It is a world of confusion we are living in! As things open up to some extent, we all are trying our best to have a balanced mindset. How about we provide some tips to acquire a positive mindset?
In today’s post, we are going to provide some quick pointers which may be used to reach a state of positivity or at least to a sense of calm. We are here to help you find the signal amidst all the noise. And the signal mostly lies within you.
So, here are some simple tips to stay positive amidst the chaos.
Celebrate:
This obviously sounds contradictory. What is there to celebrate? And how does one celebrate when we aren’t supposed to be near each other, literally.
Celebrating little accomplishments is necessary to stay sane. Whether you are working remotely or in the office, focus on the day to day accomplishments. It could be anything from successfully learning a new digital skill, to having met a deadline successfully, to finally getting in touch with a client after a long time. Gather colleagues over a Zoom meeting maybe once or twice a week just to celebrate the tiny to major accomplishments of each individual, collectively. If you are in the office, spare a few minutes at the end of the workday and maybe have a session where everyone claps and provides a shout out to each individual’s accomplishments of the day.
Or just give yourself a pat on the back, maybe do a little jig, and have a mini-party by yourself!
Look After Yourself:
The WHO had listed out some guidelines to look after oneself a couple of months ago. Those guidelines apply even now, in fact more than ever. The pandemic is far from over, and just because many workplaces have opened up, doesn’t mean we should stop following guidelines about mental health and well-being.
In fact, things could be even more stressful now, owing to the worry about one’s health, plus the fact that some of us just follow the office-home, office-home routine, without being able to go to other places like malls and parks to unwind, making it a monotonous life, even more than it was before. It is indeed important to follow the mental health guidelines!
Some of the guidelines include:
- Maintaining a routine where you also make time to do something you like; all work and no play makes us all gloomy!
- Minimizing news consumption; stay informed but keep the filter on.
- Having regular (socially distanced) interactions with loved ones.
- Reducing screen time; forwards will keep coming, people will keep posting, emails will flood but it is important to not drown in information.
These guidelines will indeed help one to distinguish the signal from all the noise, resulting in a calmer mindset.
Ask For Help:
While we have everyone telling us to be empathetic towards our colleagues in these times, it is also necessary to not take the burden all on oneself.
If you feel overwhelmed by multitasking, or just in general due to the situation, do not hesitate to ask for help. That help could mean delegating certain tasks, or it could simply mean talking to a colleague about how burdened you feel and asking for their suggestions. Or simply just sharing individual struggles with each other, which can help us feel we are not alone in this; sharing is indeed caring, but sharing is also a form of self-care.
Conscious Attempt:
There are articles and blogs telling us to embrace the uncertainty. We are being told to embrace the new normal. Sure, but all of this not possible unless we change our mindset, consciously, deliberately.
Studies have shown it is possible to rewire your brain, to train your brain to see the positive in any situation.
Some quick ways to begin are:
- Observe your thoughts, focus which ones are negative, which ones are positive. Focus on the positive, and for the negative ones, start thinking of possible ways to handle them instead of dwelling on them. Diverting to a solution oriented approach from a problem focussing approach is an important shift.
- Look for (at least) three positive things that happened during the day. It could be anything supposedly trivial, like being able to wake up strong and healthy; or successfully starting your work on time; or having a heard the funniest joke from a colleague. Do you see how little celebrations can be found anywhere?
- Look after yourself. It is not surprising that most of the guidelines for the pandemic include taking care of one’s mind and body. Now, it is understandable that it is not easy to always find time, but it is the conscious effort to do so that makes the difference, which gives signals to your mind and body to do something, rather than being stuck on a negative state of sinking thoughts.
So, in our own conscious attempt to focus on the positive, we would like to give you, the reader a shout-out for handling a global pandemic the way you are doing so. The fact that you are reading this article shows that you are indeed trying your best to keep a balanced outlook amidst the chaos. Kudos to the human spirit!