How to Be Mentally Healthy and Get More Done

The day I bought my first Franklin Covey Planner in the 90s is a fond memory.  Categorizing tasks into quadrants of urgency and importance (Eisenhower Matrix) blew my mind.

Yes, I geeked out on my planner.  

Fast forward another ten years and my baby girl taught me that life doesn’t always fit into neat little boxes.  She was a colicky baby and to this day a free-spirited girl.  She challenges the status quo while I grip my to-do lists.  

Every brain is wired differently. I agreed, in theory, but I didn’t grasp the concept until I was changing its diapers.  

These struggles turned into a journey that changed my concept of mental health.  

I won’t get into all the gritty details here but if you want to more check out my outdated Instagram account.  Today, mental health is at the core of Life After Busy.   You need to take care of your mind to craft your best life.  

I’m not a mental health professional.  Just someone that sees the effects mental health has on productivity.  Time and time again.

Do the Mental Health Work

Here’s what I’ve seen work to take care of your mental health:

First, you need to protect your mental health.  

• Listen to what your mind has to say
• Take breaks
• Write down how you feel
• Learn to say NO

Next, promote your mental health (and do it for the ones you LOVE).

• Embrace JOMO (the JOY of missing out)
• Take care of yourself (think food, water, exercise and sleep)
• Surround yourself with good people
• Set realistic goals

Finally, address mental health problems because they will happen.

• Get help when you need it (it’s a sign of strength)
• Talk to someone you love and trust
• Fight the stigma - everyone deserves mental health
• Know the warning signs

Mental Health and Productivity

Did you know there’s a $1 trillion link between mental health and productivity? That’s right a mind-blowing amount of money lost each year in productivity according to the World Health Organization.

And this data is five years old! Imagine what the post COVID numbers must look like.

The relationship between mental health and productivity can create a vicious cycle.  For example, you have a big fight with hubby about finances and you’re up all night worrying.  The next day you’re exhausted and stressed and don’t bring the energy you need to your work to close the sales in your big presentation. This leads to a lost sales opportunity and more financial worries.

Ready for some good news?

There’s a shiny flip side to the vicious cycle.  It’s called the virtuous cycle. A chain of events that reinforce themselves through a feedback loop. A virtuous circle has favorable results, while a vicious circle has detrimental results.

Here’s an example: Fed up with exhaustion you reach out to a therapist to help navigate the money fights with hubby.  You learn new communication tools, finally feel heard and can sleep through the night. You have the energy to close the next prospect and the extra $$ in the bank lessens the financial stress.

Thank you economics for the feedback loop theories.

It’s all interrelated. You have to do the work on your mental health to get more done each day.  AND...getting more done each day will improve your mental health.