Five Ways to Get Out of a Mental Slump
Do you feel like nothing you do lately is ever good enough?
You can’t nail down presentations the way you used to, you’re burning meals you used to make perfectly, and you saying all the wrong things to your friends.
Mental slumps can be draining and frustrating when you don’t understand why they’re happening.
Here at KMA Therapy, we’re here to explain the psychology behind terms you hear everyday and help you understand how they apply to your life.
After reading this article, you’ll know what a mental slump is, five signs to watch out for, and how to get through a slump.
What is a Mental Slump?
A mental slump is a period of time when you’re experiencing a decline in your overall mental wellbeing. You experience trouble completing tasks to the best of your ability, and aren’t able to meet your usual standards.
This can leave you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and stuck.
Mental slumps can affect anyone, no matter how old you are or what your daily commitments look like.
Five signs of a mental slump:
- Decreased motivation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Ongoing fatigue and tiredness
- Feeling emotionally overwhelmed
- Declining performance at work or school
Decreased motivation is one of the first signs of a mental slump you’ll experience. Things that you used to enjoy doing are suddenly difficult and frustrating. You know you’re falling behind, but you can’t seem to find the energy to catch up.
Difficulties with concentration will start making things feel even worse. Even if you decide to try and get things done, it’s incredibly hard to stay on task. You get distracted easily.
Fatigue and tiredness set it, draining your energy even further. You may be having trouble sleeping at night, but even if you’re getting a full eight-hours of rest, it never feels like enough.
Stress, anxiety, and sadness can start to build up as you try to figure out what’s going on. It’s frustrating to feel like your slump is outside of your control, and nothing you’re trying is working.
Your performance at work, school, or home starts to decline. No matter what your daily tasks usually include, you find that you’re not completing them at the same level you’re used to.
What Causes a Mental Slump?
Understanding what’s causing your mental slump can be a helpful way to learn about what might help you overcome it.
Causes of a mental slump include:
- Burnout
- Loneliness
- Lacking a sense of purpose
- Not fuelling your body properly
- Repressing ongoing personal issues
Burnout occurs when you face ongoing periods of stress without any relief. While one stressful event can be tough to manage, you usually feel a sense of relief once it’s over. Burnout happens when stressful events occur back to back, giving you no time to recover.
Loneliness can also lead to mental slumps. If you don’t have anyone to debrief your days or celebrate your wins with, it can be difficult.
Lacking a sense of purpose can also be draining. If you feel like you’re constantly working, but not sure what you’re working toward, it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going.
Not fuelling your body properly, whether you’re not sleeping enough or not eating the food your body needs, can be draining on your physical and mental health. If you think a medical issue could be contributing to your mental slump, it’s important to speak to your family doctor or another medical professional.
Repressing ongoing issues can also be draining in the long-term. While compartmentalizing difficult emotions until you have a safe time and place to process them can be healthy, if you never address your feelings, it can weigh on you more than you think.
5 Ways to Get out of a Slump
Now that you know what could be causing your mental slump, you can explore some potential solutions.
1. Break tasks in manageable steps
When you’re faced with an unending to-do list, it feels impossible to find a place to start.
Breaking up your largest tasks into smaller steps seems simple, but it’s a great way to make things feel more manageable.
Checking off each small step can give you a sense of accomplishment, help you track your progress, and give you motivation to keep going.
If you find smaller tasks that can be delegated to someone else or removed all together, even better.
2. Do activities you enjoy - just for fun
What used to be really fun for you when you were a kid? Did you love drawing or playing sports?
Make time for activities you enjoy, just for the sake of enjoying them.
If you’ve been feeling lonely, you can also sign up for activities that involve other people.
3. Re-evaluate your goals
If you’ve been feeling like there’s no point to the work you’re doing, try creating new goals to work toward.
Is there a financial benchmark you want to reach? Is there a personal goal you’d like to achieve?
Write out a list of goals you’d like to achieve - they can be fun, serious, or meaningful, as long as it’s something that makes you feel excited.
Setting a goal in one area of your life can help you build momentum and boost your motivation in other areas of your life, too.
4. Step Up Your Self-Care
Self-care is more than just bubble baths and fancy chocolates.
It means taking better care of yourself in every aspect of your life.
If there’s an area of your life you’ve been neglecting, dedicate some time to it. Whether you need more sleep, new meal ideas, or more movement, it’s important to take care of yourself.
5. Seek out Professional Support
If your mental slump is lasting a long time or is having a significant, negative impact on your life, it might be time to speak to a professional.
It’s normal to go through fluctuating periods of motivation and frustration.
But if your feelings of overwhelm and distress are lasting a long time and are really impacting your ability to get things done, speaking with a therapist can be a huge help.
Next Steps for Feeling Better
After reading this article, you know what mental slumps are, what can cause them, and five ways you can overcome them.
Mental slumps can be difficult, but they don’t need to feel impossible.
Here at KMA Therapy, our caring therapist team is here to help you if you’re ready for some extra support.
Book an appointment today or read our Therapy 101 Guide to learn more about how therapy could help you.
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