How Not to Quiet Quit on Yourself

Many of us have struggled over the past few years due to the uncertainties of COVID-19, politics, and the economy. Feelings of hopelessness and that nothing you do matters anymore are common complaints. The inability to concentrate or feel any real sense of purpose has led to great resignation and Quiet Quitting. I have spent the past several months researching everything I can find on resilience and self-care, from mindfulness to biohacking to a few of the techniques I have personally used and recommended to others.?

From the easiest to the most difficult (all based on your situation), here are ten things you can do to boost your coping and well-being skills right now.

1.?????Show gratitude daily. Got a job, be thankful, good health, don’t take that for granted. Take inventory of all the blessings you have in your life. Change your focus from the obstacles you face to the many skills, abilities, and assets you have at your disposal to overcome any challenge.?

2.?????Strengthen your relationships and focus on helping others. No matter your job, or position in life, you have the power to brighten someone else’s day. When was the last time you noticed something good about a coworker, friend, or family member? Start looking for the good in others and share those compliments, especially if it is personal in nature vs. physical. There is more power in “you know, I just want to tell you how much I love seeing your smile every day, no matter what’s happening, you always make others feel like it’s going to be ok.” vs. “nice shoes” or “did you get a new haircut?”

3.?????Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the hottest new self-help trend and encompasses many components of mental well-being. The simplest form is to be present and aware of what you are doing at the time you are doing it. Pay attention and stop multitasking (especially doom scrolling). Several recent studies I’ve reviewed show that multitasking leads to higher stress levels, lower productivity, and more errors than focusing on a single task at a time.?

4.?????Give yourself a break. Seriously, take a break. Disconnect, even for 15 minutes, and invest in yourself by taking the time to recharge with mindfulness. So instead of sitting in the break room on your phone, go outside for a walk and intentionally appreciate what you see, feel, hear, and smell. Luxuriate in your senses for a few minutes and interrupt your stress pattern.?

5.?????Daydream. That’s right, think about that next vacation, spending time with family, completing that home project. You must find something to look forward to.??If you don’t have anything, create a goal and reward, and start mentally planning for it and imagining it.?

6.?????Use your words. Confide in someone you trust about how you are feeling. Chances are they are going through similar struggles. It’s easy to feel you are walking your path alone and that you are the only person who feels the way you do, but it’s just not true. When you share your struggles, you can learn from each other, rely on each and support each other.?

7.?????Interrupt your patterns. We are all creatures of habit, doing things unconsciously, sleepwalking through much of our days. So, change your routine; take a different route to work and practice mindfulness. Change the time you go to bed or get up in the morning. Park in a different spot each day, sit in a different chair in meetings. Change your wardrobe, haircut, or workout routine. Just brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, and you awaken brain synapses and expand your mind.

8.?????Reappreciate whom you have in your life. If you are blessed with good relationships, do not take them for granted. Remember why you picked them in the first place and remind them; it will strengthen your relationship. Schedule purposeful time together to discuss your goals, share a good meal, watch a movie, or socialize with family and friends.?

9.?????Laugh! Find an outlet to make you laugh out loud and release all those endorphins into your body. Use YouTube, Instagram, Tic Toc, other social media outlets, and TV shows or movies to stimulate your funny bone. Cut back on the true murders and dark and violent video content you probably consume and notice how much it makes a difference in your attitude.

10.??Disengage at least periodically from harmful content in the news, on social media, or in discussions with others. I canceled my Facebook account because I got tired of all the hate (and wondered why I didn’t have the life others seemed to have). I switched to Instagram, but I don’t follow anyone I know; I follow strangers who post funny. That’s all I want from social media right now.?

Many of the suggestions here may seem trivial, or you may even say I do that already, but do you do it purposefully regularly? If you ask your friends and family how successfully you practice some of these hacks, how would they respond? Sometimes answers come in incremental improvements and not in grandiose schemes.??If you want to experiment with these strategies, then print out this post and incorporate them into your life.

InMail me if you would like more information on working with me as your coach, Let's schedule a quick time to discuss your goals and how I can help you reach your full potential.