@stephclairesmith
There’s a new trend sweeping through society, and it has nothing to do with fashion or [thankfully] toxic diet culture. It’s a feeling – an all-encompassing sense of feeling ‘mid’.
I recently did a ‘vibe check’ with over 7,000 people and it turns out over 85% of us are feeling ‘mid’ right now, AKA pretty damn average.
The struggle is real. And I get it. My energy, attitude and mood is just not it.
So, why are so many of us feeling this way?
I don’t know about you, but here’s the factors that are contributing to my sense of being mid, and how I’m planning to shake this mid-year slump!
1. Being a Mum. Period.
Mums, do I even need to elaborate here? IYKYK. For me personally, Harvey turning three has been equal parts magical and challenging… like most ‘seasons’ up until this point really.
But right now our little family is working through parental preference, a bit of separation anxiety, sleepless nights and stretched out bedtime routines.
We’re doing our best and trying to not be hard on ourselves as first time parents, but it is all consuming when sleep deprivation is in the picture.
However, when we’ve had a rough night, I still wake up the next day with an immense amount of gratitude. Because really, regardless of the challenges, motherhood is something I always wanted. And the good far outweighs the bad!
But some extra z’s sometime soon would be great haha..
2. The Weather.
Now I know I’m not alone in this… but the cold wet weather is super unmotivating. Dark mornings, dark early nights. If it’s not Harvey waking me up before the sunrise, it’s an alarm that I snooze 3x so I can stay warm in bed a little longer.
What I’m coming to accept is my routine in the warmer months is bound to be very different to the colder ones! So I’m prioritising indoor movement over outdoor, popping the heater on first thing in the morning and starting with a 5-10min Kic pilates flow while Harvey has his porridge.
3. Too Much Time Doom Scrolling
I started the year off strong with an intention to read each night before bed to wind down. For the most part, I’ve kept to that.
However, lately it’s been more like an hour of doom scrolling on socials. Then, it’s followed by five minutes of quickly reading to hopefully wipe the damage of screen time before lights off.
I’m going to finally listen to a piece of advice I’ve heard but ignored from so many for so long. It’s time to pop my phone away on charge, far from the side of my bed to take away the temptation of a scroll!
4. The Mid-Year Slump Is Real. It’s Not Just You And Me.
Turns out there really is a reason why we’re feeling so ‘meh’ right now.
I spoke with psychologist and friend of Kic, Bec McWilliam, about why we’re all noticing this ‘slump’.
Bec calls the ‘mid-year slump’ an experience of “noticeable decrease in motivation, energy, and productivity around the middle of the year.”
According to Bec, “this slump can impact various aspects of life, including work, academic performance, and general well-being.”
There are a whole heap of reasons which can contribute to this feeling. Our motivation tends to dip at this time of year, where the high of those New Year intentions can begin to slow (such as my reading goal for each night!). But according to Bec, our goals and motivation for this time of year can also slow due to the need for taking a break and needing to recharge after a busy start to the year.
So, remember that it’s normal to be feeling a bit unproductive right now – be kind to your mind and take a moment to recharge.
So, How Am I Shifting The Slump?
I’m reminding myself that it’s okay to be feeling a little bit unmotivated right now, and not to put too much pressure on myself. You shouldn’t either.
Now’s not the time to go hard or completely overhaul your routine. That’s why I’m so excited for Kic’s mid-year challenge. It’s all about easing your way back to feeling good by taking small sustainable steps.
Make time for you – you deserve it.
Sign up to Kic’s mid-year challenge with up to 40% off on www.kicapp.com. Sale ends June 30th 2024.
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