The 12 Best Tips to Jump Start a Slump: How to Get Back in the Groove After Taking a Break

Life is full of surprises, successes, failures, and slumps. Allowing the failures and slumps to get the best of you wastes precious time that you could be investing toward reaching your goals.

Slumps make you feel down at best, and fully depressed at worst. If you choose to bathe in a victim role, because you feel like you deserve it, you actually make the slump worse.

Having a “Debbie-downer” attitude is a super lame way to treat yourself. You need to turn the lights on by remembering that you’re pretty dang smart and talented, and you have something special to contribute to this world gone crazy.

And you need to get back at whatever it is now, not later.

Even though your groove might have been interrupted by something short and sweet like a vacation, or a positive job change, you can take advantage of the break in momentum to recommit to your goals and dreams.

Exciting events like getting married, having a baby, or changing careers might side-line you for a little bit, but remember to manage your time so you don’t forget to pursue your passions, too.

Life-changing experiences like a job loss, going through a relationship change, or facing a life-threatening illness, can put you into a slump that seems never-ending.

The greatest focusing tool of all time.

A slump isn’t meant to break you, rather it’s a challenge that builds character, strength, and insight. Slumps are the greatest focusing tool of all time.

It’s a season in your life that will soon change, and it offers something very valuable… if you take it.

• You gain wisdom and perspective in a break from your routine, which helps you to define your goals more clearly. Take a minute to look at what’s pinned inside the bulls-eye of your targets. Those goals are still important and need to be pursued.
• As you learn what caused the slump, you’ll see what to do differently next time, which turns a negative experience into a positive one. That’s what you call a “painful but priceless learning experience!”
• When a slump is a gift in disguise, like the silver lining in rain clouds, it’s easier to use that time to streamline your priorities and get back in the groove.

The 12 Best Tips for Jump Starting a Slump

1. Fill up your tank with fresh fuel: Energy increases quickly when your head is focused and your body is getting what it needs. Eat well, sleep well, exercise well, and get some sunshine and fresh air daily.

2. Choose to value your gifts, abilities, and self-worth. You are a masterpiece, perfectly created, not to be perfect, but to create something out of your passion. Your head is in the right space when you appropriately esteem yourself. People with less ability and passion than you are reaching their goals, just because they believe in themselves.

3. Grab an inspiration boost: Lift your energy by watching a role model do what you like to do. Use the element of music to create a thriving environment to work in. Be bold and make a new dish for dinner. Throw a party, go to a party, or make your own party by dancing in the kitchen till you’re dizzy! 

4. Wave the white flag: If the slump has created relational, financial, or vocational challenges beyond the scope of your ability to manage them, this is the time to reach out for professional help. Don’t put it off because disfunction snowballs into every corner of your life if you don’t manage it. Help is just a phone call away, so make that call now.

5. Accountability is always helpful: Check in with your mentor, partner, teacher, leader, or friend. Not that you have to stick to your plan exactly, but updating your progress and set-backs with someone helps to get your groove back quickly.

6. Refresh your passion pursuit: Re-connect with what you love by watching others do what you love to do. Follow someone through their YouTube channel, blog, podcast, Instagram, or Facebook sites. Post your own goals where you can see them every day. Day dream about reaching your goals. Cultivate them. Bring them to life, because if you don’t, no one else will. How are you leaving your signature on this world?

7. Decide to be determined: be successful like the turtle who won the race with the rabbit. Determine that you have what it takes to get the job done, and you’ll reach your goal. Determine that you won’t get stuck in the wishing and wanting mode, instead make yourself take action. Don’t let your self-control tell you what you can and can’t do. You’re the boss, so tell it what you’re going to do. 

8. Prioritize your catch-up list with A’s, B’s, and C’s: Take your A’s list and put a day next to it that you plan to get that task done. Put a circle in front of that item, and after you accomplish it, put a big check-mark in it. If you’re working on two or more goals simultaneously, use different text colors for each goal’s notes. It helps you to keep focused.

9. Give thanks… a lot! Even when you’ve been hit hard by the worst circumstances, you still have much to be thankful for. You don’t have to be the victim, rather choose to be the overcomer. Convert negative thoughts and energy into fuel to strive even harder toward your goals. 

10. Choose one small thing and do it: Something leads to something, and nothing leads to nothing. Make that one small thing happen as soon as possible. Avoid the “biting-off-more-than-you-can-chew” syndrome. Just keep your effort to accomplishing one small thing. Put one foot forward at a time. Even if it’s just cleaning the toilet bowl.

11. Surround yourself with vibrant color: Recharge your batteries from the outside-in. Wear it, decorate with it, paint it, and incorporate it wherever you can. Eat bright colored fruits and vegies every day. Color infusion is nurturing and healing. 

12. Reward yourself: A little sugar helps the medicine go down, so treat yourself to something fun after you accomplish 5 things on your A’s list.

Here are 2 Bonus Tips for Extra Help:

1. Speak the truth: Be honest with yourself in your heart and head, and in your words. Choose to forgive yourself, forgive others, and then be brave to move ahead. A log jam of guilt, shame, anger, and fear will keep you from reaching your goals. You don’t need any of that in your life… so get rid of it!
2. Above all… lead with love: Love covers a multitude of sins, so take that advantage and let love be the hallmark of your life. God created you in love, to love and be loved, and to exercise your gifts in order to bless the world. We all need each other, imperfections and all.  

My best tip to jump start a slump is to clean something. I think it’s because I feel like I’m accomplishing something even while I’m upset. It helps me to focus on what I need to deal with.

• Do I need to communicate something with someone?
• Should I close the door on one commitment so I can take on another?
• Who, or what, do I need to forgive… so I can move forward with less emotional baggage?
• What is the best use of my time regarding my “A” priorities?
• Where am I neglecting myself?
• Am I investing in my passion pursuit effectively?

What’s your best tip for jump starting a slump? We’d all love to hear how you get back in the groove after a time out!