At training last night one of my team was clearly "not up for it". He wanted to put in his usual high work ethic but he was flat and unenthusiastic. Nothing felt right.

When this happens, how do you get out of the slump?

 We have all been there: You make big plans, you go as far as getting them in motion. Then you hit a snag. Maybe you caught sitting in traffic; stuck, stiffening up and frustrated. Maybe you didn't sleep well or skipped a meal. Maybe there is no obvious explanation.

Yet, there is it, holding you back. You are disinterested and subdued. Life has worn you down. The ball doesn't come out right and your timing is off with the bat.

You can't be bothered.

1. Take some action

In fact, if you have realised you are in a slump you are already on the way out. It's a skill to identify the moments you are off-balance and face them head on. This is an opportunity to grow, not a reason to quit.

Most people use the word "just": They either just give up because it's just not happening, or they just keep going, they just hit more balls, they just try to power through. This rarely works. If you think getting out of a slump requires your timing to come back then you have it the wrong way round. It's your mindset that kicks your timing and energy back in.

Studies have shown that people feel happier when they smile. The very act of smiling pushes your brain into thinking it's happy. So, put on that growth mindset and tell yourself that you are ready to take this chance to improve.

This alone might work, but chances are you will have to do something extra to fire yourself up enough to be back to normal. Here are some ideas:

• Take a longer warm up, finishing with higher energy movements
• Do some sprinted singles
• Try and hit a few sixes
• Do a footwork drill
• Bowl an over of bouncers
• Throw a medicine ball
• Drink a coffee
• Listen to some uplifting music

It doesn't matter what it is. By the end, your heart rate will be up and so will your energy levels.

2. Go back to basics

If you are still feeling a little off, try not to fall into the trap of waiting for it to go by doing the same as always. This is a very "fixed" mindset way of approaching it because you are not challenging yourself, you are staying in your comfort zone and hoping.

The player I mentioned earlier told me he was batting off balance, not timing it and not even satisfied when he middled it. He also told me no manner of "uplifting" was going to help. He simply needed to wait it out. The obvious answer was to stop facing bowling while feeling bad. He knew his energy would return eventually, so why waste net time when it's going badly?

Of course, we are at a practice session, so it's a perfect opportunity to go back to absolute basics. Ask yourself, "when I am going well and feeling good, what do I do?"

Then simplify everything backwards:

• Hit tennis balls from drop feeds to reconnect with your basic movement.
• Face a bowling machine set to play your best shots. Aim to perfect them.
• Do your tent peg and walkthrough drills.
• Do some throwing and catching technical work.

It's basic but treat it as a chance to have a service check and make sure you have not got into any bad habits that might be a cause of your issue. It probably isn't, but why waste your time doing anything else?

3. Know when you're beaten

Say you have gone through this process of faking energy, then doing some basic drills. Things are still not right and you don't know when they will be.

It's OK to give up.

There are times when nothing works. You are going through the motions and you can't even get the motivation to hit a tennis ball off a tee with effort. When that day comes, go home. Take a different opportunity to recharge instead.

You can start again tomorrow but for today life has won. Do something else that is relaxing and motivating. This will serve you far better than hitting your head against a cricket brick wall. Don't sweat it, you're allowed to take a rest now and again.

These days will be very few. If you are always low and defeated something more is amiss. Read the signs. However, for the vast majority who just hve the odd bad day, there is no shame in accepting defeat in this battle so you can return another day to win the war.

Summary

Everyone gets downbeat days and unmotivated training sessions. When you do adopt a growth mindset and try,

• Faking energy with high intensity activity
• Doing basic drills to reconnect with your way of playing

And if all else fails, take a day off and come back next time feeling energised.