Making it (to) Work when you’re not Feeling 100%

Making it (to) Work when you’re not Feeling 100%

While ideally the private and the professional life need to be kept distinct from each other, in reality it is a very thin, and porous line dividing the two. The line is especially blurred and porous when your mental health is suffering, and you are not at a great place in your life. You could be dealing with the insurmountable loss of a parent, an extremely bad break up, a lack of stability in your personal life, coping with being friendless in a new city, or sometimes even feeling anxious and depressed for no reason at all. On days like these, when you are going through hell, how do you get yourself to Work? How do you clock it from 9 to 5, without letting the battle you are fighting within, take over?

Half the job is done when you decide to show up

Yes, at times, it is enough to just be able to summon the will power to show up. Set backs can be extremely difficult to deal with. Respect the fact that you are after all a human being who is not immune to hurt and heart break. Your will to perform and be productive at work is not independent of your mental health status. More than anything else, your mental health status is not a switch which can be turned on at 9 am and turned off at 5 pm. On days like these, getting out of bed, getting dressed, having breakfast and just making it to your desk on time is enough. It is progress, and it is something you should be proud of being able to do. Because on days like these, just showing up can be the most difficult thing to do. Just show up – that’s all you need to do until you’re feeling better.

Do the mundane, and the everyday – a routine can work wonders

When you are depressed and still getting over what has happened, you might find yourself craving anything but the ordinary, the mundane. Doing the everyday things scare us the most. Because given our frame of mind at that point, it is easier to distract ourselves, than to focus on doing things that need to be done. It is easier to stress eat, than to follow an established exercise routine. When you feel like you are being swept away by feelings of commotion within you, don’t run to distractions, let it pass and turn to the regular chore that demands your focus. Remember that it is only when you start doing the everyday things, when you start following a routine and discipline yourself will you truly be able to come back.

So show up at work, and do what you would have done on an ordinary day. Even if it is boring. Even if it feels like the most difficult thing to do in the world is to sit at your desk and draft an email to your client. Do it, and give yourself a pat for having achieved what you thought was the most difficult thing ever. And then keep doing enough of these tasks till you start feeling like you’ve got this.

Accept help – it is okay to not be okay

When someone has a broken leg in a cast at work, there are so many people who notice that he might need some extra help. Unfortunately, not many people are good at reading the subtle, and not-so-subtle signs of when someone is suffering from bad mental health. Wish there was some kind of cast for that, but there isn’t-yet. It is important to accept the help that is offered to you when you are dealing with mental health issues. It is important not just because it will help you, but also because it is an exercise in sensitizing other people around you who need to be more sensitive in identifying people who are not feeling a 100%, and offering to help. It is equally important for people who are not feeling okay, to know that they can reach out for help, and accept the help that is offered.

Be gentle with yourself, accept everything you’re feeling

Some days you will succeed in showing up, some days you won’t. And that’s okay. Some days you’ll feel inspired to be disciplined and follow a routine, some days you just want to eat cake all day. And that’s okay. Some days you’ll reach out for help and accept it when it’s given to you, on other days, you just want to be left alone. That’s okay too! Remember that more than anything else, you need to be gentle and patient with yourself. The road to emotional recovery is not linear. You might stick to a routine for a week, and then find yourself in a slump for the next five days. Don’t feel disheartened. Don’t feel like you’re back to square one. Because emotional healing is not linear, it is a constant journey. A journey inward where you discover something new about yourself every day.

If today is feeling especially rough, take courage and know that it will get better. Know that it’s always the darkest before the dawn. And know that above all, you are not alone.

5 Simple Ways to Liven Up your Work Space

5 Simple Ways to Liven Up your Work Space

An inspiring work space goes a long way in keeping you motivated and productive. Given that we all spend at least 7-8 hours at our work spaces, it is important to have one which gives you good vibes. And if you don’t have a very inspiring Work Space, you can make one. Here are five simple ways how.

  1. Appropriate Lighting

    Often, lighting is limited to only about 15 inches of your work space. This means you squeeze yourself into those 15 inches of light to be able to focus properly. Ideally, the lighting should be directly over your work space – at the center, so as to equally light up your entire work station. This enables you to focus effortlessly, and also maintains proper ambient light which is crucial for making you feel relaxed and calm.

  2. Green it up!

    From little cacti, succulents to the larger varieties of Areca palm – a little green at your work spaces goes a long way in helping you feel happy, calm and centered. They also come with the obvious benefits of natural air purification. There are plenty of low maintenance plants you can choose from, the ones stated above being just a few amongst them. Feeling confused about which plant to adopt? Have a look at this catalogue!

  3. Add frames

    Not too many, just a few depending on how big your work station is. Go with images that reflect positive vibes, and put a smile on your face when you see them. Ideally, you should go for frames which are simple, and not cluttered with too much happening in them. The purpose of what you put around you should be to help you focus, and not aid your distractions. Therefore, going with a mountain scenery should be preferable to putting up a busy market scene where there’s too much happening, and every time you see it you notice (or want to notice) something new.

  4. The magic of a cork board

    The old school charm of a cork board can never go out of fashion. Whether to use it as a vision board, for to-do lists, inspirational love notes to self or just to pin some art up, a cork board is an indispensable item when trying to claim a space as yours. Given that this is to be used for your work space, make sure you are careful about what you put up – unless you work at home. The key is once again to put things up that help focus and motivate, and aren’t distracting.

  5. Personalize

    Personalization goes beyond what’s is visible to the naked eye. Going to your work space should feel like the integral experience it is. Stock up on your favorite tea or coffee. Keep a go-to (but healthy) snack ready. Spend time creating those two playlists – one for deep work, one for regular work. Choose a fragrance that helps you breathe better – it could be in the form of incense or potpourri or even a scented candle.

    The idea is to create a space that feels like you! A space you look forward to getting to, a space that motivates you and inspires you to do, and to do more. And this can be done with a little bit of time, almost no money and lots of soul. So if you have these ingredients, step up and take on this therapeutic project of reclaiming your work space and making it truly yours!