Maintain Your Clean Home With A Soft Hand
Once youve cleaned or decluttered one or more areas of your home, of course youll want to try and keep these spaces tidy.
Strategies you might use include the one in, one out rule or the one touch rule. You might try to get into a more regular cleaning routine so that maintenance becomes easier.
For example, doing the dishes after dinner each night might become a habit, or a quick evening pickup of toys from the living room floor. Once again, be sure all of this effort isnt falling on your shoulders alone if you can help it.
Do your best with regular upkeep but understand that you need to live your life.
Especially if you have kids in the home, things arent always going to be picture perfect. Most of the images you see on Instagram arent reality.
Remember, at the end of your life, chances are youre not going to look back and wish youd kept your home cleaner. So, try not to stress too much if things get dirty or out of place for a little while.
You dont want to be so focused on maintaining your home that you miss out on making enjoyable memories in it. Its not a museumits your living space.
While cleaning is never just a one-time effort, decluttering and minimalism can have many lasting benefits, including less time spent cleaning and tidying in the future so you can focus on more meaningful parts of life.
Reframe What You Think About Depression
Simple steps can help you overcome inertia and move forward, even when youâre down.
Depression can sap your motivation to perform even the simplest of tasks, let alone tackle bigger challenges. Research shows that depressed people have a harder time finding motivation to go to work, go out with friends, even clean the house.
One way to be productive despite depression is to see depression as a habit, says Joseph Luciani, PhD, a psychologist in New York City and the author of Self-Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression. Viewing depression as a tendency rather than an illness puts you behind the wheel, so to speak, and may help you change your life. Here are 10 ways to find inspiration to take on daily life⦠despite depression.
Emerging Trends In Substance Misuse:
- MethamphetamineIn 2019, NSDUH data show that approximately 2 million people used methamphetamine in the past year. Approximately 1 million people had a methamphetamine use disorder, which was higher than the percentage in 2016, but similar to the percentages in 2015 and 2018. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Data shows that overdose death rates involving methamphetamine have quadrupled from 2011 to 2017. Frequent meth use is associated with mood disturbances, hallucinations, and paranoia.
- CocaineIn 2019, NSDUH data show an estimated 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were past users of cocaine, including about 778,000 users of crack. The CDC reports that overdose deaths involving have increased by one-third from 2016 to 2017. In the short term, cocaine use can result in increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability. In the long term, severe medical complications of cocaine use include heart attacks, seizures, and abdominal pain.
- KratomIn 2019, NSDUH data show that about 825,000 people had used Kratom in the past month. Kratom is a tropical plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia with leaves that can have psychotropic effects by affecting opioid brain receptors. It is currently unregulated and has risk of abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that health effects of Kratom can include nausea, itching, seizures, and hallucinations.
Resources:
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How To Declutter When You Dont Want To Get Rid Of Anything
I could go into all of the ways to declutter your home, but were talking about real life here.
Lets talk about some fast ways to declutter your house and get things back under control.
First, go through each room with a trash bag and throw things away that are obviously garbage or broken.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how far you can make it through your house.
Next, box up anything you dont use on a regular basis.
This is another one of those pieces of advice that loses friends quickly.
But what if I need it?
How will I ever find it if Im looking for it?
Ive heard it all but what stands out to me is the number of success stories Ive received since I got ballsy enough to write about this.
My answer for all of those questions?
Label it and then LET IT GO!
Listen, you know all of that stuff is there somewhere. Its not missing, its just in a box.
Stand in front of your most cluttered flat surface.
This is probably a dresser or a section of counter space.
Toss every single thing you dont use regularly into a box.
Either label the box with the items inside if you intend to keep it, or label it donate and move it to the trunk of your car.
Will you ride around with it in there for a few months?
Probably.
But with donation dumpsters popping up all over the place, Im betting youll find a way to get rid of it before it drives you too crazy.
I wrote out all of my lazy systems for overwhelmed people like us check it out here!
Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs
Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.
The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
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Take It One Step At A Time In The Mornings
If you wake up depressed, the idea of working your way through the day can feel like a real struggle. Rather than thinking about the day in its entirety, focus on the first thing that you need to do, which could be making a cup of tea, feeding your pet or taking a shower. Whatever it is, keep it simple.
