Source: pixabay.com

 

Self-help healing methods gained popularity in the first place since many people like to be able to say that they got better on their own. According to Alyssa Adams, PsyD, “Taking care of yourself isn’t up for question. Without spending proper time to recharge, you’re setting yourself up for burnout.” Or worse, a mental health issue. When you have a sore throat, for instance, it’s easy to blend honey, lemon, and hot water. If stress begins to take a toll on your mental state, you can exercise, log out of social media, or go to a spa.

Alas, do-it-yourself tricks cannot solve every problem you possibly have, especially when it comes to mental health issues. Because of that, you should know the times when you need to see a therapist the most.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

  1. You Avoid People

One sign that a counselor may help you is when it has become a habit to prevent being around every kind of person out there. That does include not only strangers but also friends and relatives. Thus, you no longer go to parties, you get food deliveries instead of eating in restaurants, and you sometimes avoid going to work or school.

It’s vital to understand that that’s not the behavior of someone with a healthy mind. If you can’t stop doing those things by yourself, then you may have to call a therapist ASAP.

  1. You Can’t Help But Feel Angry Or Dejected Often

Feeling uncontrollable rage and sadness is common for individuals with anger-management issues or depression. It seems too taxing for you to find a reason to smile. Even when others try to liven up your spirits, you end up getting annoyed, to the extent that you either walk out of the room or yell at everyone.

Is that an indication of normalcy? No. It makes your issues as clear as day. Hence, you need guidance from a life counseling expert at this point.

  1. You Forgo The Activities You Used To Love

When an unfortunate situation befalls an active person, he or she does not sit on the problem for too long. Maybe they’ll cry about it for a few days; perhaps they’ll go against the tides to make matters right. What these people will never do, however, is let go of the job or hobbies that they’ve always loved.

In case you catch yourself doing the opposite of that now, and months already passed since that disastrous event in your life, you need to move on without any more delay. There are far too many adventures out there, and a single occurrence shouldn’t discourage you from taking them on ever. Considering you can’t rise from the slump, though, you may then look for a good therapist.

  1. You Want To Heal

“The urge to know what your life is all about and to know your life’s direction leaves you feeling uncertain about the future and discontent with the present,” says Marcia Reynolds Psy.D. Counseling, consequently, is not merely for folks who cannot find their footing in this world. It can also encompass the ones who accept that there’s something wrong with them. After all, healing blossoms from having that frame of mind.

Source: defense.gov

 

Finally, don’t think that therapists are only helpful to people with severe mental conditions. They can assist anyone who wants to improve their way of thinking and get rid of whatever psychological burden that stops them from finding happiness. The counselors at BetterHelp, for example, are trained and experienced with providing information about various mental health issues. However, they are also available 24/7 if you simply need a listening ear or a compassionate friend who can hear you out when you are down and out. Client testimonials would tell you that many lives have turned around for good after weeks of online therapy with them. Partner with BetterHelp today.

If there’s an issue you’ve been bottling up for years, for that reason, contact a therapist soon. “The benefits of therapy extend far beyond periods of crisis,” says Ryan Howes, Ph.D., a psychologist and writer. “Many people want more than to be ‘not depressed.’ They wonder what they can do to be the happiest, most productive, most loving version of themselves.” He added.

 

 

Wondering how to be productive and how best to make use of your time and energy?

depression can make being more productive quite difficult

source: thebluediamondgallery.com

Productivity is an essential requirement at work. When we get things done, our superiors laud us for being efficient. When we’re not at our best, though, we are likely to get booted out of our jobs. “Usually, procrastination happens because a task seems too difficult to solve,” said A. Chris Heath, MD, a psychiatrist.

Or it could be stress or depression. That is why it’s hard for depressed people to keep up with work demands AND simple adjustments because WE don’t have the drive to get things done and be prolific. Thus, the big question is, how to be more productive in times like this? What do we need to do to maximize our focus and maintain peak productivity without burning out?

How To Be More Productive Despite Struggling With Your Mental Health

Staying focused at work at your own pace can be difficult. Time management in ways that are conducive to your work and environment is key to how to be more productive, but it can sometimes be hard to know where to start.

This is a story of how to stay motivated despite struggling with depression. If I can do it, why can’t you? You don’t have to change overnight. You’ve just got to stop multitasking, manage your time and prioritize time-consuming tasks or new tasks throughout the day. If you want to be more focused, you must avoid distractions and develop a routine so you can do your job efficiently. Efficient people know that eradicating interruptions and other distractions is key to staying focused. Remember: social media sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Tiktok will do their best to keep you glued to your screen. That really kills productivity levels!

Here is how online therapy helped me how to become more efficient – not just at work – but even during some of my darkest days.

