3 ms·

For me, washing my face with cold water does the trick. It somehow breaks me out of that "ugh" thought pattern, to start thinking afresh. Also taking a shower -

For me, washing my face with cold water does the trick. It somehow breaks me out of that "ugh" thought pattern, to start thinking afresh. Also taking a shower - interesting how these both involve water. Giving a name to this feeling, the "ugh field" and "wall of awful" (I hadn't heard of that one, thanks!) - it helps to recognize it as it happens. It takes practice to catch it as soon as it starts, because the longer you sit in it, the deeper hold it has on you. It's related to anxiety disorder, I think, in that there's a spectrum of how bad it gets, how much it affects your work and personal life. It's also a symptom (or a cause?) of the burn out syndrome. Having broken through countless walls of aweful, I've learned that patience and persistence are key. It's important to be patient with yourself, to lovingly steer the mind and body towards your goals, and forgive yourself for feeling how you do. If you feel so bad about doing a task, it's a sign that something is out of balance. Sometimes the best thing to do is let go, whether it's prioritizing your mental health over work demands, or searching for a better job situation.

foolmeonce 6y ago
The water thing (particularly cold to the face) is probably the mammalian diving reflex. Your heartbeat (and other factors relating to stress level) drop to maximize your time under water.
uhhyeahdude 6y ago
I do the cold water on face and the shower thing on an almost-daily basis. I mean, I shower daily in the morning because it feels good and I prefer not to alienate the people I interact with over the course of my day. Since my daily activities sometimes involve outside work in a tropical climate, I found myself needing the occasional evening shower. I also do a lot of work in the evening, working with computers instead of plants, and eventually I came to notice that I performed that work much better, with less resistance, on days when I had the evening shower. I added the shower to my evening routine, and it is helpful regardless of whether or not I did any labor-type work. The water-on-face thing is a habit I picked up this year, and I never connected it with the shower routine. But thinking about it now, it seems clear that it may well be. I do the cold water routine more frequently on days I feel overwhelmed, and it seems obvious in retrospect. I appreciate your insights; thank you.
- swader999 6y ago
  Ever try cold showers?

foolmeonce 6y ago

The water thing (particularly cold to the face) is probably the mammalian diving reflex. Your heartbeat (and other factors relating to stress level) drop to maximize your time under water.

uhhyeahdude 6y ago

I do the cold water on face and the shower thing on an almost-daily basis. I mean, I shower daily in the morning because it feels good and I prefer not to alienate the people I interact with over the course of my day. Since my daily activities sometimes involve outside work in a tropical climate, I found myself needing the occasional evening shower. I also do a lot of work in the evening, working with computers instead of plants, and eventually I came to notice that I performed that work much better, with less resistance, on days when I had the evening shower. I added the shower to my evening routine, and it is helpful regardless of whether or not I did any labor-type work. The water-on-face thing is a habit I picked up this year, and I never connected it with the shower routine. But thinking about it now, it seems clear that it may well be. I do the cold water routine more frequently on days I feel overwhelmed, and it seems obvious in retrospect. I appreciate your insights; thank you.

swader999 6y ago
Ever try cold showers?