I spent most of yesterday (and part of last week) in a rut. The “I have no desire to do anything and would rather sit here like a blob” kind of rut. I’ve also been having head and body aches, which have added to my excuses for not doing anything. I’m not sure which came first – the aches or the blah feeling – or if one caused the other. It’s probably a part of my adjustment from working outside the home to now working at home.
Anyway, my point is not to bore you with details of how I’ve been a downer lately. Instead, I want to take advantage of this and share with you what I plan to do to get out of this rut. In doing so, it’ll help me lay it all out for myself too.
My first step will be to just get up and do something. Now this is going to be the hardest part, since as I mentioned, I don’t actually feel like doing anything. But, I have to force myself. It doesn’t have to be something big like cleaning the bathroom or anything. Something small like putting in a load to wash, doing a few of the dishes, or answering some emails. The point is that after I do the one thing, I’ll a) feel like I accomplished something and b) start a chain reaction. Doing the dishes will probably lead to cleaning up some of the clutter off the counters and wiping them down. Or answering a few emails might inspire a blog post to be written. One thing leads to another and hopefully a few more too.
I also plan to get out of the house a bit more. Normally, I’ve just been taking baby girl to preschool then coming back home and staying here. But, yesterday, I noticed that when I forced myself to go to the store in the evening, I came home with more energy. Well, maybe not energy, but at least some motivation. Being outside and running that small errand got my blood flowing I suppose and I came home wanting to do more.
And finally, I’ll share how I’m feeling with my family more often. Instead of just moping around, I’ll let my husband know what’s going on to help him understand. Just talking it out and hearing it all might help me work it out. I can also talk to my mom, who can give me a good old-fashioned pep talk of “get over it and do something”. Sometimes, it’s what you need to hear.
I suppose we all go through days where we’re just out of it and in a rut. I just can’t let it take over because I’d be putting myself and family in a really bad situation. I know that once I start getting a few things done, I’ll get back into my normal groove.
What do you do when you find yourself in a rut? Do you just ride it out or do you do anything specific to get yourself out of it?
Photo: Michelle Gibson
I totally understand where you are coming from. It’s tough to break out of a comfort zone. When I’m feeling down or in a rut, I put on my favorite outfit, fix my hair and makeup and wander around the local mall for ideas and a little people watching. It does wonders for my mood.
@mlvlatina
@Monica G., I love to people watch. It can be so enlightening.
When I’m feeling down, I watch a favorite TV show, read a good book, or call up an old girlfriend to catch up–it helps me to take my mind off things & escape for a while.
@Asianmommy, I often watch TV, but find that I get too much into it and waste my entire day. Then I feel even more down cause I beat myself up. lol
When I feel like I’m in a rut and do not want to do anything, I try to take a mental and physical break from everything, which can be hard as a single Mami. I usually do that by waking up extra early (4-5 a.m.) and taking a walk around my neighborhood while calling a good friend and venting, meeting a friend for a breakfast or taking a stroll with my ipod listening to some uplifting music. Most or all of these breaks involve getting out and about, getting out of my self imposed routine, and real life connections with people who understand my moods.
I think as Moms we can get so caught up in doing for others, in being responsible, in always being on the go, that we tend to overlook ourselves. Its when those moments strike that I KNOW I have been neglecting myself the most. I’ve learned, just like you noted in your post, that ignoring those signs will just make it harder for me to get back on track and take care of my family.
As for you, the rut could be because of the change, you went from working outside the home to working from home. Its an ajustment but the end result will definitely be worth it!
I hope you’re feeling better!
@Ms. Latina, Like you, usually what works best for me is getting out of the house too. I’m amazed you have friends that you can call at 4 or 5 am! LOL