Maybe it’s the change in seasons, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how to get out of the funk — that in-between state where nothing is exactly wrong, but everything feels a little weird. I was more tired than usual, a little unfocused, and strangely unmotivated by things I usually enjoy. It wasn’t dramatic enough to warrant a name, but I felt it in everything.
Sometimes it’s the moment you wake up – a heaviness you can’t explain. Other times, it builds slowly, almost imperceptibly, until you realize you’re going through your days at half capacity. You’re technically working, but without your usual clarity or energy. And the more you try to move through it, the more it seems to drag on.
Featured image from our interview with Mary Ralph Bradley by Michelle Nash.
My tendency is always to get it right. To reset, to adapt, to get back on track. But I’ve learned – through much trial and error – that getting out of the funk means disrupting the pattern with something that drastically changes your energy.
It’s not a complete reset, but more like a pivot. Step out for a few minutes more than usual. Playing music while cooking dinner. Allow yourself to go a little slower instead of trying to catch up. The kind of option that doesn’t seem like a solution, but still changes something.
When I feel this way, I don’t try to change my routine or suddenly become a different version of myself. I’m looking for a small beginning – a moment where I can re-enter my day with a little more presence. And usually, that’s enough to change the tone of everything that comes next.
How to get out of a funk, stat
When you’re confused, it can seem difficult to even decide what to do. There’s a tendency to overthink it – searching for the perfect reset, the perfect routine, the one thing that will completely snap you out of it. But often, the fastest way to feel better is to simply make a choice and follow where it leads.
Again, we are trying to create a small shift – something that disrupts the cycle you are in and brings you back to your body, your environment and your life as it really is. Even a small change in energy can be enough to produce motion.
If you’re not sure where to start, start here:
- Step outside for five minutes – no phones, just light and fresh air
- Drink a full glass of water and eat something rich in protein
- Message or call someone you trust, even just to say hello
- Take a short walk (around the block counts!)
- Put your phone in another room for 10 minutes and see how you feel
The goal is not to fix everything. It’s supposed to make you feel a little better than you did five minutes ago.
1. Do one thing that supports your body (right now)
When I’m indecisive my first instinct is to figure out why. I need mental clarification about what’s going on, what needs to change, what I should be doing differently. But often, the issue isn’t what I need trace. This is something I have to support.
Bad mood can come from surprisingly simple places: not enough sleep, not enough water, a drop in blood sugar, staying inside too much time… and when your body feels tired, so does your mind. Sometimes a lack of motivation or clarity feels like your system is asking for something more basic.
That’s where I learned to start first. Not with a complete reset or a perfectly structured routine, but with a small, immediate act of care. Something that doesn’t require much thinking—just a way to let my body know I’m paying attention.
try this:
Before you reach for your phone or try to push the feeling away, stop and do one thing to support your body. (See the list above.) Start with what feels easiest and see what changes.
2. Move your body (even a little)
There’s a version of this advice that feels easier to ignore — the one that suggests a full workout or some kind of structured routine when you’re already low on energy. This is not that thing.
When I’m confused, momentum works because it turns things around almost instantly. It changes my environment, my breathing, my movement. It disrupts the mental cycle so much that there’s a little space between me and whatever I’m feeling.
And it doesn’t have to be much. In fact: the shorter it is, the more likely I will be able to actually do it. A little walk. A few minutes of stretching. Even just standing and moving around where the mood strikes, rather than staying in one place.
There’s something about a change in your physical state that reminds you that you’re not as stuck as you feel.
try this:
Go outside and walk for five minutes. Or put on a song and move your body to the length of it. Let it be brief, and let it change your state rather than your schedule.
3. Get out of your mind
One of the quickest ways I know I’m in trouble is how everything turns inward. My thoughts become circular, my perspective narrows, and I start overanalyzing things that normally wouldn’t matter that much. Even when there’s nothing technically wrong, sitting with it for too long can start to feel overwhelming.
