How to Get Back On Track After a Rut

I had a really really rough semester. So many things happened at once. I had my hardest set of classes yet, and I had 6 of them instead of my usual 5. I got another job (on top of two freelance jobs) at Albritton Interiors and poof, my weekends were gone too. Then something happened (I can't really get into it) and Kayla and I had to move out of her apartment within 48 hours. I got really behind on schoolwork and I just couldn't catch back up. I ended up failing my first class ever. I wasn't taking care of myself, I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping. I was working really hard and I was extremely stressed. I didn't touch my blog in over two months and I missed it a lot.

Finally, I'm feeling like I'm getting back to myself. I'm still stressed, I work all the time. I still have all three jobs. I am taking a summer class (it's super fast passed and I suck at math) but I'm finally doing things that I like and taking care of myself. What did I do to help me pull myself out of the rut?

1 - Made a routine// For me, a routine was super important. I wasn't taking my medicine, I wasn't doing yoga, and I wasn't reading. So to help make sure I did that, I set up a routine. I made a little checklist of everything that I wanted to do each day like wash my face, take my medicine, read, do yoga, do math, work and walk Koda. And each day I go through it in the afternoon to check off what I've done and what I still need to do. It gives me structure and it's things that I needed and wanted to do so I felt good as I was checking things off.

2 - If I didn't want to, I didn't have to// Whenever I make a routine, I feel like I have to do the things I said I was going to do. But, since I was in such a bad place for a while that if I truly didn't feel like reading, I didn't read. If I was too tired to do yoga I didn't do yoga. This is important if you've been in a rut. For a while I wanted so bad to sit down in front of the computer and write some posts but I haven't been inspired for a long time, so I didn't write.

3 - Only do things that make you happy// If feel like you should be reading but you don't want to, don't do it. I love love love love yoga so I've made it a goal to do it at least 5 days a week. It makes me happy and it relaxes me so doing it more makes sense. However, going on a run (I hate running) would be a stupid goal to make. It would only stress me out more. So choose things that you love and would make you feel more like yourself and back on track.

What do you do to get out of a rut?