Time management can help us reduce stress which if not carefully handled can lead to mental health problems like anxiety, depression and PTSD which can result in sleep problems, muscle tension, cognitive and emotional issues and so on. Stress can also make existing problems worse.

Good time management is essential for achieving optimal productivity and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Here are some tips for effectively using your time to reduce stress:

1. Set goals:

Clearly define your short-term and long-term goals to have a clear direction in mind. Break down your goals into manageable tasks to work on daily or weekly.

2. Prioritise tasks:

Identify the most important and urgent tasks on your to-do list and focus on completing them first. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorise tasks into four quadrants based on their importance and urgency.

3. Create a schedule:

Plan your day or week in advance by creating a daily or weekly schedule. Allocate specific time slots for tasks, meetings, breaks, and personal activities to ensure a balanced and productive day.

4. Minimize distractions:

Identify common distractions such as social media, emails, or noisy surroundings, and take steps to minimise or eliminate them during focused work periods.

5. Take breaks:

Schedule regular breaks throughout the day to rest, recharge, and avoid burnout. Short breaks can improve focus and productivity by allowing your mind to relax and refocus.

6. Delegate tasks:

Learn to delegate tasks to others when necessary, especially for tasks that are not within your expertise or require more time than you have available.

7. Practice time-blocking:

Group similar tasks together and allocate specific time blocks for them. This can help improve efficiency by reducing task-switching and maintaining focus on similar activities.

8. Review and adjust:

Regularly review your schedule and tasks to assess your progress and make adjustments as needed. Evaluate what worked well and what needs improvement to refine your time management skills.

By implementing these time management strategies, you can make the most of your time, enhance productivity, reduce stress, and achieve a better work-life balance. Remember that effective time management is a skill that requires practice and continuous improvement.

#treasureyourmentalhealth

EMOTIONS CAN SEND YOU TO JAIL

We usually regret negative outbursts of emotions. Some people in jail today are there because in their split second emotional reaction to a provocation they did not allow time for retrospection. This leaves their dependants in a world of suffering, uncertainty and with a high possibility of yielding to negative influences as coping mechanisms. Had they delayed their response by a few minutes maybe they would not be incarcerated.

We are all bursting with positive and negative emotions and they can be beneficial to us but we are not to be controlled by them. Fear for instance can help us take necessary precautions to protect ourselves when we are faced with danger or its possibility and without it we would be careless or irrational in the face of danger.

Anxiety can make us pay attention to details and be more prudent or frugal with resources.

However when negative emotions like fear, anger and so on become consistent in our lives, they are no longer healthy for us or for others around us in our families and in the society at large.

The Bible says, “Be angry but do not sin”. So all emotions are good but how we react to them is key to shaping our lives for a better society.

All emotions have triggers. A particular emotion may remain hidden in your life for years because it has not been triggered yet. Emotional triggers can come from events, people, smells, dates, colours, etc and can manifest in ways we least expect. It is crucial for us to learn how to respond to emotions and not to their triggers because we are not in control of them.

“He who controls his spirit is greater than a general who takes a city”. Again the Bible reminds us that anybody can display anger or valor but it takes extreme levels of self-control to handle our own emotions and put them in check.

If you respond to your emotional triggers, you are controlled by your emotions and this is dangerous for you and for those around you. This is critical for law-enforcement in particular.

HOW TO BETTER MANAGE OUR EMOTIONS

1. Acknowledge them: Accept if you are angry or upset. Don’t repress your emotions. “Emotional repression can occur due to growing up in an environment where little or no room was given to experience and express emotions”

2. Educate yourself about them. When you notice a change in how you feel, pause and name the emotion that has been triggered. Why do you feel the way you do because of what has just been done or said to you?

3. Understand how your body responds to emotions. When our emotions are triggered, our body changes, and often our breathing changes with it. For example, if you are angry, your breathing can become faster and shallow. This change in the body sends the brain a message that 'something is wrong, and you need to do something about it'. It can be hard to think in a moment of intense emotion, and instead, we can intentionally shift our focus from our thoughts to our bodies. You can purposely use your breath to calm down vour body which helps to calm vour thoughts.

4. Learn what triggers your emotions and avoid them. If you know that a particular place or some particular people influence you negatively and make you vulnerable to yield to smoking, violence, drug use or other negative coping mechanisms, avoid that place or those people. Don’t think you can handle it. Think critically about the possible outcomes of your actions. Don’t just respond because you can. Don’t let pride destroy you. Think of your loved ones and others that may be affected by the possible negative repercussions resulting from your momentary expression.

Poor nutrition can have several negative effects on our mental health. Some of the ways in which poor nutrition can impact mental health include:

1. Lack of essential nutrients:

A diet that lacks essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids can lead to deficiencies that can affect brain function and mood regulation.

2. Increased risk of mental health disorders:

Poor nutrition has been linked to an increased risk of developing mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.

3. Fatigue and low energy levels:

A diet high in sugary and processed foods can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, leading to fatigue and low energy levels, which can negatively impact mental well-being.

4. Impaired cognitive function:

Nutrient deficiencies can impair cognitive function, affecting memory, focus, and concentration.

5. Increased inflammation:

A diet high in processed foods and unhealthy fats can lead to increased inflammation in the body, which has been linked to an increased risk of depression and other mental health disorders.

Overall, poor nutrition can have a significant impact on mental health, leading to a range of negative effects on mood, cognitive function, and overall well-being. It is important to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet to support good mental health.

#treasureyourmentalhealth

With every death, there is a loss and with every loss, there will be grief. You can still find love, peace, joy and happiness after any form of grief no matter the duration.

Grief can negatively affect our mental health and productivity. Frequent occurrences of this emotional breakdown can lead to Depression which is a Mental Disorder. Therefore, it is safe to say that negative emotions are one of the pathways to some mental disorders, depression, addictions and other negative coping mechanisms, unproductivity, unhealthy lifestyles, losses and so on.

BEREAVMENT

It means when someone or something is taken away from us forcefully or violently. This is known as complicated grief and changes a person permanently. It is a sudden event and could be a sudden death of a loved one through murder, accident, heart attack, natural disaster, etc. Note that we can also be bereaved of power, position, marriage, appointment, and we react to these sudden events in different ways especially with shock and numbness. Other reactions are anger, guilt, anxiety, denial, irrational thinking, crying, sobbing or even relief.