7 Ways To Get Out of A Rut + How to Stay Motivated

Feeling stuck in a routine? Are the days blending into each other? Here are 7 ways to get out of a rut and how to stay motivated.

When the days are blending into each other and you feel uninterested in anything, you might be stuck in a rut. Today I wanted to give some tips on how you can get out of a rut and stay motivated to stay on track.

Some days we may feel stuck, unmotivated, or on autopilot. When you feel this way, remember that it’s normal and your feelings are valid. Take every day one step at a time.

September is suicide prevention awareness month, so I want to make sure you all are doing well and taking care of yourselves. Please seek help from a friend, family member, or professional if you need further guidance. 

If you feel like you’ve been stuck in a rut, I hope these tips will help you get back on track soon.

How to Get Out of A Rut

1. Take a Step Back

It’s important to know why you feel like you’re in a rut. Does every day feel the same, is nothing exciting anymore, or are your routines getting boring? Try to pinpoint exactly why you’re feeling stuck. Try answering these questions:

• What is something in your routine that makes you feel stuck?

• What are your goals for this week?

• How can you change your daily routines to something more fulfilling?

2. Listen to Up Beat Music

Sometimes somber music sounds so good when we’re feeling sad or unmotivated, but we both know it’s just feeding the beast. Try making a playlist with all your favorite upbeat music. Have a dance party in your room, listen to it when you workout or on your drive to work. Music can be such good therapy when you feel like you’re in a rut.

3. Plan A Whole Day Outside With No Phone

Yes, no phone. I know that can be daunting for some people but this is a time to focus on you and not others. Social media can be a very toxic and negative space, so taking a break can help clear your mind and prioritize yourself. Plan something nostalgic for you, like Disneyland, a picnic at the park, or a car ride to your favorite place. If you’re feeling uninterested in your favorite things, make sure to try something new.

4. Prioritize

Now that you’ve cleared your mind, let’s make a list of all the things that are important to you. Sometimes we feel like we’re in a rut because we lose focus on what’s important. I hate when I have a whole list of things to do and end up doing nothing. So I make a list of the things I have to do. Ask yourself:

• What gives you purpose?

• What are things that are important to you? 

• What are your goals this week?

5. Plan

After brain-dumping all your priorities put them in your planner or somewhere visible. They’ll remind you what you want to get done and will be satisfying when you get to check them off. We often feel stuck in a rut because we’ve been putting off certain tasks that just eat at us until it’s done.

Recommended For You: How To Plan & Organize For A Productive Day

6. Make Small Steps

Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many tasks at once. Focus on small things first, like cleaning the space around you, creating a morning or night routine that you like, or work on some of your small tasks. The key here is to start small, then work up to bigger tasks when you start to feel like you got the hang of things.

7. Celebrate and Appreciate the Now

Lastly, our mindset is what makes us feel like we’re in a rut. Celebrate your small wins in life, like working out for 20 minutes, completing a puzzle, or reading a chapter from a book after not reading for months.

I know it can feel like things aren’t going your way but that’s just how it is sometimes. There will be bad days and good days, but in the end, you have to take care of yourself and your mental health. 

How to Stay Motivated

I already talk about how I stay motivated to be my best self here, but I wanted to include some new things I’ve been doing for motivation in this post. Truth is, I’m not always motivated to reach my goals. Some days are harder than others, but one thing that does help me keep going is to just start.

When you feel unmotivated to read a book, just pick it up and start reading. When you don’t feel like working out, just throw on some workout clothes, lay out your mat, and do 10 crunches.

Motivation will never come if that’s what you’re waiting for.

I know I titled this section “how to stay motivated” but I actually mean “Do you really want this?”. If the answer is yes, then just do it. Start running, start working out, start a TikTok, start a blog.

Once you start something you love, you won’t need motivation because you’ll have passion.

You’ll have the passion to wake up every day and do something you love. You’ll have the self-discipline to continue to do the things you love.

If you have to wake up and do something you hate, something better is coming I promise. You’re gonna have to work for it, but it will pay off and you will feel back on track to the life you always wanted.

If you answered no, you might want to change paths. If you completed the 7 tasks above and you’re still stuck in a rut, you probably don’t like your current journey anymore. That’s okay. Discover new things, create new routines, or start over. Trust me, it’s never too late to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

Just never forget to manifest your goals, work hard on the things you love, and take care of yourself in the process. 

Until next time,

FTC: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission for purchases made through my links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for the support and as always all opinions are my own.