5 Expert Recommended Tips To Avoid An End Of Year Slump

It's not surprising with 2020 feeling like it's 1000 years long, coming to the end of this year, we may hit a slump. If this is so we may need some tips to help us avoid this, so we can start the new year in a better mental space.

This year has been significantly different for everyone, from achievements to major life tests and everything in between. It's safe to say it's been a very life-changing year.

No matter how motivated and inspired everyone feels, we all have moments where we just hit a low. As normal as it is for us to burn out a little bit, pulling ourselves out of the end of year slump is essential for our mental health. These are five tips to help you avoid that end of year slump so you can start the new year on a positive note.

1. No Pity Party

I know we're about to start the new year, but a pity party is not what you should be having right now. Stop it! It has been a challenging year, and we may not be where we thought we would be, but a pity party is not the way to go.

You go down the dark hole, venting more and more to anyone, even to ourselves, about how unfair things are. You want their pity; we mistake it for comfort. You want them to tell you that you are justified and that you should feel bad.

"Self-pity is our worst enemy, and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world."

Helen Keller

This cycle does nothing; we may feel heard for a few seconds, but it does more harm to our mental health, and it just prolongs the crappy feeling. Venting is healthy, but we need to know how to move past feeling bad for ourselves.

2. Reflection and Gratitude

Sometimes, when we're going through a slump, we tend to emphasize all the bad things than we usually do with the good, which is why we may feel like we're engulfed with overwhelming feelings that make us more anxious and upset.

“Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and you will attract much better things.”

Rhonda Byrne

Make a checklist of all the good that has happened this year, no matter how small. Reflect on that list and be thankful for those moments. A positive mindset is essential; as much as we think of all the negative things that happened, we need to put more effort into reflecting and show gratitude for the good that may have occurred.

Reflection and showing gratitude are great ways to ground us when we feel like we're in a slump. This tip can also help us from spiraling into a negative space, especially if we experienced many tests during the year.

3. Are You Hustling A Bit Too Much To Achieve Your Goals?

Usually, when you're going through a slump, it could be because you may be overwhelmed. You may be overworking, stressing about many things, and it just drains all your energy and motivation.

It's a common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus if you are trying to achieve multiple goals. It's hard to choose one plan to focus on; life is so fast, and everyone is hustling to do as much as they can, but we have to be careful not to burn out.

Time management and planning are essential, so all your goals get the proper attention, and you don't feel overwhelmed. Speaking from experience, I can say it's hard, but it's much harder to come out of a slump having forced a pause on all your goals. So set realistic goals, plan, and pace yourself.

4. Positive Vibes

Have you ever noticed when you're around someone, your mood or vibe may change to reflect there's depending on the intensity of theirs? This is why being aware of who you surround yourself with can determine if you will have a positive or negative outlook on any situation.

“Surround yourself with positive people who believe in your dreams, encourage your ideas, support your ambitions, and bring out the best in you.”

Roy Bennett

This may not be the easiest thing to do; you can't just cut certain people out of your life. Being aware and wanting to be surrounded by positivity, you can slowly start to seek out positive people and are going to lift you.

5. Get To Moving

Ah, 2020, the year of quarantine; working through a zoom call from the comfort of our couch, it's safe to say we've had a less than an active year. As chilled as it was to slow down this year, it's important to not cross the line into getting too comfortable not being on the move.

Movement is essential for our mental and physical health. Not only does being active, being out of the house, and interacting with the rest of the world is good for us physically. It is also good for us mentally, as it keeps us stimulated, and keeps us away from falling into a slump.

"Exercise not only changes your body, it changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood."

Anonymous

With many things being uncertain in the coming year, life will not be going back to normal quickly anytime soon. Getting out and being more active is the way to go. So going for walks, taking up yoga, walking the dog, trying to be as active and away from our "work/home" routine for a little bit.

Getting ourselves to move is a quick reset we all need. This will help us steer clear from the end of the year slump. It will help us feel more motivated to work harder and accomplish more.