Today was a good day. I'm not sure how it happened - is there a recipe for how to have a good day? It is very welcome considering the weekend was a blur of darkness. I spent most of it in my pajamas on the couch without the energy or ambition to do anything. I barely managed to get my laundry washed so I'd have clean clothes for work today.
Somehow, though, today I woke up feeling much lighter than usual. Not quite back to my "normal" level of living, but definitely better than the past few weeks have been.
And it got me thinking. What makes a good day?
What makes a good day
If there is some secret formula or specific steps - a recipe, of sorts - on how to have a good day, I'd willingly follow it to the letter every day. Maybe there isn't "one secret" but, rather, many secrets. Maybe it's different for each person and that's why there is no secret formula.
Because we each have to figure it out for ourselves.
I have learned over the years that if I start out my day planning what I'm going to do, it makes for a better day. Somehow not having any plans takes away my purpose and strips away any reason or motivation to do anything.
According to an article by Forbes, there are five essential steps to have a good day a good day. Here's what they say:
- Set intentions for your day
- Practice distancing
- Plan downtime
- Focus on one task at a time
- Practice gratitude
All very basic, yet very important attributes to making not only a good day but a good life, too.
The question becomes, how to you incorporate those five things into your day - every day? Is it really possible to live such an intentional life? Would the constant worry of making sure you hit every single one of those points increase your anxiety and trigger depression despite your best efforts? Or would depression win before you even get out of bed, making all of this moot.
I suppose the answer to those questions is different for all of us.
For me, setting intentions and focusing on one task at a time are two of the biggest obstacles I face - my two biggest challenges keeping me from having a good day.
What’s the secret?
To help lift your spirits and propel yourself toward having a good day, every morning, here's what you do:
- Pick your top three tasks to get done (set intentions for your day)
- Remind yourself that sometimes life happens and your day might not go as planned (practice distancing)
- Take a break after every task, once an hour or, at the very least, carve out a full 30-minutes to make time for you (plan downtime)
- When you start to feel distracted, come back to your list of tasks to avoid frustration (focus on one task at a time)
- Be thankful - for the air, the sunshine, a warm cup of coffee, for just being alive - and show thanks to others, too (practice gratitude)
Maybe there is something to those five tips. Is it a coincidence that today I woke up feeling lighter when last week I became much more intentional about planning my day and focusing on one task at a time? I suppose we'll never know. I do plan to continue filling out my Daily Docket to help me prioritize my day and keep me focused. And hopefully that keeps the darkness away.
What's your secret for how to have a good day with depression?
This post original appeared on DepressedforSuccess.com