Everyone has times when they’re ‘not feeling it’ – when their mojo is low or non-existent.
Sometimes it doesn’t last long, but other times, that sense of malaise can last for days, weeks, months … longer.
When you’re doing the work-life-mothering juggle, it’s understandable if your mojo disappears. It’s an inner fire that requires stoking but it’s often smothered by the constant obligations and responsibilities we have.
The extent of the depletion of mojo ranges from flat out exhaustion, to a feeling of ‘meh’. It can be significant, or simply irritating.
Either way, when your inner spark isn’t firing, you’re in need of a mojo boost – of the mind, body and soul.
So how do you get that spark back? Especially when you don’t have much in the way of spare time, energy or resources?
Depending on your circumstances, you may well need to overhaul something major – your routines, your career, your home life – for longer term success. But even then, whether the big picture needs attention or not, there’s a lot you can do on an immediate and daily basis that can fire up a little spark.
Here’s 10 easy ways to boost your mojo
Drink – but not so much of the caffeine and alcohol, both of which rob you of energy and contribute to sleep disturbances, which also robs you of energy. Instead, jump on green smoothies and up your water intake if it’s low. I know it’s boring, but it works.
Sleep – everything feels better after a good night sleep, or several. Sleep can be painfully troubled in mid life, so making sleep a priority can be one of the best things you can do for yourself. That means doing everything you can to avoid sleep disrupters, like the stimulants above and screens at night, and doing things that can help – a sleep routine of things like low light, yoga stretching, breathing, calming oils, baths, magnesium supplements/salts/spray. Neurobiologist Andrew Huberman talks of setting your ‘sleep’ clock – get sunlight in your eyes as soon as you can when you wake in the morning, and also in the late afternoon/dusk to trigger your body’s natural melatonin production.
Get still – the rush of daily life is exhausting, so taking even a few minutes of stillness, either in meditation or just sitting quietly, can be a welcome relief that perks you up. It also gives you the chance to tune in to your inner wisdom – that intuition or intuitive voice that knows what you need or want but is mostly drowned out in the daily hustle and bustle.
Move – I know, I know, I just said get still and now I’m saying move. You need both of these. Movement doesn’t have to be much or intense, a simple walk can do the trick. Movement will give you an endorphin hit, as well as get the blood and oxygen moving, so moving every day in some way will fire up some mojo.
Journal – journaling has been shown to have many positive psychological benefits so getting your thoughts out of your head, your dreams and plans onto paper, can be a real boost to your mental and emotional energy.
Disconnect – get off social media, turn off alerts, let your emails wait, try not to binge Netflix. Online and screen time can be a lot of fun, but it can also be costing you not just your time to do something else, but also affecting your mood. Try a digital detox for a couple of days and see what you find. Again, I know you’ve heard it all before, but have you tried it?
Connect for real – phone a friend, make a date. No amount of texts and social media messages can make up for an in real life face-to-face connection. Leave the chores and do fun things with your loved ones.
Let it go – oh so many things to release and let be. From the laundry, your to do list and the vacuuming (which can all wait), to worry, stress and grudges. Don’t worry about shoulds and obligations you resent. Whatever is tying up too much of your time or too much of your mind or emotional space, let that sh*t go.
Gratitude – when you’re feeling flat or empty, your thoughts can tend to focus on what’s missing instead of what’s good. Science tells us that practicing gratitude has a positive effect on how we feel. When you make yourself think of all the things you’re grateful for, you are creating positive thoughts, which in turn create positive emotions. You’re far more likely then to have some get-up-and-go, especially thinking about all you DO have, rather than what you don’t.
Breathe – most of us spend most of our days breathing inefficiently. We take short, shallow breaths which is a stress signal to our brain, which then produces cortisol, and cortisol robs us of energy we could be using for other things. Taking some long, deep breaths turns off your stress response instantly. You’ll feel calmer, and preserve some precious energy.
Getting back to feeling more like yourself begins with small, micro adjustments every day, as you need. Once your energy starts picking up, you’ll be more inclined to tackle the big things.
