While there is no universal formula for getting out of a slump, there is an overarching principle that lays solid groundwork for recovery – taking better care of yourself.

There is a vicious, mutually reinforcing cycle of self neglect and feeling down. The less we take care of ourselves, the worse we feel. Conversely, the more down and out we feel, the more we neglect our physical and mental wellbeing.

If you are in a slump, the first step is to get your body and mind back on track. However, this is also arguably the most difficult step to take given the precarious state you are in. Understanding the importance of taking care of yourself, here are eight relatively straightforward things that you can do to break out of a rut and get better:

Get enough sleep. No matter the issue, we always seem to recommend this, but it really is that important! Good and deep night’s sleep will make it more likely that you’ll have enough energy and willpower to push forward. Here are some tips to improve your sleep.

Eat better. Our mood, attentiveness, and energy levels are directly affected by what we eat. So have regular, homemade meals and ditch bad sugars, alcohol, trans and saturated fats.

Exercise. As sleep and a better diet help you take the first steps towards recovery, exercise will lift your mood even further. Start with short walks or 15 minute stretching exercises. When you feel like it, move onto more vigorous exercise routines. Trust me – it will do wonders.

Limit negative inputs. The world can be an unpleasant place, so do your best to only take in positive things. I know – surrounding yourself with positive people, uplifting music, and encouraging news stories may be hard if you are feeling down, but it helps you avoid falling in an even deeper slump. This might be a challenge that requires a digital detox of sorts, considering that negativity, darkness, despair, aggression, and hopelessness seems to lurk around every corner of our digital worlds. 

Get things done. Getting things done and seeing the results will make you feel better almost immediately. Start off simple. Declutter your bedroom, take out the trash, rearrange your bookshelves, clean the kitchen etc. Write the small tasks down, finish them, and cross them off your list. 

Pause your big goals. While your big goals are important, you have to be in the right headspace to work on them. Since reaching them requires long-term commitment and results will only manifest themselves in months if not years, you should focus on the small, everyday things to recharge your batteries and get back in the game. 

“Shock therapy”. If you feel you are on your way back to the top, but you’re not quite there yet and the going is getting slow, try stirring things up a little. Put your phone away for two days, wake up at 5 am, rearrange your furniture, drive somewhere you’ve never been to and explore. Just do something spontaneous and very much out of the ordinary.

Put things into perspective. The last step in the recovery process is looking at the big picture and understanding that it actually might not be that bad in the grand scheme of things. If we have a place to call our own, food on the table, good health, family and friends, and there is no Mad Max type dystopia outdoors, things are more or less fine. Be grateful for all the things you have, learn from the slump you were just in, and make yourself more resilient in the future. Just remember – this is the last step. You don’t want to and are not really capable of doing an objective assessment when you are at your most vulnerable. It might backfire.

While this advice will aid you along the way to recovery, some slumps are rooted in underlying mental health issues or past traumas. So don’t treat this advice as a universal cure and find professional help (psychologist, psychotherapist etc.) if you are struggling to get by.