Organize IT

We all have ups and downs in life, that’s part of being human and something we can’t change (and arguably wouldn’t even want to if we could). It can frankly suck when we feel down and unhappy, but without these dips we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the highs in life, or indeed have the motivation to reach for these highs in the first place. While we can’t level out our emotional rollercoasters, I’ve found there are plenty of things you can do to make sure those dips and drops aren’t quite so severe. All it takes is a proactive and productive approach to the problem. Below are the six main habits I’ve adopted to achieve just that.

• Identify the cause
  It could be lack of sleep or it could be a particularly rough talk with one your old friends that triggered it, but there is always a reason why you feel down. Always, always. By identifying the root cause, you can immediately start putting it all into perspective, and maybe even take measures to avoid or limit it in the future.
• Accept it
  When people feel down they usually beat themselves up over it. This sucks! Why me? But if you’ve spent all week in bed with the flu, of course you’re going to feel miserable. If your partner has just dumped you, of course you’re going to feel bad. It’s normal, it’s natural. Learn to accept it.
• Get some exercise
  There is nothing better for giving yourself a big boost of positivity than going out and getting some exercise. It naturally releases a ton of healthy chemicals into the brain without all the nasty side-effects.
• Get a good night’s sleep
  Like exercise, getting plenty of sleep is a great, natural boost. When I am tired I get cranky, moody and feel more sensitive and touchy. When you’re like that, a misplaced word from a friend, or a under-par performance in a test can quickly become a Big, Emotional Issue™. By getting a good night’s sleep you can gain a clearer perspective.
• Get active
  When you’re feeling down, it’s tempting to just sit around and not do much. If life sucks, what’s the point in doing anything? Sure, when in this sort of mood focusing on key projects from your to-do list might not be particularly constructive, but doing  anything is better than sitting on the sofa. It gives you something else to focus on.
• Surround yourself with positivity
  Negativity feeds on negativity. If you’re feeling down the last thing you need is to be surrounded  by other people in a similar mood. Rather than watching a depressing film, put a comedy on. Rather than discussing the current economic climate, talk about how your football team has just won the league for the third time in a row (sorry, I just had to get that in).

I should stress that there is a big difference between outright depression and sadness. If you feel like you can’t cope or there is no apparent cause for your unhappiness make sure you see a doctor.

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