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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Time to Feel. I took some time off from podcasting to recharge my batteries and enjoy the summer.

One of the things I’ve had to focus on during the pandemic is managing my energy levels. Like many people, I’ve been working consistently since the beginning of 2020, and actually since mid-2019.

My husband Nick and I have stayed in Canada this entire time, which is difficult because our families live in the US and France. So, normally, we’ll go see them a few times each year. But with covid, being able to vacation and take REAL time off hasn’t been much of an option.

Because of that, I’ve found myself getting burnt out and feeling unmotivated more than normal. Also, since I’m self-employed, everything I do comes from me. I have to be self-motivated, and sometimes that’s difficult.

Sometimes, I find myself wanting to lay on the couch all day, or to just zone out and play the Sims for hours on end.

So, what do you do when this happens? I want to give you my best tips for those days when you just don’t feel like doing anything at all.

First of all, when you don’t feel like doing anything, this can actually be your body’s signal that it’s time to rest.

So, give yourself a break.

Depending on how exhausted I feel is how much time I’ll take off. So, if I’m just feeling a little blah, I’ll let myself chill for an hour or two. Then, I might be good and feel like getting back to work right away.

But if I’m feeling completely drained, I’ll take more time off.

For instance, if I feel zero inspiration or drive whatsoever, I’ll take a step back and see how I can help myself recharge. Sometimes that means taking 2 days off. Sometimes that means taking a full week off and doing my own stay-cation.

Depending on your life, and the work you have, it might not be possible for you to take time off whenever you want.

So, see where you can give yourself mini-breaks and really commit to it. If you’re going to take an hour off and you work from home, tell your family that you’re unavailable for that time, and do something you really enjoy.

Or if you’re going to take an afternoon off, don’t look at your emails during that time.

Rest is SO incredibly important. If you don’t rest, you can’t get stuff done when you actually have things you need to do.

But also…please remember that life isn’t ALL about being productive. You’re still a human being. You’re still living through a pandemic. You’re going to need rest more than normal. So, give yourself that time to recover.

Tip #2 is to change gears and switch it up. If you’ve been staring at your computer without any ideas or motivation to complete your to-do list, get up and do something else.

I love taking my dog Pluto for walks throughout the day because it helps my mind unplug from work.

You can also get out a book and read for a little while, play a video game or call a friend and chat for a bit.

Do whatever will feel good for you for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour – however long you want.

Then, go back to work and see if you have motivation. A lot of times, I’ll be able to find a little more gas in my energetic tank after unplugging for a while.

And if it doesn’t work and I STILL don’t feel like doing anything, that’s my cue to rest for a longer period of time. Trust yourself that you’ll get back to it when you’re ready.

My third tip for when you don’t feel like doing anything is to start small. Choose one thing from you to-do list that’s the easiest to complete.

Maybe that means answering one brief email or updating your calendar.

A lot of times when I do something that takes minimal mental energy, it gets the ball rolling and I discover more motivation and can keep working for a while.

Other times, if that’s all I can manage, then I’ll do something else for a while after that.

It’s all about nurturing yourself and seeing what else you might need in that moment to feel better.

Another tip is to write the top 3 most important things you need to complete that day. Focus on doing just those three things. Once you do, you can allow yourself to relax.

And if your brain tries to trick you and say that you should be working more, you can remind yourself that you did your top 3 tasks and that you’re DONE for the day.

As a business owner, I really struggle with this because there really IS always more to do. My brain is constantly telling me I haven’t done enough.

But once I’ve done my 3 most important tasks, I give myself permission to relax and recharge.

My final tip for when you’re feeling unmotivated is to check-in with yourself, because there might be underlying reasons you’re feeling this way.

Have you been feeling unmotivated for a long period of time? Is this a pattern?

If it is, it might be time to check-in with your doctor and see if there’s anything you can do to improve how you’re feeling.

Personally, I take antidepressants to help me balance my mental health. I have a great doctor that I check-in with every month to manage my stress levels and adjust accordingly. It’s made a world of difference for me to be on medication. I used to have a lot of meltdowns and couldn’t find any hope.

So, if you’re struggling and can’t find hope, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor, ok?

Another thing I do is talk to my therapist. When I’m having a harder time, I’ll talk to her more often so I feel supported. Other times, I feel great and don’t need to talk to her as often. It’s totally up to you how you get support.

So, check in with yourself and see if this is a long-term thing and what you need to do about it.

And remember, your value as a person is NOT determined by how productive you are, or how many things you get done on a daily basis. We’ve all got things to do, but resting is super important. Your mental health is super important.

Be gentle with yourself.

Ok friends, that’s it for our discussion today. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time.

If you enjoyed today’s show, join my healing community called the Feel and Heal Crew. Each month, you’ll receive emotional health resources and live trainings with me, Holly Soulié. It’s a safe space community where kind members from all over the world support each other in improving their emotional health. Podcast listeners can receive 10% off for the month of August, even if you’re already a member! Visit courses.hollysoulie.com for more info and to sign up today.