psychologies DOSSIER With you in mind
We’ve all found ourselves stuck in a rut at some time or another, and the signs are usually unmistakable. You feel listless or bored by the activities that dictate your day; routine seems to rule your life; and there’s a sense that you’re slipping into a humdrum existence, devoid of the joy or momentum that you’ve known in the past. You might feel stuck, unable to see a way forward. But there’s good news: with the right tools, it’s perfectly possible to navigate your way out of a rut and rediscover a more enjoyable way of living.
There are many theories as to what is happening in the brain when you feel in a rut. When things become a bit mundane, it’s likely, according to psychologist Holly Wood, that the dopamine reward that you experience when you’re doing activities that you enjoy, or when you’re being positively challenged, is absent: ‘We’re not getting that spike of energy or that boost of positivity, and so we stop seeing the joy in our everyday life,’ she explains. ‘Because we’re not being regularly energised, it becomes easier for negative thought patterns and self-talk to creep in, and our mood to spiral downwards. And then, because we’re in a low mood, we’re less likely to want to engage in new tasks –and so the cycle continues.’
Learntospotthe signs
In order to get out of a‘meh’ phase of life,you first need to recognise that you’re in one. That’s not always assimple asit sounds,because thesense of beingstuck in arut is afeelingthat tendstobuildupslowlyovertime. So learningto spot the signs is key. ‘Being in arut canhave arealnegative impact on your mental health and generalwellbeing,soit’simportant to recognisethe patterns andtake action to move yourself through it andbackintoamore joyfulexistence,’ explains Wood.
However,the signsthat you’re slipping into mundanityaren’talways obvious, so she recommends looking outfor these indicators that youmay be heading for rut territory:
● Feeling underwhelmed by tasks at hand,or strugglingtocomplete basictasks.
● Not enjoyingthings you normally do,orlacking theenergytoparticipate in your usualactivities.
● Feelinglikeyou’re‘ploddingalong’ or ‘muddlingthrough’day to day.
● Asense that yourdays blurinto oneand feel unexciting.
● Avoiding social interactionsor isolatingyourselffromfriends or family.
● Generallyfeeli
