“How we deal with our inner world drives everything. Every aspect of how we love, how we live, how we parent and how we lead. The conventional view of emotions as good or bad, positive or negative, is rigid. And rigidity in the face of complexity is toxic. We need greater levels of emotional agility for true resilience and thriving.”
Susan David, Ph.D, Mindful
Beyond the Quote (127/365)
As a result of people being in quarantine because of COVID-19, there have been two conversations that have been happening at large. One group has been pushing for productivity. The idea is to use all of this extra time to do more of that you felt you never had time to do before. Start that blog; write that book; lose that weight; create that website; become that person. The other group has been pushing for conscientious recovery. The idea is that this global pandemic has radically affected all of our lives and has redefined “normal.” We need to be taking this time to mindfully cope with all of new unknowns and pay close attention to our mental health during this global crisis. Both of these schools of thought should be carefully considered by everybody.
I have felt the need to shift in both directions, towards productivity and then towards recovery and vice-versa, several times throughout the quarantine. It’s very likely that you will too. We only ever perform our best when we are in a state of equilibrium—that is to say we are balanced physically, mentally, and emotionally. The reality is, we will never be in “perfect” equilibrium. Our state of balance is in constant flux. Our bodies are constantly changing and adapting to the stresses of the environment in every which way—more so than we could ever even fully comprehend. If we’re not mindful of what’s going on inside—if we don’t check in regularly—we can very quickly lose our balance and face the natural consequences of that.
If you feel as though you have been thrown into a vortex of extra work and hustle—then the natural consequence will likely be stress and overwhelm. Many people in the quarantine have not only continued to work, but have adopted the additional roles of “home-school teacher,” “primary day-time caregiver,” “entertainment/ recreational idea leader,” “fitness coach,” “psychologist,” “childhood best friend,” while simultaneously still trying to keep the house clean, the family in peace, and themselves mentally sane. It’s no wonder that many people are having the conversation of conscientious recovery! If you find yourself in this boat, then you need to be focused on your mental health and on lightening your work load in any way possible. Here’s a list of 30 things that you might consider quitting so that you can focus more on what matters.
If you feel as though you have been thrown into a void of no work and extra time—then the natural consequence will likely be boredom/ loneliness/ and sedentarism. Many people in the quarantine have been unemployed and are without their normally scheduled activities, meetings, and errands. There’s no gym, no work, no coffee breaks, no lunch meetings, no shopping, no travel. Many of the people in this boat find themselves twiddling their thumbs—or more specifically, thumbing away on their phones, with this unprecedented amount of time.
If you find yourself in this boat, then you need to focus on keeping your mind stimulated and challenging yourself appropriately. This is not to say that you shouldn’t be conscientiously focused on your mental health and recovering from the effects of the pandemic. It’s simply a call to awareness to encourage you to balance in physical, mental, and emotional activity that will help you, not only stay healthy and growing, but better cope to the challenges of being quarantined with excessive amounts of time.
The bottom line is that both schools of thought are right—and neither should be ignored by anybody. You need to take inventory and check in with yourself mentally—although I think it will be pretty obvious to you which category you fall into. But, if your situation is a little more blurred, then you might consider meditating, journaling, or even blogging to find clarity. The importance of doing this can’t be overstated.
Mental health checks are like the lights on the dashboard of your car. If you don’t look down to see your “Check Engine Light” on and you keep driving, you’re going to face consequences. If you don’t see the “Low Tire Pressure Light” on, then you’re going to be stopped in your tracks soon enough. If you don’t realize that your “Oil Needs To Be Changed” then the engine is going to face significant issues. You have similar lights in your life. They’re the “You’re Stressed Out” light; the “You’re Low on Energy” light; the “You’re Being Lazy” light; the “Lifestyle Needs To Be Changed” light; etc. The only difference is, they don’t light up in front of your face. They light up in front of your heart. Pay attention while you’re driving. It could save you from big issues down the line. Good luck.
Read Next: 25 Quotes On The Power of Focus and How Important Focus Is For Success
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