Yesterday my girlfriend sent me an article from the NYT about a concept called "Languishing", which I found super interesting.
Languishing is described as the state between depression and flourishing (flourishing = the peak of well-being). It's that state where you're not feeling burnt out, but still joyless and aimless. It's that sense of stagnation and emptiness. I sure as hell recognize these symptoms, and I think a lot of people have experienced them at one point or another during the pandemic - with all the lock downs & working from home.
Why is it helpful to know about this concept?
It turns out that, according to the article, just being able to name this emotion is one of the best strategies for managing it (according to some psychologists)! Being able to talk to people around you, without the fear of coming across as depressed, by using the correct vocabulary can be a game changer in order to become more content about how you're feeling. Instead of saying "Great!", or "Fine", you can answer "Honestly, I'm languishing at the moment" the next time someone asks you "How's it going?".
There's no need to be super up-beat at all times.
It's better to be honest.
So, how can we get out of the languishing state
Turns out that getting into a "flow" state can be an antidote to languishing. From the article: "Flow is that state of absorption in a meaningful or momentary bond, where your sense of time, place and self melts away".
To me, this sounds like good and bad news" On one hand, the "flow" state is one of the most productive and enjoyable states you can be in as far as I'm concerned, but on the other hand, the always on culture that has been amplified during the lock down is a killer of "flow" states. If you're always being interrupted by random Slack messages, emails, video calls, etc. it is impossible to get into a good "flow".
So, if you're feeling languished you should unapologetically set yourself as away on Slack for a couple of hours, deny meeting invites that cut into your focus time, and allow yourself to start flourishing 🙌 And don't forget to talk honestly about how you're feeling to the people around you, using the correct vocabulary!
Languishing is described as the state between depression and flourishing (flourishing = the peak of well-being). It's that state where you're not feeling burnt out, but still joyless and aimless. It's that sense of stagnation and emptiness. I sure as hell recognize these symptoms, and I think a lot of people have experienced them at one point or another during the pandemic - with all the lock downs & working from home.
Why is it helpful to know about this concept?
It turns out that, according to the article, just being able to name this emotion is one of the best strategies for managing it (according to some psychologists)! Being able to talk to people around you, without the fear of coming across as depressed, by using the correct vocabulary can be a game changer in order to become more content about how you're feeling. Instead of saying "Great!", or "Fine", you can answer "Honestly, I'm languishing at the moment" the next time someone asks you "How's it going?".
There's no need to be super up-beat at all times.
It's better to be honest.
So, how can we get out of the languishing state
Turns out that getting into a "flow" state can be an antidote to languishing. From the article: "Flow is that state of absorption in a meaningful or momentary bond, where your sense of time, place and self melts away".
To me, this sounds like good and bad news" On one hand, the "flow" state is one of the most productive and enjoyable states you can be in as far as I'm concerned, but on the other hand, the always on culture that has been amplified during the lock down is a killer of "flow" states. If you're always being interrupted by random Slack messages, emails, video calls, etc. it is impossible to get into a good "flow".
So, if you're feeling languished you should unapologetically set yourself as away on Slack for a couple of hours, deny meeting invites that cut into your focus time, and allow yourself to start flourishing 🙌 And don't forget to talk honestly about how you're feeling to the people around you, using the correct vocabulary!