Once you have finished the task, take a minute to recognise the big step that you have taken and use this to motivate yourself to do another simple task, which could be pouring yourself a bowl of cereal, brushing your teeth, or opening the curtains. Breaking the morning down into easy-to-manage steps can stop it from becoming overwhelming.
Little Motivation Tricks For Getting Through The Day With Depression
Picture this: youre lying in bed or sitting on the couch, devoid of energy. Theres a pile of dishes waiting for you in the sink, your dog is giving you a guilty I need to eat look and you have several imminent assignment deadlines going off like fire alarms in your head. But, no matter how hard you try no matter how anxious the pile of responsibilities makes you you just cant do it.
If this sounds familiar, then youve experienced one of the most common symptoms of depression. Depression sucks the energy out of you, leaving you exhausted and unable to budge. Its no wonder many with depression find the spoon theory to be apt to their lived experience.
We decided to ask our mental health community what little tricks they have for getting motivated when depression drags them down. Maybe depression is telling you that youve already tried them all, but we hope youll find a few unexpected gems in the answers they gave us.
Here is what they said:
1. I convince myself all I gotta do is one thing today. But in order to do that one thing, I need to get out of bed to do it. Usually I say food or washroom, something I cant go without. That works for me. Like a pep talk before starting the day. Mizheekay H.
7. Make a list and put on some music that motivates me to move. Otherwise, Ill spend days just going from the bed to the couch and back. Suzy J.
What motivation tricks would you add? Let us know in the comments below.
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How To Run When You Cant Get Out Of Bed
Depression & anxiety can often take away your energy, here’s how to benefit from a run when you don’t feel like it…
I wake up daunted by the day ahead, Im tired after a night of interrupted sleep as I worry about the tasks on my to-do list. I look at my running clothes in the corner ready to take me outside and I debate just trying to catch another 30 mins. I know however that this will just leave me feeling worse. So I drag myself out of the covers and get dressed.
Within five minutes Im out in the bracing cold, slowly jogging to warm up. Already my head has switched off to the tasks ahead, Im just thinking about my body:
How do I feel? Am I a bit stiff? How is my breathing?
I start to look around and see the morning dew, the mist as the sun starts to rise, I listen to the sounds of the early morning birds. My heart is now pumping, Im feeling good, those feel-good hormones are doing their job! I start to feel alive, my body is settling into a rhythm and the feelings of tiredness ebb away. I havent got time for a long route today, Ive got a lot to achieve, but Im back and I did it!
I congratulate myself and feel quite buzzed as I prepare myself breakfast after my run. Then I get ready to get the kiddies up for school and to tackle the to-do list. Im so glad I got my running stuff out last night and didnt miss out on this feeling of wellbeing.
How To Get Motivated When Depressed
If youre feeling unmotivated as a result of your depression, the prospect of doing things to try and motivate yourself may seem impossible and somewhat paradoxical. You may be wondering how youll find the motivation to motivate yourself!
However, there are a number of really simple things you can do that can help to boost your mood and motivation levels, helping you to feel better, more in control and enable you to cope with depression symptoms when they arise.
You could try the following:
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Ways To Manage Your Symptoms
Treating your underlying condition will go a long way toward helping you resolve your issues with waking up. Whatever the cause, it will help to practice good sleep habits:
- Follow a schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to help control your body clock.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine: These can disrupt your sleep.
- Limit naps: Long naps in the daytime may make it hard to fall asleep at night. If you do need a catnap, donât rest for longer than 30 minutes, and donât snooze late in the day.
- Exercise: Daily physical activity can boost energy and might also help you sleep better. But donât overdo it too close to bedtime.
- Make your room sleep-friendly: Too much light or noise might make it hard to fall asleep. Use shades, earplugs, or a white noise machine to create a comfy place to sleep. Also, make sure your bedroom is cool. Between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal.
- Stay away from screens: Using tablets, phones, TVs, laptops, and other gadgets before bed can throw off your bodyâs clock. This can make it harder to go to sleep. Try to ditch the devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
Certain medicines or other therapies can also help you get a better nightâs rest.
Itâs important to see your doctor if you think you have dysania, or any sleep problem, so you can get the help you need.
