{Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe}
I’ve written about the subject of laziness several times in my blog (here, here, and here), and this week has been exceptionally rough to get through. I attribute my dysphoria to a combination of factors: mental exhaustion (struggling with recent loss that I wrote about here, weekly sessions with my therapist exploring the origins of my overwhelmingly self-critical tendencies), the weather changes (hello, hibernation mode), and the upcoming holidays. Rather than writing a deeply emotional post, I felt it would be appropriate given my current mood to instead write about 3 things I did this week to combat the seasonal blues. I may be a psychiatrist who inherently gives advice, but I seriously learn a lot from my patients and others. Would love to hear about any techniques you apply to prevent from feeling down this time of year as well!
1. Write a simple to-do list. I used to be overly-ambitious with my lists, but that just left me feeling worse and unaccomplished if I couldn’t get everything done. This week, I listed 3 mandatory responsibilities plus a few smaller, easier tasks (yes, I even listed getting the mail as a task and felt great when I checked it off my list!).
2. Get moving. Though the couch and Netflix seem far more appealing than going to the gym, I struck a balance by going out for a quick jog. Even a 15 minute run helped provide some exercise and made me feel less isolated.
3. Schedule an activity with a friend..and don’t flake! When I have something planned, I hold myself more accountable and am less likely to cancel, especially if it’s with a friend. Even something as simple as putting on makeup for an outing made me feel more like my usual self again.
Thought of the Day: What different techniques do you utilize and find helpful?
