how to break out of a funk

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5 Simple Steps to Get Out of A Funk When You Need to Work

Funks are never fun.

But they’re especially unwelcome when you need to get good work done!

With my limited work schedule (right now it’s 2-3 mornings a week), it can be a tad stressful when I don’t feel very focused or motivated during my work blocks. It’s even harder when those random funks come along.

Even if you have full works days or a busier work schedule, a funk can totally throw off your focus + productivity.

And nobody’s got time for that!

What NOT to Do When You’re in a Funk

Before we dive into a few of my go-to strategies for getting out of funks, let’s address the other issue: what NOT to do.

If you’re in a funk, my #1 recommendation is NOT try to ignore and push through it.

I don’t know about you, but any time I’ve tried this strategy it’s failed miserably. I usually wind up feeling less productive and more stressed.

It’s easy to feel like you “should” get X, Y, & Z done and give yourself the guilt trip of all guilt trips when you just can’t seem to shake off that funk…

But the reality is, funks happen. Sometimes, we’re able to push through a bit if there’s something super important or urgent that needs to get done – but most of the time, these funks are really good markers that something else needs to happen instead.

So today, let’s chat about 5 super simple things you can do to break free from your funk.

1 – Pray

Of all of the things that can help your mind break free from the funk, praying is always #1 for me.

Honestly, most days I find myself in a funk is because I didn’t start my morning off in prayer or something threw off my morning quiet time.

But whether we just wake up in a funk or something throws off our day in the middle of it, slowing down and taking time to just pray can have an enormous impact.

Bonus tip: Don’t overanalyze your prayer. Keep it simple.

God knows what’s on your heart + what’s plaguing your thoughts. Give it all up to Him.

If you can’t articulate what’s happening (as I so often can’t when I’m just in a funk…), just ask Him for peace and strength to get through your day. Ask Him to renew your mind and lift the burden of whatever is weighing you down.

Bonus tip #2: If you have the time, I’d complement your prayer time but spending time reading the Bible too. The YouVersion Bible app is a great place to find relevant Bible reading plans. Another great option is to listen to the Bible on the Dwell app while you go for a walk!

2 – Get Outside

Speaking of going for a walk… getting outside is a GREAT way to clear your mind.

There’s just something about being outdoors that can be the perfect refresh, especially when everything in you is telling you to just “hunker down” and “push through.”

There are studies upon studies proving the benefits of spending time outdoors, especially going for walks during the day.

If you like to read any leadership / business books, you’ll notice a pattern in the habits of high-achieving entrepreneurs – they routinely go for long walks during the day.

Pro tip: if you have a call scheduled, try taking it while out on a walk instead of at your desk!

3 – Create Intentional Breaks

Obviously, we still need to get some work done and want to be mindful of that, but creating intentional breaks throughout our day (ahead of time) is a great way to relieve the pressure of needing to “push through and just get things done.”

Some of my favorite ways of taking intentional breaks is walking the dogs, reading a book, resting, or calling someone on the phone.

Pro tip: I highly recommend NOT using your phone as the break. Scrolling or spending time on your screen is often an easy way to add to your stress or feelings of overwhelm/anxiety instead of relieving you from them.

When creating an intentional break, I highly recommend breaking from the phone as well!

4 – Create a Simple Plan for Your Work

On these kinds of days, odds are you may not have your *most productive* work day ever – and that’s totally okay.

Instead of trying to do it all and letting your endless to-do list overwhelm you, simplify your plan.

Choose the top THREE things you want to accomplish, and just focus on those.

What is most important or urgent on your list for today?

Obviously we’d all love to check #allthethings off our list each day, but that’s not the most realistic, especially when we’re in a funk. So let’s take the pressure off of ourselves a bit (speaking to all of my fellow overachievers out there!), and create a SIMPLE PLAN for what needs to get done.

liveworthy productivity deck

Personally, I love using the LIVEWORTHY productivity deck to help me focus on what matters most that day that, whether it’s in my work or my home.

As you can see in the photo, the card keeps my to do list simple & helps me focus on the “top 3” tasks for the day.

Bonus: the reverse side gives you space to write down a verse to meditate on, so I like to keep that side face up & keep my mind focused on Scripture rather than staring at my to do list all day!

5 – Give Yourself Grace

Not the most “practical” tip to end on, I know, but let’s be honest: we all need to give ourselves a little more grace.

Especially when we’re in a funk.

Here’s the thing friends – funks happen.

Sometimes for good reason, sometimes for no reason at all.

But they happen to all of us, and instead of making yourself feel bad that you “should” be able to shake it off or push through, we need to practice a little more grace for ourselves and understand that it’s okay to have “off” days.

No day is going to be perfect or *super* productive. That’s ok – that means we’re human and it happens to all of us.

Instead of downward spiraling about all of the things you should do, try to give yourself a little extra grace for today, practice some of the simple tasks above, and remember that tomorrow is a fresh start!

How to Break Out of a Funk

Lord knows I’m not always the best at following my own advice, but most days these 5 simple tasks make a huge difference in my mindset and helping me break out of a funk.

I hope they do the same for you!

If you give them a try, I’d love to know which helped you the most.

Leave a comment and let me know which worked best! Or if I missed something that is your go-to for these kinds of days, share them with us below!

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