What “The Shortlist” Is And How It Can Benefit Your Mental Wellness
Have you ever been in a huge rut, or, maybe more seriously, experienced severe mental health symptoms that made it soooo difficult every single day to get up and do anything? I’ve definitely been in that kind of situation, and it’s extremely hard to be able to pull yourself out of it. Then it becomes a cycle that’s never ending and you get further and further into that rut.
But, I’m not in that place anymore, and that is because I implemented a strategy in my life that helped me work my way up to doing my routine things regularly again. That strategy is called “The Shortlist” and it’s a list of actions I’d give myself at the start of the day so that I had something to accomplish (no matter how big or small those tasks were).
How To Do It:
“The Shortlist” is pretty easy and self-explanatory. It’s literally creating a short list of easy, manageable tasks to complete each day. Assigning yourself three to five of these tasks a day while battling mental health symptoms or just feeling unmotivated and fatigued will help you focus and put you in a forward motion.
Start off with just a few tasks a day. Once you know you can complete those, start building on that. Either add more tasks to the list or make the tasks a little more significant and complex. Don’t overwhelm yourself, set realistic goals - even if it’s as simple as getting out of bed, taking a shower, and eating a meal.
Examples of Tasks:
I’m not kidding when I say keep the tasks easy and manageable. Even if you think you SHOULD be able to accomplish more, it’s okay if, realistically, you can’t right now. Just add things to your Shortlist that won’t cause you too much stress or take too much of your energy. Again, you will add more tasks as you go. This is simply to get you rolling and focused on completing your tasks each day.
Some examples could be:
Take a shower.
Get dressed.
Take a walk outside.
Drink a glass of lemon water.
Journal for twenty minutes.
Listen to a podcast.
Wash the dishes.
Literally add anything that you feel like you can manage to do that day! Don’t overthink it and don’t be so hard on yourself. You don’t need to go from 0-100 overnight.
The Benefits:
Not only does “The Shortlist” give you something to focus on and work toward each day without overwhelming yourself, it also gives you some sense of achievement to help you rebuild your confidence in yourself and your abilities. Taking action can quickly pull you out of being in your own head and make you feel good about yourself.
As you continue to rebuild your confidence, you’ll start adding to your list and eventually start feeling more balanced and get back to a place of normalcy again but working your way up to your everyday routine.
I know this might seem too good to be true. You might be thinking this is waaaay too easy. But, that’s the point! There’s no reason to stress yourself out even more by putting pressure on yourself to do as much as you can right off the bat. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve used this strategy myself when doing even the most basic tasks every day was draining for me. “The Shortlist” is meant to be an easy and convenient way of pulling yourself out of a rut if you don’t have a lot of energy to do much.
However, if your symptoms persist, it may be a sign of a more serious mental health issue, and it’s important to consult a therapist or professional.
