Sadly, we still seem to live in a society obsessed with working long hours, getting little sleep, and wearing all of that as some sort of badge of honour (more like a badge of stupidity, really).
Not surprisingly, over time this WILL catch up with you.
A lack of quality sleep (and/or a terrible sleeping pattern) has been proven to affect people quite dramatically.
You’ll end up impatient with yourself and others, you’ll make poor decisions, and you will eventually shorten your lifespan. Sounds like fun.
But, you know, “sleep when you’re dead”, right…?
Poor nutrition and fitness
Not eating enough, and not eating the right stuff has also been shown to have a negative effect on people.
Eating poorly for a lengthy period of time will result in less energy, poor health, and low enjoyment of life in general. So it’s time to put down that McQuadrupleBypass Burger…
Oh, and while you’re at it, maybe it’s time to get some exercise too!
Our work culture doesn’t put enough emphasis on the importance of downtime. At best, we might have weekends and two-weeks off a year. At worst, we virtually have neither!
But, again, studies consistently show that we NEED to have breaks and downtime.
We need to get away, take our minds off work, and relax. That relaxation might simply involve rest, or it might involve doing other activities and hobbies that bring you enjoyment.
Of course, if your day-to-day work is enjoyable (which should be the goal of it!), it’s still a good idea to unplug every now and then to keep your mind fresh. After all, the mind is like every other muscle. It needs regular rest to ensure you are at your peak.
If you feel like shit, there’s a strong possibility that it’s been a while since you had a really good laugh.
Time to trigger that funny bone again then (keep it G-rated people)!
Lack of human interaction
This one can be a big one. And it’s basically a feeling of isolation.
Even if you work in an office every day, it’s still possible to feel isolated. Many office environments can have a very stiff and artificial feel where no one is quite themselves, and as a result people don’t form genuine friendships.
One of the solutions to this (besides trying to work in a better environment in the first place!) is to pursue hobbies that interest you, and meet people that enjoy those same activities. You can do this online, or – better yet – in the real world!
Personally, I’m constantly amazed at how much of a difference just getting out and doing stuff with people can make to one’s mood. A simple bushwalk with friends, a game of cards, or a movie and some late night munchies can make a world of difference.
Hanging out with the wrong people
Having said the above, perhaps isolation isn’t your problem. Perhaps you’re surrounded by lots of people. But they’re just not the right people for you!
Perhaps they’re overly negative people who have some very warped views about the world. Perhaps they’re just not fun to be around.
In that case, it’s best to minimise your time with such individuals, and focus on developing friendships with people who are much more fun.
Get a piece of paper and a pen (get away from the computer), and start to make a list of absolutely everything you feel anxious or worried about RIGHT NOW, at this precise moment in time.
Keep writing until you can’t think of anything more. This might take 20 minutes, or it might take 2 hours.
Seriously, get it ALL down on paper, no matter how stupid you think it might be.
As you write, you’re not allowed to read back through what you’ve just written. No editing. Just keep writing the list. Keep going until you literally can’t write any more.
Once you’ve exhausted everything you can think of (eventually, you WILL run out of thoughts), you might start to feel a bit better. You have now LITERALLY put everything onto the page.
Now go get some sleep and look at the list tomorrow when you feel a little better.
The next day, with a fresh outlook, you can start to look back through your list a bit more rationally, and with less emotion. It just might help you see clearly what the problem was/is in the first place.
Sometimes, there might be no problem at all! Maybe you were just having an off-day.