191. Finding Motivation, Getting Out of a Slump, and Increasing Productivity.

Speaker: 00:00:03

What is going on, everybody, you're

listening to the elemental Evan

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: 00:00:06

podcast designed to provide you with

a simplified and holistic breakdown

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: 00:00:11

of health and wellness topics.

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: 00:00:13

So you can walk away from these episodes

ready to apply this knowledge to your life

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: 00:00:17

and take control of your health as always.

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This is your host, Evan Roberts,

and I'm super happy to have

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you all listening today.

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I hope today's episode provides you

with a ton of knowledge that you can

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take with you and start applying.

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Into your life right away.

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Today's episode is going to

be about mental, emotional,

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spiritual, overall wellbeing.

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I would say it's basically, if you're

feeling like you're in a slump or you're

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just kind of at a low in life, what

are some practices you can use to get

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out of that slump and get back to your

normal operating level and, uh, you know,

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make sure that you're feeling good and

feeling optimistic and happy about life.

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So these are practices that I've used

for myself, and I have found a lot of

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benefit with, and that's typically what I

do on this show is I provide information

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on things that I have used personally.

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If I haven't done it myself, then

I will try to find some backing,

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uh, scientifically or find

someone who is much more versed

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on the topic and bring them on.

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But today we're going to talk about the

simple tips and tricks and tools that

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I use to get myself out of a slump.

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Before we jump into today's

episode, please feel free.

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Free to check out the description

or show notes of today's episode.

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There are some sponsors in there

of this show that are awesome.

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Awesome sponsors, really great products.

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Uh, things that I personally

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One of those that's just for

being a listener to the show.

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And let's jump in to today's episode.

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So in terms of being in a slump, I mean,

everyone goes through these phases.

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Uh, you know, it just happens.

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It's a part of life and that's okay.

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But if we can shorten the amount of

time in which those slumps or lows.

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Uh, last in our lives, then I think

that's definitely of massive benefit.

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And as well, if we can, uh, try

to still at least be productive

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and not be completely derailed

by these low times in our life.

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Right.

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Um, These are the tips and

tricks that I try to use to make

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sure that that doesn't happen.

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And when a low or a low or a slump comes.

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Then, um, I'm at least prepared for it.

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And, uh, you know, I have some tools to

use in terms of trying to get through

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that time and period in my life.

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So, first off, I always

start with this personally.

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If I'm feeling like I'm in a low time

of my life, what I'll do is I look

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back to what was the kind of beginning

of when I started to feel this way.

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I tried to retrace my steps, you know,

hopefully it's only a couple of days

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ago, but if it's been, you know, a week

or two weeks, then I still will try

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to retrace back to where that started.

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Maybe there was an event

that kicked it off.

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Maybe there was something that happened

that could have led to me feeling

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a little bit low or in a slump.

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And then I try.

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Two.

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Uh, figure out what that was and try

to change it immediately starting right

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there, but as well, I try to start

creating more structure in my life.

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And typically one of the things

that I notice when I find myself in

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a bit of a slump is that I let my.

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Daily habitual practices

go to the wayside.

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Right.

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I lost that discipline and that

structure in my day to day life.

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And sometimes this can even happen.

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Uh, when you've been on vacation for a

while, and then you come back to work

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or come back to whatever your form of

providing, uh, services to humanity

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is Um, I'll look at that and see.

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Uh, you know, a lot of times when

I've, I've been gone for such a long

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time, it's hard for me to get back

into that flow and find that structure.

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So having something written

up and really like planned

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out is a great place to start.

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So I always start with

structure with discipline.

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I like to think of discipline

as equaling freedom.

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When you are disciplined, you tend

to have actually more freedom in your

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life because you're so disciplined

with what you need to be doing.

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And you know, how much time to

allocate to certain things that you

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end up having some time left over.

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Each day typically, whereas if I'm

not structured and I'm just kind of

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going from one task to the next, not

really putting much attention to how

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much time I'm spending on each task.

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Well, It just so happens that

a task will take up the amount

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of time that you give it.

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So if you go to a task with 30 minutes,

it's very likely that you're going to

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finish that task in 30 minutes or come

really close to finishing it in that time.

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And if you give that task all day

long, it's probably going to take you

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most of the day to finish that task.

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It seems that.

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Truly work will take up the

amount of time that you give it.