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Take A Mental Health Day
You know what? Living with depression is hard. Some days are harder than others. And once in a while, you just need a break. Dont be afraid to take a mental health day once in a while.
Even if you spend the day home in your bed watching Netflix, reading, or playing video games, cut yourself some slack and give yourself permission from time to time. Just dont make a habit of it!
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It Starts With Action
Believing that you can be there for yourself doesnt come from thinking it, affirming it, wishing it, or trying to manifest it it comes from what you do, the actual doing and accomplishing. Creating this new belief requires action. You must prove your abilities to yourself in order for you to believe in them and in yourself.
How To Start Cleaning A Messy House
Cleaning your home when it has been ignored for a long period of time can be intimidating. Youve probably looked around many times and wondered how to start cleaning up your messy house.
Dont let the feelings of being overwhelmed keep you from getting started. All you need to do is to start somewhere and take it slow.
Cleaning a dirty house is a lot of work, but this isnt a race and that means that it doesnt all have to be tackled in one day.
Depending on the size and condition of your home, it could take several days to several weeks.
Dont let this overwhelm you! The key is tostart now and keep plugging away until youre done.
This is a guide to help you focus on what needs to be done and hopefully make it less overwhelming.
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How To Get Help
Dysania isnât a disease. Itâs a serious symptom of an underlying condition. To treat it, you need to find and address the root cause or causes.
If you have serious, long-term problems with getting out of bed, see your doctor.
Before your visit, it might help to make a list of:
- Your symptoms, even if they seem unrelated to your sleep issues
- Your family’s medical history
- The medicines and supplements you take
- Questions you want to ask
Incorporate Self Care And Relaxation Into Your Plan For The Day
Finally, make sure you dedicate a moment to self care every day. The reality is that not everyone’s COVID-19 experience will look exactly the same. Some people aren’t working at all, and some are working longer than ever. Maybe you’re absorbed with extracting yourself from survival mode, or you’re juggling the well-being of an entire household. So whether you have 14 hours of free time or 14 minutes or 14 seconds, give yourself a reliable self-care practice that you can look forward to.
“If your agenda for the day consists solely of myriad tasks to accomplish with little opportunity to relax and engage in anything enjoyable, it may be tempting to avoid all those unpleasant tasks and just stay in bed,” says Dr. Snow. “Review your plan for the day and create some balance so that you intend to accomplish some chores and work, but also carve out time to relax and engage in pleasant activities.”
The running theme is that even when the general outlook seems grim, having something you can look forward to can make all the difference for motivating you to get out of bed and have an as-good-as-possible day.
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Cleaning Motivation Tip: Create A Cleaning Route
The next thing I like to do to keep me motivated to clean is to follow a cleaning route. This is the route I take in my home to get the cleaning done.
I like to make a loop through the house so Im not zigzagging through the house. This keeps me on track without wasting time bouncing from one room to the next. If youd like to create your own cleaning route you can learn more here.
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Set One Alarm With No Snooze
This may seem like a given, but setting a single alarm with no mom, wake me up later!!! option is one of the easiest ways to rip the sheets off. When Im going through a dark period, Im often temped to set multiple alarms in 15 or 30 minute increments, which gives me a little leeway in terms of when I need to get up- but this leeway often results in me never leaving my bed at all. If you train yourself to get up at the first sound of an alarm, your body clock will thank you.
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Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
Embrace Your Obsession With Fido
Any pet owner can tell you that having a pet comes with a world of benefits: constant companionship, unquestioning affection, and joy .
Pets can provide a positive sense of security and routine for people managing long-term mental health issues, a 2016 study found.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America calls this âthe pet effect,â and the mental health boost may be very helpful for people battling depression.
A 2016 survey of pet owners showed that 74 percent of pet owners reported mental health improvements from pet ownership. Positive human-animal interaction includes the reduction of psychological stress like fear and anxiety, and an increase of oxytocin levels in the brain.
âPeople with depression often have pets in order to shift focus from their condition,â says Dr. Lina Velikova, PhD.
âOnce you are taking care of an animal, you must not allow yourself to stay in bed the entire day. Dogs or cats depend completely on you and keeping them alive will be enough of the motive for you to get out of bed,â Dr. Velikova explains.
Just try resisting that face at your bedside in the morning.
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