How to Get Your Sh*t Together (GYST)

We all have our moments of feeling funky and burnt out. And it can be arduous to even think about shifting your mentality. So, here some of the most effective ways—for me at least—to get your sh*t together—AKA a GYST routine.

1. Think about how you’ll feel in the end. Sometimes merely envisioning a successful outcome of any task, prior to beginning the task, can give you the confidence boost you need to get started on your task and feel good about it throughout.

2. Push yourself to create habits and routine to initiate a steady process to begin with. This includes basic routine tasks, like brushing teeth, showering, shaving, clothing, skincare and makeup, getting ready, etc. Starting is the toughest part for me most of the time, but once I can get a grasp on the beginning, I am able to really get into it, and the productivity will flourish! So I highly recommend developing some sort of schedule or routine to begin your day with.

3. Take it one [task, day, etc] at a time. Don’t overextend yourself. It’s perfectly natural to want to be productive and get all these things done. But part of the reason we get burnt out or overly exhausted is that we’re pushing ourselves beyond our limits. Try to become more aware of your maximum stress level and avoid going past that. It’s human nature to keep going until everything is finished, but it’s important to focus on each task at a time—and don’t skip around too many tasks—to ensure your highest quality self and highest quality work that you’re producing.

4. Be realistic. Try to avoid a mentality of perfectionism, start with average standards or expectations, and then build up your confidence. When you’re at you’re at your lowest, you’re extremely prone to disappointment and self-hatred. Because of that, its crucial not to begin with your standards so high that you’re inevitably going to be disappointed or beat yourself up because you don’t think it’s good enough. But you can’t set yourself up for failure either. Don’t go into anything expecting to be either completely perfect or completely wrong.

5. Don’t compare yourself or you goals with others’, and avoid social media comparisons. Focus on your own journey, your own goals, your own life, and your own feelings. Feeling concerned for others over ourselves is a natural instinct in some people, but the quality of your help to others is going to be impacted by your own feelings about yourself.

6. Reward yourself and take breaks. Space out your goals/tasks appropriately, with breaks in between each. And remember to reward yourself with something small when you accomplish something. Rewards are definitely an incentive to keep going, so I suggest it.

7. Make sure you’re well-rested enough (e.g. make sure you’re getting enough sleep). Being sleep deprived is never going to make you feel your best. If you’re not getting adequate sleep every night, there will be a noticeable drop in your mood. Make sure you’re getting enough and you’ll feel the difference!

8. Distract from depression, focus on motivation. Simple distractions from the stirring and dark thoughts can be tremendously beneficial. Write, sing, read, watch TV/movies/videos, clean, write lists, talk to someone, have a smoke session, do simple things to distract yourself from desolation and allow yourself to feel better.

9. Physical activity/movement is a great kick starter. Get that energy and blood flowing. Like I said, sometimes the start is the hardest part, but once you get started, the motivation will start flowing. And a nice, replenishing productivity boost, like some light exercise or a refreshing walk, will get those endorphins blooming and that energy flowing.

10. Avoid negativity/enablers. Cut out the toxic entities that aren’t necessary to be in your life and only enable your negative thoughts. Hone in on the positive influences in your life and dispose of the pessimists. You can truly tell who has your best interest at heart and those are the people you need to listen to.

11. Capitalize on small wins. Don’t always feel the need to focus on the most grand or profound successes. Use small victories as confidence and motivation boosts. The tasks that seem the most minimal may greatly impact your desire to improve and enhance your craft even more.

12. Balance is key. Don’t let the depression consume you, but don’t push yourself too hard and overwhelm yourself. Neither end of the extreme is healthy. Every aspect of life requires balance for it be its healthiest. Relationships, communication, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, money, jobs, everything. Balancing work and relaxation is crucial to your overall wellbeing.