How To Maintain Your Mental Health And Emotional Well-Being During Chaotic Times

While dedication is important, burnout can derail even the most ambitious goals. Prioritize self-care, engage in activities that energize you and maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

Many people struggle to get through the workday. The luxury of working remotely was a rug pulled out from under people, as companies pushed employees to return to the office. Some workers who relocated to lower-cost locations, based on promises of working remotely “forever,” will need to move closer to the office again or quit and try to find a new job. In the current economic environment and labor market, finding a new job is difficult if you're a mid to senior-level professional. 

Americans are dealing with a multitude of difficulties: high inflation, rising costs of everything and mortgage rates that are at a level that make it nearly impossible for young people to purchase a home. 

There’s a white-collar richcession. Families are maxing out their credit cards and digging into their retirement funds to afford household expenses and enjoy one-in-a-lifetime experiences. The nation remains divided over politics and people feel concerned over geopolitical events unfolding around the world. 

What’s In Your Control To Do Now

Continually ruminating over negative things that are not within your control is highly unhealthy. There are too many issues around us that we are unable to change. You can spend all day long lamenting and obsessing about how unfair things are, but it won’t make a difference. Spending your waking hours incessantly complaining over all of the bad things makes matters worse. Actively counter anxious thoughts with rational responses. Address catastrophic thinking and unlikely worst-case scenarios with realism and perspective. 

Maintain your mental health by filtering out or limiting your intake of upsetting news. Practice self-care and maintain routines and structure for work, exercise, sleep and healthy eating to reduce stress. Prioritize connections with supportive family or friends to alleviate isolation. Pursue relaxing and restorative activities, like enjoying nature and hiking. 

Turn to spiritual or religious communities for comfort, meaning and moral support, if those align with your beliefs. Consider volunteering with organizations addressing issues important to you. Taking action fosters empowerment.

If you are experiencing depression or severe anxiety, seek professional mental health support. Consider mindfulness, meditation and gratitude journaling to stay grounded in the present when worries become too overwhelming. Limit financial stress by budgeting prudently.

Focus On Work

Focus on what you have the power to improve and build upon it. Try to enact meaningful change in your life, job and career. 

Speak with your boss to explore getting a promotion, lateral internal move to learn something new and inquire about future growth opportunities within the organization. If you are less than satisfied with the responses, take action and start searching for a new job.   

Find the companies you want to work for and locate the appropriate hiring managers and internal recruiters. Share with them your résumé or LinkedIn profile. Contact recruiters in your space. Network with all of your contacts and cultivate new ones, too. Treat the job search as your new job and vigorously move forward. 

Focus On Yourself

Take some time to focus on yourself. It could be a hobby, sport or activity that you excel at. This will boost your self-confidence. Spend time with people who care about you, as these people will build you up.  

If you take charge of your life, you can turn things around in your favor fairly quickly. For instance, turn off your television, put down the phone and stop mindlessly scrolling through social media. Stop consuming the negativity. Avoid arguing with folks or envying other people's accomplishments.  

Use the time saved to develop a regimen to keep physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. You'll pick up momentum once you start moving in a positive direction. You’ll attract the right people who will notice, be drawn to you and offer new opportunities. 

Surround yourself with intelligent, positive, upbeat and enthusiastic people. Avoid toxic people and colleagues who want to drag you down. Read more, watch or listen to smart and informative podcasts. Attend online networking events to learn about new opportunities.  

If you hit dead ends, try pivoting to a different career or reinvent yourself. Return to school, upskill, find a mentor or coach, attain new certifications or pursue a passion that has always interested you. Always remain flexible and open to new ideas.

The harder you work, the luckier you’ll become. Remain positive no matter what is thrown at you. Push out the negative self-talk and replace it with positive mantras.  Remain hyper focused and relentless in pursuing your goals.

Hard times won’t last forever. If you have the right attitude, block out all the distractions, focus on your goals and pursue them passionately, you’ll thrive.