Productivity purge/Intrusive thoughts/Bedtime stories

ARTICLE - Why you should stop saying “I’ll be happy when...” (The difference between happiness and joy)

BOOK - Learn one of the most powerful mind-clearing techniques I’ve used (All you need is pen and paper)

BLOG POST - Read about getting more done by doing less with the Einstein principle and Cal Newport’s incredibly helpful productivity purge

WEBSITE - US therapy-search sites could learn so much about their functionality from this UK-based therapy service

NEWSLETTER - A Montana-based super-creative teaches you how to call out your passions (And why that matters)

VIDEO - Understand what it’s like to live with intrusive thoughts (And what you should know about them and OCD)

CHART - A couple tracked what impacted their sleep for two years, and these insightful, fascinating charts are the result

PODCAST - Can’t sleep? You need this person to read you bedtime stories with his incredibly soothing voice.

ARTICLE - Why you should stop saying “I’ll be happy when...” (The difference between happiness and joy)

This short TED article came at the right time for me. I’ve been stuck in goal-based happiness mode, always thinking about what I need to do next to get more fulfillment. But here’s the thing—happiness is not like that. The author’s story is relatable, and I’m sure it will help you see happiness in a new light.


BOOK - Learn one of the most powerful mind-clearing techniques I’ve used (All you need is pen and paper)

I finally get why morning pages are so powerful. They get the junk out of your head so that you can just exist. The point is to not know where you’re going as you're writing in a stream-of-consciousness way, and you’ll end up going where you need to anyway. Julia Cameron started a movement with The Artist’s Way, and her prolific creativity speaks volumes. I’m working through this book right now, and it truly is igniting my creativity, which I felt was dormant for the last few months. I’m back!


BLOG POST - Read about getting more done by doing less with the Einstein Principle and Cal Newport’s incredibly helpful productivity purge

I’m oh so guilty of trying to cram as many tasks into a day as I can. But what happens on those days? I feel like I got nothing done at all. The secret is to get really good at choosing the right work to do each day and then commit your full attention to it. I love, love love, Cal Newport’s books, especially Deep Work and So Good They Can’t Ignore You. I found his idea of the productivity purge in this short article powerful and practical.


WEBSITE - US therapist-search sites could learn so much about their functionality from this UK-based therapy service

This is a bit different from what I usually share, but The Mental Health Update competes for a lot of keywords on Google with Harley Therapy, and I somehow ended up looking at their therapist-search platform, which is kind of like Psychology Today, but so much better. Clear information about cost, when the next available appointment is, and an all-around good user experience. Why don’t we have this in the US? Come on now.


NEWSLETTER - A Montana-based super-creative teaches you how to call out your passions (And why that matters)

I’ve known about Tyler Knott Gregson for a while because of his beautiful poetry and the fact that he also lives in Montana, but I recently discovered that he has a newsletter called Signal Fire. And it’s a good one. I liked this particular issue about calling out your passions. It’s one of many signs I’ve gotten recently to not neglect my creative side. I always feel better when I’m being creative, as it’s a big part of who I am when I’m most authentic.


VIDEO - Understand what it’s like to live with intrusive thoughts (And what you should know about them and OCD) 

I live with OCD, and I used to have horrible intrusive thoughts. It was so bad that I took medicine for it, and the medicine really helped. I’ve since been able to go down to the lowest dose and use skills like mindfulness to help out, though. Intrusive thoughts are incredibly common, and they don’t mean you’re a bad person. Strange thoughts have nothing to do with a person’s character. Nothing. Do yourself a favor and watch this short, interesting video. I now have a new word for intrusive thoughts: creative associations! Thanks, Dr. Phillipson.

 
CHART - A couple tracked what impacted their sleep for two years, and these insightful, fascinating charts are the result 

I’m not a Reddit user, but I occasionally find fascinating threads from other sources, often in circuitous ways. I got this one from the delightfully geeky Chartr newsletter, which shares charts and graphs that teach me about current events. See if you can spot the funny discrepancy in the couple’s sleep data.

PODCAST - Can’t sleep? You need this person to read you bedtime stories with his incredibly soothing voice


Speaking of sleep, it's so important for mental health. My wife has been listening to Listen to Sleep to wind down at night. I don’t tend to listen to podcasts in bed, but I’m so glad I checked this out. Before I knew it, my curious brain started researching the guy behind this, Erik. His story is as interesting as his world-class voice. Plus, he has an epic beard.

What did you think of this week's newsletter?

1. It was great! I loved it.
2. It was pretty good.
3. It was OK.
4. I really didn't like it all.