create unidimensionality in life to maintain mental health

How do we become well rounded, mentally stable human beings while working hard on our passions and reaching our goals? How do we build ourselves a system of doing things?

“If you concentrate solely on your career, you can get a long way in your career. But it will be hard on you. You won’t have a life or successful relationships.

So you want to be a genius scientist…. Really? Because that means that’s what you do. Because you’re competing with other people and if you want to be on top that means you’ve got to be smarter and work harder. Working harder means working longer hours. So you’re in the lab 80 hours a week and beat everyone. You will pay for that focus of mind. Unidimensionality is the price you have to pay to be exceptional at one thing. If you strive for a healthy, balanced life the less likely you are to be fantastically successful at any single one of those things.”

— Jordan Peterson, Professor of Psychology/Internet Celebrity known for his self-help book; “12 Rules of Life: An Antidote to Chaos” praised on his intellect with over 2 million subscribers on YouTube.

Being a young entrepreneur, I go lady-balls deep in any great idea or opportunity, molding my flow around the grand to-do list. I am notorious for overfilling my cup and self-perpetuating burnout. I write, film, edit for my business. Plan & attend local events. Then juggle two part-time jobs — one as a Wedding Videographer & Photographer, the other in Sales.

When I forget to mend to my mental, depression and anxiety creep in. It’s as if the pain never leaves my body, I wake up and it’s found another way to hide inside me, unconsciously.

Snippit from a poem I did last year called “Logic Depresses Me”

How to Create Unidimensionality In Life While Following Your Passions

I will not give you a billion self-help activities for homework, I’m won’t tell you to fill out productivity spreadsheets and energy maps, because that’s just another thing to do.

We feel things, constantly. Unpredictably. We can’t plan how we’ll feel tomorrow, and there’re feelings under those feelings.

art by Tyler Spangler

I will talk about Mental Minimalism & Reflection for finding focus in the workplace.

1. The Habit of Mental Minimalism

It’s not a poetic saying that you become what you think about.

Mindfulness is the mental habit of paying attention without thinking. While all thinking requires attention, attention doesn’t require thinking.

We literally create our experience of life through the thoughts we harbor. It begins in the way our bodies physically respond to the things we think about.

How Do We Control What We Think?

It’s so easy to fall into thinking about everything outside of work while we’re at work.

We must entertain thoughts for them to have any power over us.

“Someone comes to your house, your friend — you invite them into your home. You offer energy in their direction, “Would you like a drink?” “Have a seat” “This is my favorite chair”.

There are certain thoughts that make their way into the home of your consciousness, they knock on the door. Your first choice is to either let them in, let the thought in — or close the door. I do not entertain negative thought patterns, I don’t start talking about these negative thought patterns, because I’m not entertaining the thought- the thought came to my door, I peeked, I said oh shit and walked away.” -Elliot Hulse, Strongman & YouTube Creator.

The less I entertain negative thought patterns, the happier I am. I see the thought patterns — I hop on the nope train to nope ville coming back to my body. The less I think, the happier I am. The less I think, the more I see. The more I observe and feel my surroundings. The happier I am at work.

Try this going to work.

Leave your life outside of work, outside of work. You’ll be more excited to come back to it once you haven’t filled your mind with it all day of needless wandering and worrying.

2. Schedule One Day Out Of Your Week To “Get Your Shit Together”

One day out of your week is YOUR day. YOU decide what is most important for you that day. This is your day to organize your thoughts and feelings over the course of the week. Take time out of this self-appreciation day to write / reflect on your week.

Reflection is key to maintain a healthy work / life balance, you must know where you’ve been, to know have an idea on where you want to go next.

Write about all the things that made you happy during the week, all the things that went well for you-in your job, relationships, things that made you happy, compliments you received, moments of growth, etc.

Write about all the things that made you unhappy during the week, significant events that made you upset, frustrations, someone you’re mad at, a conflict you had with yourself or someone else.

Taking the time to reflect on your week, every week will help you notice the patterns of work that don’t work for you. Maybe you get frustrated when your computer doesn’t work, maybe your boss gives you anxiety the way they speak to you, maybe you spend too much time in a certain area of work that doesn’t make you happy…. whatever it may be, you can see what is dimming your light in the work environment.

Build Yourself A Routine That Let’s You Achieve Flow State Regularly

There are benefits to using a Daily Planner over a weekly/monthly planner.

Using a Daily Planner can help you plan a head weekly tasks, to do’s. Planning your week in an advance day by day can not only be stress relieving, you can notice free time you have to fit in things that make you happy. Like if you have an extra hour in the morning for yourself.

Meal Prepping

I meal prep on my self-care days. One day out of the week to plan, cook and prepare my food for the week helps me to achieve flow state more often. As someone with health & fitness goals, not having to stop and stress about finding something to eat is a huge relief.

Not only is it efficient, I’ve saved over $300 each month because I don’t eat out as often. This is a great way to eat healthier and stay in a flow state if you’re constantly on the go like I am.

https://medium.com/@cinimist/create-unidimensionality-in-life-to-maintain-mental-health-a8acab5f7aed