The term “funk” is used to describe a time period over the course of a few days when you are feeling unlike your normal self. You feel generally low and unmotivated. It may be for unknown reasons but can also be triggered by a negative life event. When in a funk, you often don’t want to help yourself get better. Instead, you often just want to go through the motions until the apathetic feelings fade away.

There are ways to help reduce the feelings of a funk and you can help yourself out of it. If you are feeling any motivation to help your situation, try using these tips to help yourself feel better:

Tips to get back to normal

  • Check in on your well-being. Are you getting sufficient sleep? Eating nutritious foods? Getting enough daily exercise? If the answer is no to any of these questions, start paying more attention to how you can make small changes in your daily routine to incorporate a healthier lifestyle. Once your body feels more well taken care of, your mind will follow suit.
  • Do things to make you feel happy. Motivate yourself by adding exciting activities to your schedule like taking a quick trip or a day off to get pampered. This “funky” feeling might be a sign that you are in-need of a little vacation and taking time for yourself might be all you need to feel better. There is a difference between short and long-term, “habitual” happiness. If there are enough small joys and you can find pleasure and satisfaction through hard times, your mood will become more naturally pleasant over time.
  • Take note of experiences that set you off. Try to identify if a negative event was the trigger of your funk so that it can be avoided in the future.
  • Reorganize your space. Whether at work or at home, doing a major clean-up has mental health benefits as the decluttering of your physical environment can transfer to your headspace.
  • Embrace the funk. Sometimes, it is ok to feel sad and have lazy days. Take some time to internalize your feelings, as it will help you notice where your head is at and construct a plan of action. Once understanding your feelings better, you can turn the situation around by using your inner frustration as inspiration to be put into something productive. Using resilience and strength will help you succeed through challenging times like these.

Is this more than a funk?

Funks are normal and only minimal episodes of dissatisfaction. If there are ongoing incidents like these, it might be a sign of a larger issue. Know the indicators of depression and other mental health conditions and talk to a friend or a mental health professional if you think you may be experiencing a more serious concern.

 

References

http://www.jstor.org/stable/2620436

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3464030

BH-0071