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Oftentimes it happens that we experience a feeling of hollowness or a sense of void in our lives which is difficult to put down in words. It is simply that bleh feeling that makes us want to just randomly scroll through Instagram stories to get some easy dopamine action and later crib about the lack of motivation to do something productive.
To explain it in an easier sense, it is far from depression but at the same time, there is a certain kind of hopelessness and lack of purpose in life followed by crazy mood swings. We all have been through this feeling without actually knowing what it is however some really smart people specifically sociologist Corey Keyes came up with the term to name it, i.e., "Languishing" (Lol, it’s funny how it rolls out of my tongue) because, if you want to deal with a problem, the first step is to give a name to it.
So what is Languishing? Well technically, languishing may be conceived as emptiness and stagnation, constituting a life of quiet despair also to be understood as “the neglected middle child of mental health” as explained by The New York Times writer, Adam Grant. Further Elaborating on the dominant feeling of the recent covid-19 pandemic age, languishing not only inhibits one’s functioning into full capacity but also distorts their ability to focus and that leads to a lack of productivity. Languishing is particularly indistinguishable at times as people might not be aware of their indifference and dulling of motivation inside them as it is a very slow and gradual process. Often people don’t recognize their suffering and at the same time don’t seek help but it is important to know that it might be a bigger risk factor for developing a potential mental illness.
Now that we know the problem, we have a few ways through which we can tackle this feeling. Here it goes:
Maintain a steady flow of task
Immersing oneself in a state of meaningful and challenging work that makes oneself lose the sense of time and space can help avoid languishing and maintain a perpetual state of productivity and happiness. For instance, reading a book or watching a Netflix series without any distractions of turning off the notifications can help avoid fragmentation of attention which is an amazing antidote for languishing.
Give yourself uninterrupted time
This particular remedy is a follow-up on the previous point of trying to engage in tasks that kick starts the happy hormone party inside your body. It cannot be enough emphasized how important it is to reserve uninterrupted time for oneself regardless of how hectic one’s schedule can be. It clears out constant distractions and gives us the freedom to focus. We can find solace in experiences that capture our full attention.
Accomplishing small goals
Again, this antidote to languishing is nothing we haven’t already heard of. Focusing on completing small goals gives a sense of accomplishment to keep our motivation in place. The tiny triumphs of even cleaning up your room give us a sense of worthwhile and meaningfulness to life. As the popular saying goes... “Take baby steps” towards rediscovering your sense of purpose and the lost enthusiasm towards leading a satisfying life.
Languishing is not just a spectrum of mood but also an environmental effect on our lives. This pandemic has not only affected us physically but also at a psychological level. However, we still live in a world where our psychological health is still a stigma to discuss and is often discarded by our immediate family as well. It is, therefore, our responsibility to accept our shortcomings and beautiful flaws and develop effective and healthy coping mechanisms which will help us in making ours and our surroundings worth living.
References:
https://www.verywellmind.com/languishing-is-the-mood-of-2021-5180999
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