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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.

 

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  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

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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.

FAQs About Being More Productive

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With this Coronavirus issue that you are dealing with, perhaps you are already bored and unmotivated. But if you think about it, you genuinely have a lot of free time. Thus, you can choose to waste all of it and lay around the couch all day, or you can choose to invest it and do something productive. Honestly, the choice is yours. But if you want to consider the latter, the best way to use your time productively is by learning and developing new skill sets. That way, when things get back to normal, which eventually will, you will become ready and more prepared.

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Choose A Skillset That Can Create An Immediate Impact – It is essential to note that the best skillset you need to focus on is the ones that can impact your career, business, and life. Do not try and engage in a skillset that might take you years to accomplish results. Not only it may become obsolete in the years to come, but you might get exhausted overtime as well. Therefore, consider something that you can learn quickly. It should be a skill set that you can use and implement right now. It should be entirely practical. Some examples would be cooking, baking, digital marketing, coding, graphic arts, copywriting, and web business development. These skillsets have the potential to grow in the future due to the change of economic needs.

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Choose A Skillset That You Can Learn From The Comfort Of Your Home – With all the limitations, restrictions, and health dangers due to the Coronavirus pandemic, staying at home is essential. Therefore, use the opportunity to learn things through the internet. You do not need to go to a physical location. You only have to rely on your computer. But take note; consider learning new skillsets one at a time. Do not go crazy over learning too many is a short period. Do not juggle three or more because it can slow down the process of completion. That is because the possibility of distraction is high due to the other tasks that might get in the way. So focus on one thing at a time.

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Choose A Skillset that You Are Passionate About – One thing that you need to consider when trying to learn a new skillset is your willingness to accomplish it. If you engage in learning something that is not related to your fortes or thinks less about it, you might not be able to finish what you have started. So to avoid this, choose a skillset that you are passionate about and not that you only try for the sake of wanting to learn something. So if you like drawing, proceed to learn graphic arts. If you know a little bit about computer programming, then continue to learning software development. Just do not go overboard with what is only available. Choose the skillset you know you will spend a lot of hours learning, giving extra effort, and aiming for the best results.

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Takeaway

Honestly, learning a new skill set, whatever it is, is still valuable. But for practicality, some skills will become more in demand than the others. That is why it is essential to engage in those skill sets that will guarantee you a better financial and work stability. That way, whatever uncertainties that may come in your life, you can still become confident because you know you have the potential to adapt socially and economically. And once this whole pandemic situation is over, your newly acquired skills will help you get through the struggle.

All of us are suffering enough in this health crisis, and we wish for it to be over. Though we don’t see any progress in its cure yet, we know that people are trying their best to slow down the outbreak. We know that we are responsible for both spreading and flattening the curve. Yes, there are still cases of Coronavirus infection out there. But with all our efforts, soon we will be in control again. And once this terrifying experience is over, we can all sit back and think about the lessons this pandemic contributes to our lives.

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Preparation Is Always Essential

One thing that all of us can recognize is that this pandemic caused the world collateral damage. That until now, it is difficult to handle everything that relates to the situation. And if we ask ourselves why this happened, the answer would be our inability to think ahead of possibilities. There are full of assumptions and fewer preparations. We are too confident that things will not turn out this way because we, humans, believe we are in control.

When we think about it, we are incapable of handling the situation in all aspects. We are not ready to face a world health crisis, and we are not prepared to provide everyone the help we all need. Sadly, all of us underestimated this virus. That is why we responded a little bit too late. And since we are full of supposition, we ignored some of the possible damages that now became part of our struggle.

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People Are Selfish In Nature

In this pandemic situation, we now witnessed how selfish people can be. And that even if other people are dying and struggling to find a living during this time, others can sit and watch them suffer. No, not all people are like that. Some are willing to help. But of course, there are limitations as well. We can’t blame them because, in this time of crisis, all of us aim for one thing – survival.

In times like this, we all think about the betterment of the world and its people. However, we cannot deny the fact that our top priority is ourselves. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. We value our lives, and we don’t want to experience such unfortunate situations because we believe we don’t deserve that. But don’t we?

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Life Is Too Short

Once this whole thing is over, we can all agree that life is too short for us to give a damn about unworthy things. Like for example, this pandemic targets everyone regardless of their status in life. So if you think about it, money cannot do anything. It is unable to save a lot of people from the depths of despair. Yes, money is essential in this current state. But still, the virus doesn’t care about that.

We all understand that this situation is very challenging, and none of us are aware of its uncertainties. So once this is over, we might as well value our lives and the lives of our loved ones. We need to remind them how much they mean to us. We have to exert any effort in spending time with them because we never know when ours and their lives would end.

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We hear the saying “there’s a rainbow always after the rain” all the time. Honestly, that is true. This pandemic situation reminds us that everything in this world is temporary. Therefore, we can have the same opinion that it is about time that we change our ways. Hopefully, right after this health crisis, we won’t make the same mistakes again.