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So being more disciplined will actually

lead to more freedom in your life as well.

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There was a, one of the presidents.

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I can't remember which us president said

this, but they said that freedom is only

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the opportunity for self discipline.

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And the way I think of that is.

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When I, uh, was, you know, health

coaching, and I didn't have a

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specific time that I had to be up by.

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And so I could wake up technically at

whatever time I wanted, my goal was to

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wake up at five o'clock, but there are

many times where I would wake up at 6 30,

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7 30, maybe even eight o'clock sometimes.

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So since I didn't have to be up for

something, I had the freedom to sleep

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in and kind of waste the morning.

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Whereas now, In the role that I'm

in, I have to be up at five o'clock.

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There is no if ands or buts, I have to be

up at five o'clock and on the road at six.

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Uh, for like three days out

of the week, and guess what?

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I never miss one of those wake-up times.

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I'm always up.

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At five o'clock on the dot,

getting up with my alarm clock.

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No problem.

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I know I have to be up because guess what?

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I no longer have the freedom, so therefore

I no longer have to practice as much.

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Self-discipline I just have to be up.

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Right.

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So.

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No longer had the freedom.

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Therefore, I don't really

have to have the discipline.

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But if you have the freedom to wake

up at any time, you'd like, That means

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you have to have the discipline to wake

up at the time you set for yourself.

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Right.

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So anyways, that was a long winded

answer on essentially how discipline

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and freedom go hand in hand.

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And therefore, I like to start with

discipline in my day-to-day life

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and my day-to-day practice when it

comes to getting out of a slump.

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So that usually starts with setting

a wake-up time and a bedtime.

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And I will try to be as religious as

possible with waking up at the same time.

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And at least winding down for

bed at the same time as well.

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So maybe that looks like six

o'clock in the morning, waking

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up on the dot and maybe 10 30.

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Uh, you are winding down and starting

to make your way to bed or 10

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o'clock, whatever it might be for you.

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And, uh, that's the best place to start.

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Beyond that your life is your life.

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And so it's going to be hard for

me to give you a full breakdown

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of how your day should look.

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Um, only you will be able to do that

for yourself, but of course, you know,

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a good place to start is if you have

a morning ritual that you used to

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do, maybe you start doing that again.

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And it could be something as simple as

going for a walk in the morning, or, you

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know, working out to some degree or a

morning meditation, whatever that might

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be, and then continuing on with your day.

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But yeah, starting with discipline.

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Personally seems to always be one of

the best places to get me out of a

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slump is putting routine into my life,

which I know it doesn't sound sexy

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or anything like that, but it's super

effective, at least for me personally.

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And I know all few other people

that have done the same and have

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found a lot of benefit with it.

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So creating structure in your

day is the first place to start.

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And then I also like to kind of have

this mindset of nothing is forever.

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So if you're in a really bad slump and

you're just honestly, maybe even very

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depressed, I think it's very important

to remember that truly nothing is

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forever, even the good times, which,

uh, you know, kind of sucks because of

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course we would love the good times to

last forever, but unfortunately there is

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nothing that lasts forever and it's kind

of nice because that means that even the

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bad times are not going to last forever.

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Right.

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Everything is temporary.

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There's a flows, there's a,

you know, a rise and a fall

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to everything and therefore.

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If you're in a real slump, you're feeling

a bit depressed, whatever it might be.

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Just remember that even good times

and bad times are both temporary.

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So everything will pass.

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You just have to.

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Stick it out a little bit

and see all the way through.

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Um, and then I also like to say that

you don't fall back on your motivation.

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Uh, you fall back on your habits,

your systems and your processes

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that you put in place in your life.

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So this kind of comes back to

the discipline and creating

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routine in your life.

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But if you're always relying on your

discipline to propel you forward day

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to day, Uh, well, motivation really

just comes and goes at its own free.

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Will.

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Uh, so you might be super motivated for

a couple of weeks or maybe even a month,

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but sure enough, given, uh, give it enough

time and that motivation will fade away.

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And in those times when motivation

fades, you have to have habits

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or your systems and processes put

in place to still do the thing.

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Even when you're not feeling

like doing the thing.

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So making sure that you have a good, uh,

disciplined schedule is really key there.

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And you know, this can be with

anything like working out.

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For example, you're not always going to

feel like waking up and going for a run

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or to the gym or whatever it might be.

