TIME
Now, I know that at the start of this article I promised you a quick fix to get over your current slump. But, as you’ll have gathered by now, getting your motivation back doesn’t happen overnight. And the steps I’m proposing you follow are the quickest possible solution.

It will take you several weeks. And probably several months, before you’re back to your usual energy and motivation.

Once again, I urge you not to give yourself a deadline. That would only put extra pressure on you.

As long as you make sure you apply everything we’ve discussed in this article – a little bit every day – rest assured that you’ll soon see progress. Which brings us to the next step!

STEP 8: CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF ENERGY AND MOTIVATION
Yes! After a while of applying these steps, you’ll notice your progress, perhaps subtle at first:

energy returning,
less craving for fatty, sugary foods,
more joy,
creativity awakening,
etc.

All these little things are signs of your progress. So notice them and congratulate yourself.

STEP 9: SET YOURSELF NEW GOALS AND CHALLENGES
When you feel like it, you can set yourself new goals and resume the projects you’ve been putting off.

But here again, I’m talking about the moment when you feel a deep desire that comes from you. Not succumbing to external pressure.

In fact, it’s possible that after a few months of refocusing on the essentials, some of the projects and goals you had before will no longer seem as important. If you’re feeling lost, now’s the time to let your heart guide you towards the next steps in your life.

STEP 10: PREVENTING ANOTHER EMPTY SPELL
One last thing before I leave you. Once you’ve got your motivation back, remember to maintain good self-care habits and cultivate pleasure and play on a regular basis.

And last but not least, keep an eye out for the warning signs that you’re about to experience a slump. This will help you avoid another one down the road.

I send you all my support. And I know you’ve already got what it takes to get through this rough patch.