What helps, almost every time, is shift my focus outward. There’s something grounding about connecting with another person — stepping into a conversation, even briefly, that isn’t focused on your own internal dialogue.
try this:
Reach out to someone you trust—a quick text, a voice note, or a short call. Ask them how they’re doing, or share a little tidbit from your day.
4. Name what’s really going on
Sometimes what feels like a vague, ubiquitous odor is actually something more specific that hasn’t been fully acknowledged yet. I’ve had days when I thought I was just gone, only to realize — once I slowed down enough to notice — that I was worrying about something, avoiding a decision, or dwelling on a thought I hadn’t fully processed.
When you put words into it, change happens. This doesn’t necessarily solve the problem, but it does ease some of the burden of not knowing.
try this:
Take a few minutes to write down whatever is going on in the background of your mind. No structure, no filtering—just get it out of your head and onto the page, and see what becomes clear.
5. Change your environment (even a little)
It’s easy to overestimate how much your surroundings affect your mood – especially when you’re sitting in one place for hours. I notice this most on days when everything feels a little stagnant. But even a small environmental change can disrupt that feeling. A separate room. A clean surface. Fresh air. We’re not going to do anything dramatic. This should be enough to indicate that something is moving again.
try this:
Open a window, step outside, or move to a different location entirely. If you’re staying here, clear a small area — a desk, a nightstand, a corner — and notice how it changes the feel of the room.
6. Stay away from your phone
There’s a distinctive odor that occurs after you spend too much time on your phone. Your energy wanes, your concentration becomes scattered, and your mood begins to feel a little better than before.
It’s not just time spent, it’s continuous input. You are taking on more than you can handle, often without realizing it. And when you’re already feeling depressed, that extra noise doesn’t help — it makes it harder for you to hear your own thoughts.
try this:
Leave your phone in another room for 10 minutes. I’m talking completely out of reach. Then do something simple and consistent: make tea, stretch, sit by the window. Pay attention to how changes in input change your energy.
7. Do something a little different
The funk can sometimes come from sameness – same routine, same inputs, same pace day after day. Even if everything is technically working, there comes a point where it starts to feel a little flat. Instead, try introducing something small and unfamiliar – just enough to break the pattern and bring back a little curiosity.
try this:
Side quests are trending for a reason! Choose a different route for your walk, listen to something you wouldn’t normally choose, or replace a part of your routine with something new. Just a small change to remind you that there are other ways to get on with your day.
8. Create a small anchor in your day
When everything feels a little scattered, it helps to have something stable to fall back on. I think of these as anchors – simple rituals that gently bring you back to yourself.
It’s less about what you do, and more about giving your day a point of connection. Something that feels constant, even when everything else doesn’t.
try this:
Choose a small moment in your day to behave differently. Sit outside with your coffee. Step away between tasks and take a few slow breaths. Let it be brief, but intentional, and notice how it changes the pace of your day.
9. Allow yourself to intentionally relax
All other things are not the same. I’ve had plenty of moments where I’ve tried to relax by default scrolling or zoning out, only to feel just as bad (if not worse) afterward.
What really helps is a different kind of comfort. The kind that feels chosen, not passive. Something that relaxes your mind without overstimulating it – where you’re not consuming too much, just leaving a little space.
try this:
Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and step away from the screen. Lie down, sit somewhere quiet, or do something simple with your hands. Let it be intentionally unproductive and see how you feel on the other side.
10. Focus your attention forward
When I’m confused, it’s easy to get caught up in the immediacy of what I’m feeling. Everything becomes limited to the present moment, and it starts to feel like it will last longer than it actually is.
Don’t try to impose optimism or make a perfect plan. Explore creating a little sense of moving forward. Something that reminds me of this moment isn’t permanent, even if it feels like it.
This could be as simple as thinking about what would feel good today or this weekend. Not in a way that increases pressure, but in a way that brings back some momentum.
try this:
Write down one thing you’re looking forward to. Keep it simple and specific, and let it be something you can return to when you need a reminder that this feeling isn’t the whole story.
This post was last updated on April 18, 2026 to include new insights.