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But if you set that system in place, then

eventually you're going to see progress

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because you're not relying on gesture,

motivation to carry you to the gym.

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So the first one create structure in

your day, remember nothing is forever.

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Uh, and then as well,

don't rely on motivation.

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Uh, We need to put good habits and systems

and processes in place so that we have

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something concrete to fall back on.

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Uh, and then number, I guess we

could call this number four would

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be to force yourself to get outside.

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Uh, for some reason, I don't know

why, but when I'm in a slump, one of

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the last things I really want to do

is like, get ready and go outside.

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It seems like such a hassle and

you know, such a task to like, go.

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Go shower, throw on some nice

clothes, do your hair and go out.

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Even if it's just for a walk

or maybe to go to the grocery

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store or something like that.

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But getting outside is super beneficial.

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It's one of the best things in

terms of really uplifting your

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spirits and getting out of a slump.

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So, um, I'll notice that when

I'm in a slump, I tend to

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spend a lot of time inside.

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Therefore I have to force myself

out and even just the act of getting

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ready of whether it's, you know,

Taking a shower, brushing your

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teeth, doing your hair, cleaning up

your beard, whatever it might be.

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Uh, However that looks for you

and putting on some fresh clothes.

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Looking good.

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And then stepping outside just that whole

process really is uplifting for yourself

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and as well, when you kind of get done

up, like you feel better about yourself.

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So.

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There's a win right there.

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And then getting outside as

well is really super impactful.

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Whether it's just getting some

fresh air, getting a little bit

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of movement, like a walk-in and

getting some sunlight on your skin.

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Those three things alone are so

powerful and so often overlooked,

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but I think it's important that we

really hammer and highlight this.

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That getting outside can be one

of the most impactful things

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for getting out of a slump and

getting out of your, kind of like.

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Low feelings that you might

be experiencing at the moment.

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So there is a quote from

good old Mac Miller that I

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think applies perfectly here.

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He says sunshine don't feel

right when you're inside all day.

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And that's the absolute truth.

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If you're inside, you're just

going to continue feeling low.

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And so getting outside and just kind

of changing that environment, getting

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that sunlight on your skin, hopefully

getting some movement, like a walk.

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Uh, and you know, making sure we're

getting all done up and getting that fresh

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air in our lungs is going to be super

beneficial and can be huge for changing

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your most emotional and physical state.

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Uh, so if you're really in a slump, break

yourself out of that slump by getting

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outside, going through the motion, even

though you might not feel like doing it.

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Okay, so that's going to be number four.

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And then number five is going

to be to dedicate 15 minutes to

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an hour of a spiritual practice.

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Now this spiritual practice

can look like anything for you.

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Um, as long as it feels

spiritual to you, honestly.

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Uh, this could be meditation, breath,

work, journaling, praying, gratitude

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practice, going to church, like whatever

your practice is for being spiritual.

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Go for it.

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I really don't care what religion

that falls under, or if it doesn't

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even fall under a religion, just as

long as it satiates you spiritually.

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I think it's important and it's

something that can be really

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beneficial for me personally.

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Having been in, you know,

a low time in my life.

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Uh, kind of a while back now, but one

of the big things that I relied on

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was actually a meditation practice

that I would do religiously for

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30 days in a row is what I did.

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And a spoiler alert before day 30.

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I think it was like a week before, day 30.

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Um, things had changed

drastically drastically for me.

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And as well, I just felt so good

throughout my days, even though I was

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in a bit of a slump, I was still had

this really positive outlook on life.

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And I really.

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I know for sure that it came from this

meditation practice that I would do

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every single morning at the same time.

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Right.

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Creating that structure, creating

that discipline again in my day

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to day life and then connecting to

something bigger than just myself.

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Right.

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And, um, you know, looking to the future.

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Right.

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And.

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And getting excited

about the future as well.

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Uh, there's so much for us to be

looking forward to, uh, like I said,

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nothing is forever, it's all temporary.

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So knowing that in the future, things

are going to be completely different.

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Uh, it was a great.

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Benefit to my mind and

really helped me to.

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Just kind of feel at ease and feel good

about myself, uh, which was massive.

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So I don't care if it's meditation.

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I don't care if it's breath work.

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I don't care if it's going to

church, whatever it might be for you.

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Go do that thing.

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Um, and yeah, find that

spiritual practice as well.

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Something I don't have in here

is having good, uh, community.