 

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“When two individuals choose to form a marital union, their decision has enormous power—for better or for worse—over the quality of their lives. Their marriage can bring them infinite blessings or can usher in disappointment, strife, anger, and depression,” says Susan Heitler Ph.D.

How do you think a married couple treats each other after years of being together? “Profound romantic love is characterized by the wish to be with the partner all the time. This, however, can harm each one’s personal space,” says Aaron Ben-Zeév Ph.D.

When they remain in love, you will see the wife making breakfast or preparing the husband’s stuff, and vice versa. Once that fades but the friendship stays, they will still perform activities as a tandem and perhaps understand one another more. However, if the love is there yet work is starting to put a wedge in between the couple, the marriage might suffer big-time.

Below are the red flags showing how that will possibly take place.

 

  1. You Have Irregular Shifts

The continually changing operating hours only suits single individuals. In case you have to cover different shifts after every week or so, that’s just okay in the beginning or if you work around the same time as your better half. Once he or she complains that you are never home when they are and turns bitter anytime you need to go to the job site, though, then the sign that your marriage is in jeopardy becomes as clear as day.

 

Source: pixabay.com

 

  1. If Your Spouse Cannot Listen To Your Talks About Work, You Become Detached

When you get hired by a new company, your better half will most likely be as excited as you are and want to know everything about your projects, how your colleagues treat you, et cetera. Considering the eagerness already dies down because your job is all you wish to speak of with your spouse, however, you may think that he or she isn’t happy for you. Thus, you talk less to them unless the subject concerns the bills and what-not.

The reality is that any sane husband or wife loves to see their significant other succeed in their chosen craft. It’s just that you might be overdoing it, and there’s no time for you to talk about various things, such as the spouse’s work, the kids, and many more. Think about that next time before getting angry whenever they feign disinterest regarding your job.

 

  1. You Bring Home Stress From Work

Another red flag is letting stress come with you from the office. When that happens, your patience level is undoubtedly not that high; that’s why you might pick a fight with your significant other over the tiniest mistakes.

Now, in case you have a super understanding husband or wife, they will know better than to egg you on at that moment. But remember as well that you married a mortal – not a saint – so you should control your mood swings and avoid bringing stress back to the house.

 

  1. You Forget Significant Occasions

The final nail to the marriage coffin is losing track of all the relevant events that you used to celebrate together. You can stay in the office for eight hours straight and even work overtime, but it’ll be great if you don’t forget to come home early for special occasions like anniversary, birthday, et cetera. Your lack of recollection of those dates might make the spouse feel as if the job already replaced family on your priority list, and that can’t be good.

 

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Loving your job isn’t a crime. The work gives you the ability to pay for your expenses instead of making your husband or wife shoulder them. Despite that, do not love it more than your spouse. That will ruin your marriage, for sure. “The decision to get married might entail a confrontation that seems adversarial and awfully unpleasant,” says Susi Ferrarello Ph.D. It will take a lot of work and effort if you want it to last.

 

Knowing that you are in a relationship with ‘the one’ allows a sense of serenity to wash over you. In case you used to speed through life in the past, you now wish to slow down the time so that you can stay with that person longer. Being stuck in a traffic jam or waiting in a long line to enter a restaurant does not bother you as much as before too, considering it gives you the opportunity to talk to or think about the love of your life freely. 

Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Has anyone ever mentioned that you cannot have everything you wish for at once?  

Sacrifice, according to folklore, after all, is the key to success. You need to give up on one thing to achieve something. Thus, you may see that some people choose to be a stay-at-home parent and leave the corporate world or remain in the workforce without thinking of starting a family.  

Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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There’s nothing wrong with striving hard for you to achieve your desired career goal and at the same time be a loving and responsible partner. The thing is, wanting to have both is seemingly impossible due to the demands required on each side; there’s just so much to do that neglect without compromise happens, mostly taking for granted current relationships. But as what Dr. Jim Healy, counseling psychologist, quoted, “You may find that you can modify your job expectations in order to leave more time for family.”

No Is No

Are you always there when your boss needs you? Do you set your ringtone loud enough to wake you up in the middle of the night just in case a problem suddenly arises at the office? In a demanding position, it’s common to feel “on call” at all times, just in case some unforeseen need arises, says Erika Boissiere, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Are you the type of person who leaves a dinner date so that you can go to the office to double-check on a file that you already submitted? If your answer is resounding “yes,” then, congratulations, you have officially become a work zombie.

Avoid the incessant and increasingly ludicrous demands by mobilizing the power of saying “No.” Think before you agree on something that will eat up a lot of your time or is something that is not worth your time at all. If you can’t answer immediately, tell the person that you need a moment to think about it and that you’ll get back to him or her in a while. However, if you believe that you cannot do what is asked of you because you have someone waiting for you at home, just blurt it out and don’t hesitate to say no.

