A part of being human is getting stuck in ruts, also known as funks. A rut includes a lack of motivation, short-term depression, and/or a general lack of productivity. This can stem from a multitude of causes, whether it’s exhaustion, absence of routine, or simply a bad mood. While it can feel impossible to get rid of this feeling, it only takes a few core steps to work through it.

The first step to getting out of a rut is cleaning your space. Whether it’s your room or your whole house, cleaning your space can flip your entire mood. By doing so, you offer yourself a clean mind to reset for the day or week ahead. A clean space helps you feel more motivated and, in turn, helps you improve your productivity. 

Another way to escape a rut is exercise. For most people, exercising is the last thing they want to do while in a rut. However, it can be one of the most beneficial things for you. Getting out and moving your body with something as simple as yoga can help give you a sense of motivation. You don’t have to go and do a vigorous workout with weight lifting and sprints. Movement and intensity of any kind can be beneficial for many reasons, not just pulling you out of a rut.

The most essential part of both getting out of a rut and keeping yourself out of one is routine. It is crucial to anyone’s everyday life and helps build a base for you to work on. A routine can help you feel small shocks of accomplishment throughout the day, leading to a surge of productivity. As you complete each task throughout the day, you will continue to feel more productive. A common cause of ruts can be stress or anxiety. By keeping a routine in place you can predict a bigger part of your day and plan out exactly what you want to do or need to get done.

When stuck in a rut people often get to the point where they may think their life is meaningless or they have nothing to do and no goals to accomplish. A routine helps them to see exactly what they are doing throughout the day and shows them that you are accomplishing things, no matter how small.

If you can lay out your day into small tasks like making your bed, packing your bag for the day, or getting ready you can accomplish more and more tasks throughout the day, making you feel a bigger sense in productivity. Having a physical list of your tasks can be helpful as well, as you can check them off throughout your day.

A rut is never fun to go through and it can take a lot of work to get out of. By establishing a routine, exercising, or cleaning your spaces you can escape this feeling easily.