Maybe you have an important task to handle before the end of the day. But you’re tired. Not only that, your depression and anxiety are pretty intense. Your beaker is full. Now what are you going to do?

When the beaker’s full, that little exchange goes down frequently in my world. If it does when yours is full, why not create and practice strategies and techniques to overcome it?

How ‘bout some tips?

Full beaker? 19 coping tips 

Okay, I’ve divided the coping tips into three groups: things that can be done before, during, and after the need to do task – when your beaker’s full…

Before

• In addition to getting the task handled, think about tossing in some sort of personal growth angle?
• Determine if the task is realistic? Maybe you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. That can be self-defeating.
• Keep thinking about the benefits of completing the task.
• Decide how you’ll know the task is completed?
• Think about how you’ll feel if you don’t complete the task.
• Come up with a reward for completing the task.

During

• Stay in the moment, resisting looks forward to the end of the task and how much work still needs to be done.
• Given your good intentions, wholeheartedly throw yourself into your work.
• Be flexible, making necessary completion adjustments along the way.
• Repeat, even jot down, statements of encouragement.
• Give props to yourself as you complete pieces of the task.
• Begin to look forward to how it’ll feel when you’ve completed the task.

After

• Visualize the entire process. How does it feel to watch yourself in action?
• Feel good about yourself, even if for good reason you weren’t able to complete the entire task. You stepped up to the plate and did your best.
• Determine what you did well.
• Determine what you had a hard time with.
• Consider the changes you’d implement for the next task.
• What did you learn from the experience?
• Enjoy the reward you promised yourself.

Task completed

No doubt about it, life can be tough for everyone. And, though it can’t be used as an excuse, our mood and anxiety symptoms can make it all the more difficult. Yes, compromised motivation and the temptations of avoidance can be hard to handle.

So, we have to be proactive in making the very best of our present circumstances and challenges. And that only happens if we learn effective coping strategies and techniques – and practice.

Don’t let a full beaker stand in the way of what needs to be done.

Speaking of beakers, be sure to read “Your Beaker, My Beaker: Understanding why they’re different.”

And if you’re still in the mood to read, check-out the hundreds of Chipur titles.