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I forgot to write this

one down for today's show.

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Um, but having good community

is also really important.

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And I think that kind of falls

under the spiritual practice.

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Um, there's just certain people and

groups of people that when you hang

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out with them, you feel so much

better and you feel energized when

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you walk away from a conversation

with that person or that group of.

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People.

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And to me that is, you know, fulfilling

something within your soul, spiritually,

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whatever you want to call it.

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Uh, so having a good community or,

uh, even just one friend to turn

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to, and, um, be able to share some

quality time and conversation with.

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Is very, very important and

I think can fall under that.

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A spiritual practice.

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Uh, and then the next one is going to

be, find ways to be productive and get

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away from mindless time sucks, such as

scrolling or, uh, bingeing, a TV show.

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So.

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It's very easy for us to obviously

just without our phone and hop

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on social media, start scrolling.

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Um, it's also very easy for us to.

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Sit down and just binge a TV show,

especially with things like Netflix and

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Hulu and all these different streaming

programs, having entire shows on them.

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Now it's never been easier for us

to just spend a ton of our days.

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Uh, really kind of accomplishing

nothing aside from consuming

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some form of media, right.

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: 00:16:55

Uh, so it's very important for us to.

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: 00:16:57

Get away from, uh, those practices.

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: 00:17:01

I mean, it's okay to have some of that

in your day, but you don't want that

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: 00:17:04

to be the majority of your day or even

really a good portion of your day.

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: 00:17:09

Uh, you need to find ways to

be productive and get away

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: 00:17:12

from those mindless practices.

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: 00:17:15

And this can be literally

being productive on anything.

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: 00:17:18

It could be being productive

in your health, right?

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: 00:17:20

Like getting out and doing some exercise.

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: 00:17:22

It can be even just going to work.

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: 00:17:25

If you have a traditional job

or dedicating time to a project,

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: 00:17:28

if you're self-employed.

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: 00:17:30

Uh, it can even be just getting

better at a hobby of yours, whether

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: 00:17:34

that's chess or music or sewing

or whatever your hobby might be.

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: 00:17:39

Um, you know, just focusing and

putting in some time on improving on

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: 00:17:43

those things, but being productive

in that way really helps you to,

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: 00:17:48

um, Feel present, but also feel like

you're accomplishing something right.

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: 00:17:52

And not feel like, okay.

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: 00:17:54

I just started watching TV at.

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: 00:17:57

You know, one in the

afternoon and now it's eight.

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: 00:18:00

O'clock.

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: 00:18:00

I haven't done anything except for sit

here and just mindlessly binge a show.

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: 00:18:05

Uh, that always is never

really a fulfilling.

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: 00:18:09

Type of feeling, uh, it always kind

of leaves you feeling like icky,

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: 00:18:12

like you kind of wasted the day.

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: 00:18:14

So finding ways to be productive

is super important and it

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: 00:18:18

doesn't have to be around a job.

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: 00:18:20

It can be around, like I said,

anything, your health hobbies.

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: 00:18:24

Just whatever it is that you

want to improve on in life.

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: 00:18:28

Um, you can go ahead and dedicate

some time and improve on that.

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: 00:18:31

And as well, it's going to

give you some skills, right?

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: 00:18:34

And then last but not least is

to include intentional downtime.

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: 00:18:39

So.

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: 00:18:40

This is a really important last

piece here because we don't

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: 00:18:45

typically have intentional or even.

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: 00:18:48

An unintentional downtime in our days.

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: 00:18:51

If we have unintentional

downtime, AKA boredom.

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: 00:18:55

The first thing we do is once again,

without our phones and hop onto whatever

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: 00:19:02

social media or whatever it might be

that you typically fill your time with.

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: 00:19:06

It's a weird thing that now.

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: 00:19:08

You know, like if we feel bored or in

an awkward situation, one of the first

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: 00:19:13

things we do is reach for our phone.

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: 00:19:14

And I noticed this when I was

going to college and I was

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: 00:19:17

waiting for classes start.

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: 00:19:19

I would intentionally not

reach for my, my phone.

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: 00:19:22

And I would just stand there in

the hallway, awkwardly, staring

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: 00:19:25

at the people across from me.

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: 00:19:27

And, uh, you know, the people

that were across from me all the

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: 00:19:31

time always pulled out their phone

and it wasn't because I was like

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: 00:19:34

awkwardly actually staring at them.