What Happens At Work, Stays At Work

Do not bring work home or do not even entertain any work-related thoughts that go inside your mind when you’re somewhere else. Once you step out of the office, anything that you haven’t finished for that particular day, you can do it the next day. If you are bothered that you have extra work lying around that you might forget, write them down as reminders on a post-it and stick it on your desktop monitor. Acknowledge that there will be work that requires more than 8 hours to finish and which can be done the next day.

Forbid Checking Emails

 

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Banning all employees to check their work emails the moment the clock strikes six is an excellent made-up law because this will force everyone to obey and stay focused on other important aspects of your life like family and friends. Although, it might be a bit tricky not to log into your email due to that twitchy feel of your fingers wanting to take a peek if there’s an announcement from work or an email from the big man. Often, checking of emails while you’re at home or having a vacation is not added productivity but just unnecessary and untimely stress. Daniel J. Levitin PhD, a cognitive psychologist, writes, “An email that you know is sitting there, unread, may sap attentional resources as your brain keeps thinking about it, distracting you from what you’re doing.

Do Not Reply Immediately

As much as possible, make them wait for your response. Do not come running around in an instant if you see that there’s a new email sent to you or that there’s a new notification in your company’s group chat. A pretty good technique to set ground rules and prevent incessant requests is to make it clear that a response will be provided within 24 to 48 hours. On the other hand, if you received a text message which requires an immediate response, you can always opt to say no. The point is, you are trying to tell people that you are a person who has a life and is not tied to his or her desk.

Admittedly, these techniques are hard to apply especially if you are just a new member of the team or are continually struggling to be promoted. But if you’re really determined to reach your goals and still be a good partner, you should know how to handle your time, as well as the people around you.

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Ever get that feeling that no matter how intricately you’ve planned, there’s still not enough time in a week to fulfill everything? “As life gets more expanded it’s very hard, both neurologically and psychologically, to keep that habit of perfection going,” says Marilyn Puder-York, PhD.

 

If you find yourself always hustling, always wrestling with every hour of every day, you are not the only one. Apparently, the more obligations or responsibilities that fill your plate, the more difficult it becomes to get the sweet taste of that sense of equilibrium. Even so, achieving work-life balance is not impossible.

 

The demands of the current economy weighing in on people who have full-time jobs with side tasks create a feasible struggle in attaining work-life balance. So how can people successfully cope with the demands of their professional life without compromising their personal lives?

 

Recognize Work As A Choice You Make

 

Creating and maintaining a business necessitates relentless concentration which consumes a tremendous chunk of emotion and energy. Therefore, you have to ensure that you don’t sacrifice a lot to reach the goal, making sure that whatever challenges that you are about to face are channeled into constructive alterations. Remind yourself that work is a choice you make every day, and despite the increasingly overwhelming sense of duties and responsibilities, you have the freedom to do whatever you want. That said, do not devote all of your time striving for your business to succeed; there’s always another day for that. End your days doing the things that you love or you’re passionate about. “If you have an intense work schedule, intentional, mindful nurturing of your relationship is essential” – Erika Boissiere MFT.

 

Center On Yourself

 

Building structure while achieving balance has always been a struggle in the business field, and even though you claim that you have “switched off” entirely to make time for personal needs, you’re never really truly gone from work. It is an exasperating experience that even if you’re someplace else enjoying a glass of margarita, your mind is still bothered by the presentation that you’ll have to do in a couple of days, thus, the reason why people can never attain work-life balance.

 

You have to remember that once you step out of that office, you leave everything behind and focus on making time for the things that you want to do. This is how you center on yourself. Make sure that you get enough amount of rest and sleep so that your mind is equipped with clarity and sensibility. During the weekends, go out with your friends or power down on vacation to find yourself that well-deserved balance. Reflections at home are also ideal. Just see to it that distractions like phone notifications are turned off, so you are not itching to check or respond.

 

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Be Inspired And Encouraged By Other People

 

While it is sometimes overwhelming to create a plan on how to achieve work-life balance, some people have successfully done it, and the secret is by drawing inspiration and encouragement from the people around you – your colleagues. Work can become so stressful that it bleeds into life. Finding strength from your core group to conquer and accomplish tasks efficiently and successfully is necessary.

 

Furthermore, these work individuals can positively embolden your spirit to indulge in common passions. Choose your company by surrounding yourself with people who match your spirit and enthusiasm, which can lead to an earnest crusade to better yourself. Quoting Kathy Caprino LLC, a career and executive coach, “People who inspire and uplift others have done the work to heal their wounds.”

 

While all of these tips provided are easier said than done, the technique is to primarily work with people who challenge and stimulate you to grow. Aside from making work less demeaning and stressful, supportive co-workers also provide a boost of energy that people require to face a tough day ahead. Lastly, never underestimate the little amount of time that you give yourself on a daily basis because this is your intentional self-care.