Every morning I’m raring to go – my hair is bouncy, make up perfect, clothes crisp and comfortable. I’m energetic and
pulled together, ready for whatever comes.
By mid-afternoon, however, I often run out of energy. I’ve become a shadow of my bright and peppy morning self. My hair
is limp (or sticking straight up), and my makeup has faded into dark smears around my eyes. I've got caffeine withdrawal or
jitters, depending on how much Diet Coke I've had that day, and if I ate a low calorie lunch I’m famished, if I ate a high
calorie lunch I’m stuffed and sluggish.
I call this state The Slump. While it often hits me mid-afternoon it can also hit under other conditions, like when I haven’t
gotten enough sleep or I’m under stress. One of the most dangerous aspects of The Slump is that it often results in a lack
of focus which can cause accidents or mistakes. In addition, The Slump can trigger overly emotional reactions or a burst of
unwarranted temper.
When I worked for a big company there was no recovery time built into my schedule – I usually just powered through my
afternoon Slump until the end of the day. When I arrived home I was exhausted, famished, cranky and in a totally
disconnected state that typically lasted throughout the evening.
Now that I’m in the world of coaching and learning how to take better care of myself one of the most powerful things I’ve
learned is the value of countering The Slump with a Check-In. A Check-In is just that – it’s checking in with your body,
emotions and stress level to identify what’s needed to bring you back to full power and energy.
pulled together, ready for whatever comes.
By mid-afternoon, however, I often run out of energy. I’ve become a shadow of my bright and peppy morning self. My hair
is limp (or sticking straight up), and my makeup has faded into dark smears around my eyes. I've got caffeine withdrawal or
jitters, depending on how much Diet Coke I've had that day, and if I ate a low calorie lunch I’m famished, if I ate a high
calorie lunch I’m stuffed and sluggish.
I call this state The Slump. While it often hits me mid-afternoon it can also hit under other conditions, like when I haven’t
gotten enough sleep or I’m under stress. One of the most dangerous aspects of The Slump is that it often results in a lack
of focus which can cause accidents or mistakes. In addition, The Slump can trigger overly emotional reactions or a burst of
unwarranted temper.
When I worked for a big company there was no recovery time built into my schedule – I usually just powered through my
afternoon Slump until the end of the day. When I arrived home I was exhausted, famished, cranky and in a totally
disconnected state that typically lasted throughout the evening.
Now that I’m in the world of coaching and learning how to take better care of myself one of the most powerful things I’ve
learned is the value of countering The Slump with a Check-In. A Check-In is just that – it’s checking in with your body,
emotions and stress level to identify what’s needed to bring you back to full power and energy.
Possible Slump Solutions
Here’s how to do a Check-In:
The result doing Check-Ins and addressing my Slumps is nothing short of miraculous. My energy and focus return to
productive levels (I’m writing this at 5:00pm!) and I still have the energy to enjoy my evenings. While it may feel silly at
first, taking the time to check-in and ensure you have what you need is a wonderful gift to give yourself.
productive levels (I’m writing this at 5:00pm!) and I still have the energy to enjoy my evenings. While it may feel silly at
first, taking the time to check-in and ensure you have what you need is a wonderful gift to give yourself.
- Start a Check-In when you notice that your energy or attention is fading. The first step is to stop what you are
doing, close your eyes, relax and take a few deep breaths. - Take a mental inventory of your body – how do you feel? Are you tired? Hungry? Thirsty? Does anything hurt? Is
anything uncomfortable? - Take an inventory of your emotional state – are you angry? Upset? Overwhelmed? What are your emotions telling
you? - Next ask yourself the question “What do I need?” While I love this question, I've noticed that a lot of people
become uncomfortable with it. I’m asking you to suspend those feelings and take the question seriously. Really
seriously. Don’t limit your noticing to your physical self, sometimes actions that address how we feel emotionally
are what we really need for renewal. - Next, do whatever you can do to address your needs. What we need tends to fall into two categories:
- Quick Fixes. Quick fixes, such as taking a walk, touching base with a loved one, or getting a drink of water,
are often all we need to restore our energy. And don’t stop at one, we often need a couple of Quick Fixes
when the Slump hits. - “Red-flag” items. Red flag items show up when your response to “What do I need?” is something like a new
job or resolving issues in a relationship. While a response like this feels like a joke (“What do I need? A new
wife!”) it’s actually a signal that there is an area of your life that could use some work. Stop and figure out if
there is a first step that you can take now, or look into hiring a coach to help you get into action.
- Food - keep snacks light and healthy; have some fruit or a whole grain snack and be sure to avoid sweets
- Something to drink.
- Sleep - while most of us can’t take a nap in the middle of the day, sometimes a short rest with your eyes closed
will give you the break you need. If you can take a nap and need one – do it!! - Connection with loved ones – call your spouse, friends, kids, etc. for a short chat.
- Sunshine/nature – take a short walk outside.
- Calm-down time – sit with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing to calm down when you are upset
- Connection with a passion – look at a picture of your airplane, touch your hand knit sweater, draw a little picture -
connect with something you love in a small way. - Music – listen to it, sing, dance, write some!
- Grooming – wash your face, refresh your makeup, comb your hair, straighten your clothes, do whatever it takes to
be comfortable. - Escape – take some time to read or watch some fun TV.
- Exercise – take a short walk, do some stretching or tai chi - whatever will get your blood moving again
- What can you add to the list?
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The Pause That Refreshes
By Melinda Elliott
September 1, 2008
By Melinda Elliott
September 1, 2008
© Melinda Elliott 2008
Melinda Elliott is a certified Life Coach who works with people to achieve the life they want. Through coaching, Melinda can help
you leverage your strengths, smash your roadblocks, and create the life you're dreaming of. For more information or to request
a free consultation, visit http://www.melindaelliottcoaching.com
Note: This article may be re-published with appropriate attribution to the author including the copyright information, the
paragraph above, and this note.
Melinda Elliott is a certified Life Coach who works with people to achieve the life they want. Through coaching, Melinda can help
you leverage your strengths, smash your roadblocks, and create the life you're dreaming of. For more information or to request
a free consultation, visit http://www.melindaelliottcoaching.com
Note: This article may be re-published with appropriate attribution to the author including the copyright information, the
paragraph above, and this note.