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: 00:19:35

But.

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: 00:19:36

But rather, you know, it's

just like a weird situation.

355

: 00:19:39

You're kind of like just standing

here, waiting for classes,

356

: 00:19:41

star waiting to be let in.

357

: 00:19:43

And so people would, without even

thinking about it, just pull out their

358

: 00:19:47

phone and go to the whatever social

media that they wanted to hop onto.

359

: 00:19:51

So we really don't have this downtime

where we can just process our thoughts

360

: 00:19:56

and emotions and really reflect on

ourselves and how we're feeling, or

361

: 00:20:02

even just thinking out certain thoughts

and letting them play out or thinking

362

: 00:20:07

through something that we're working on.

363

: 00:20:09

We don't tend to have this free time.

364

: 00:20:12

And so it's important for

us to create that free time.

365

: 00:20:14

And I think as well, that

that intentional downtime.

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: 00:20:18

I can be spent figuring out

why we're in a slump even.

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: 00:20:22

Right.

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: 00:20:22

And you don't have to think

about why am I in a slump?

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: 00:20:25

What can I do to improve this?

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: 00:20:26

I mean, that's a great place

to start, but it's even just

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: 00:20:30

sitting down and thinking through.

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: 00:20:33

Things in your life, right?

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: 00:20:34

Like where did things go wrong?

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: 00:20:36

Where did things go, right?

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: 00:20:37

What can you improve on?

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: 00:20:38

Like, there's very, you know,

various things that we can be

377

: 00:20:41

focusing on and allowing our mind

to work on and figure out, but.

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: 00:20:47

You know, this is an important

practice that people like.

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: 00:20:50

For example, Rick Rubin,

he actually dedicates.

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: 00:20:54

I think it's.

381

: 00:20:56

An hour of his day.

382

: 00:20:57

I want to say two.

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: 00:20:59

Uh, this practice where he will sit

down on the couch or lie down and he

384

: 00:21:03

will literally just ponder thoughts

and maybe he's working on something and

385

: 00:21:08

maybe that's what he's pondering, but

he will set specifically time aside.

386

: 00:21:13

To basically just be bored and

sit with his thoughts and process,

387

: 00:21:16

these thoughts and emotions.

388

: 00:21:18

It's a very important process

that we are actually losing.

389

: 00:21:22

We don't typically do this very often now.

390

: 00:21:25

Um, unless we're forced to, I don't

know, maybe you're at the doctor's office

391

: 00:21:28

and you don't have your phone with you.

392

: 00:21:30

Therefore you have to sit

there and be kind of bored.

393

: 00:21:33

Um, but these practices

are really beneficial.

394

: 00:21:35

And I think, you know, if you wanted

to take this one step further,

395

: 00:21:39

you could even hop into a sensory

deprivation tank or a float tank.

396

: 00:21:43

And, um, you know, in there you don't have

your phone, the lights are turned off,

397

: 00:21:48

you can have music or as well, you could

just have it completely quiet in there.

398

: 00:21:52

And it's a really great opportunity

to just sit with your thoughts

399

: 00:21:55

and emotions and process them.

400

: 00:21:56

So.

401

: 00:21:57

That's my next.

402

: 00:21:59

Ever, actually last piece of advice here.

403

: 00:22:01

Is to set that intentional

downtime, put your phone away,

404

: 00:22:05

put all distractions away.

405

: 00:22:06

Even people, friends,

whatever, get away from them.

406

: 00:22:09

Uh, this can be done at your house.

407

: 00:22:10

It can be done on your couch, lying

down, sitting down wherever you want.

408

: 00:22:13

It could be outside at a park on

a bench, but just have like 10.

409

: 00:22:18

To 30 minutes of intentional downtime

where you don't stimulate yourself

410

: 00:22:23

with anything such as your phone

or even a book for that matter.

411

: 00:22:28

But rather just sit there.

412

: 00:22:30

Just ponder thoughts,

like just be present.

413

: 00:22:33

And just.

414

: 00:22:35

Let it let your body feel, let your

mind process all that good stuff.

415

: 00:22:39

And, um, I know that

sounds a little bit boring.

416

: 00:22:42

But there is a lot of benefit to it.

417

: 00:22:44

Or at least I have found personal

benefit in this practice.

418

: 00:22:48

And it's something that I will try

to add in to my day-to-day practice.