Read More About My Struggles With Productivity

My Mental Health Struggles Used To Affect Everything, Including My Productivity

My depression tendencies started when I was in high school. I remembered that I’d get depressed at even the smallest things – from dates to not being able to buy the right pen brand. And though I’m far from having suicidal tendencies, there are times when I just want to crawl into my bed and forget the outside world existed.

More propensities persisted until now. I jumped from one job to another. I didn’t engage in romantic relationships for fear that I’d be lousy at it like I am at keeping appointments. My parents and a handful of friends are supportive, but I knew I needed professional help.

As I am afraid to talk about my fears and my condition face-to-face, I opted for online therapy. Through BetterHelp, I found out how to increase my productivity levels and how to have a close affinity with a great therapist.

struggling with depression and stress can affect your productivity and make you less efficient, both at work and at home.

source: pexels.com

Here are the to-do lists and productivity tips she gave on how to be productive even in a depressive episode, and pieces of advice that I think worked.

I always remembered this quote. According to  Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., “While many hours in the day might be nice, it’s not necessarily a lack of time that stops us from completing tasks and accomplishing our goals.” Depression can also do that.

Asking myself “How many hours should I go in a day to gain my own productivity?” Then I remember I should manage my responsibilities to avoid time blocks and start focusing and prioritizing the most important tasks and simply work on a creative project.

Head Outdoors And Take A Break To Be More Productive

When my sad thoughts set in, I just want to stay in my room and ruminate on them which, according to my online therapist, is not a habit of productive people. The expert said that improving productivity requires the best work habits and you cannot transform your productivity habits overnight. You need to focus in making small, incremental changes to see what works. Time spent with new ideas and important small goals and putting them all on my to-do list promotes a productive day.

I remember that the health specialist advised me to also take short regular breaks and not force myself to complete tasks daily and on schedule. My therapist added that productivity habits come from completing and focusing on one task and the next task at a time and not spending long hours on it. Thus, rest is important.

“Stop nurturing and babying your depression,” she told me. “The best time to go out is when your body wants you to stay indoors. Get a new perspective by seeing how big the world is or by breathing in the fresh air.” Taking breaks help decrease stress and increase productivity.

Fortunately, we live close to a small nature park. It’s become my favorite spot to go when I feel less productive than ever. And she’s right! A little walk or run sets my mind up that when I get back home; I’m ready to work again since increasing productivity is my point of goal.

Do What Works For You, Even If It Isn’t The Conventional Way Of Doing Things

“Goal-setting in psychology is an essential tool for self-motivation and self-drivenness – both at personal and professional levels,” according to Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, BA, certified psychiatric counselor.

Most professionals’ advice regarding productivity is to stop multi tasking and tackle the more difficult things first and then move on to the small tasks like doing emails and the like. But as this didn’t effectively work out for me, my therapist advised me to do the opposite – accomplish the smaller task first, feel a sense of accomplishment and make that my drive to do more tasks, bigger and more important next project of my job (I’m a freelance digital artist, by the way). Productive people take one task at a time to really optimize their mental real estate. This helps them with project management while also giving them a better read on their work life balance.

However, she told me to create a list of tasks with allotted timeframes (minute rule) for each and set boundaries so I don’t get lost in things despite having less time. My productivity per day has shot up since then!

So, I made the more attractive and colorful tasks list I could ever come up with (her encouragement) and followed her advice. And once again, it worked. I like seeing my list getting filled up gradually with colors. And it has been part of my productive habits and workdrive to even out the colors I use at the end of the workday.

Find An Accountability Partner To Help You Be More Productive

My accountability partner or group, said my therapist, are the ones who’ll push me to work on times that I don’t want to. Having like-minded and supportive people around you are one of your best resources. They’d ask me if I’ve done the tasks on my list and I have to keep them updated on the things I do.

As I still live with my parents, my accountability partner is my mom. She leaves me a piece of encouragement when she goes to work in the mornings, calls me twice at random times throughout the day to ask me how my overall productivity, and we have short talks at the end of the day.

Additionally, I also have some friends who I call or go to visit whenever I need a breather.

It’s my sixth month following these three simple pieces of advice from my online therapist, and so far, I get tasks done on time. I haven’t missed a deadline, and I get to work even when I’m at my downiest.

On the other hand, if you have not decided on which online therapist to connect with, it would be wise to choose BetterHelp, where professional counselors are available to provide you with information, guidance, and compassion anytime and anywhere. Your time is valuable to you and to us.

To know more about it, visit their official Facebook page, or read client reviews on this site. Sign up today and be on your way toward mental wellness.

Written By Theresa, The Blogger’s Close Friend

Like Theresa, don’t let depression push you further into its murky waters. If talking about your condition fazes you, try online therapy. It might be the HELP you need.

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