419

: 00:22:52

I don't always get it in, but

if I'm feeling in a slump, it is

420

: 00:22:55

something that I will include.

421

: 00:22:56

So anyways, that is going to

do it for today's episode.

422

: 00:23:00

These are just a few of the

tips and tricks that I will

423

: 00:23:03

use if I'm feeling in a slump.

424

: 00:23:05

And if you're feeling in a

slump, I'm sorry, but just

425

: 00:23:08

understand it's going to pass.

426

: 00:23:10

You're going to be back to it in no time.

427

: 00:23:12

I set these processes and systems

down into your day to day life.

428

: 00:23:17

Find that routine, find that discipline.

429

: 00:23:20

And, uh, do these practices and I promise

the time in which you feel that you're

430

: 00:23:24

in a slump will be shortened as well.

431

: 00:23:27

Um, you will still be able to get

a lot done and, uh, be productive

432

: 00:23:34

even while you're in the slump.

433

: 00:23:35

Because if you're, once again,

just relying on your motivation.

434

: 00:23:38

If you're in a slump, you

obviously have zero motivation.

435

: 00:23:41

So you're really not going to get

much done, but if you have some good

436

: 00:23:44

systems and processes in place, you

have some discipline to your day to

437

: 00:23:48

day practices, then you will still be

able to be a high functioning person,

438

: 00:23:53

even if you're going through a slump.

439

: 00:23:54

And then when you come out the other side,

you'll feel all the better and know that

440

: 00:23:58

you were still able to get a lot done.

441

: 00:24:00

So.

442

: 00:24:01

Anyways, if you are in a slump,

just remember nothing is forever.

443

: 00:24:04

It's going to pass.

444

: 00:24:06

Uh, the good, the bad times.

445

: 00:24:07

All of them, they're all temporary.

446

: 00:24:08

So just keep at it.

447

: 00:24:10

Everything will be good.

448

: 00:24:11

And yeah, I hope this is

beneficial for all of you.

449

: 00:24:15

Uh, anyone listening to this?

450

: 00:24:16

Um, like I said, everyone goes

through slumps every now and again.

451

: 00:24:19

So feel free to keep these tools on hand.

452

: 00:24:22

Keep this episode in your back pocket.

453

: 00:24:24

And on that note, if you know of anybody

that could benefit from this episode

454

: 00:24:28

or this show, please feel free to share

this episode or this, this, uh, podcast

455

: 00:24:32

with anyone that can benefit from it.

456

: 00:24:34

Friends, family loved ones.

457

: 00:24:36

It's a great way to spread the.

458

: 00:24:38

Uh, message of this show

and help people find it.

459

: 00:24:41

And as well, if you haven't already

left a review and a rating on apple

460

: 00:24:44

podcast, I think you can also leave

them on Spotify or Google play.

461

: 00:24:49

I'm not, I'm not sure on all of

them, but I know on some of them

462

: 00:24:52

you can definitely on apple podcast.

463

: 00:24:54

And if you do, I always read

all of the ratings on there.

464

: 00:24:58

I love to see what you all have to say.

465

: 00:25:00

Feel free to connect with me on

Instagram at elemental, Evan.

466

: 00:25:04

Uh, tap in.

467

: 00:25:04

If you want to hear more of something,

you have questions, whatever it

468

: 00:25:08

might be, feel free to reach out any

time, happy to connect with you all.

469

: 00:25:12

And aside from that, that's going

to do it for today's episode.

470

: 00:25:14

I hope you all are.

471

: 00:25:16

Having a beautiful day and yeah, I

will have you all on the next episode.

472

: 00:25:22

Uh, next Monday.

473

: 00:25:24

Uh, got a few people coming out.

474

: 00:25:25

Um, in terms of episodes

with, uh, guest speakers.

475

: 00:25:29

So really excited for those.

476

: 00:25:31

Uh, got some really great

ones in the pipeline.

477

: 00:25:33

So stay tuned.

478

: 00:25:35

Got those coming your way and

yeah, that's going to do it.

479

: 00:25:38

I love you all so much.

480

: 00:25:40

Have a beautiful rest of your day.

481

: 00:25:42

You know, the motto of the show.

482

: 00:25:43

It's do everything with good

intentions and connect your elements.

483

: 00:25:46

And much love everybody.

484

: 00:25:48

Peace.