Readers had questions. I have answers!

After my last post on the winter blues, I heard from many readers that they don’t exactly have winter blues, but they do notice that at this time of year that staying productive and motivated is much more difficult. Some people mentioned also that with everything going on in the world (think politics, health crises, lack of good health insurance and more) that they find themselves down in a way that exceeds their normal state at this time of year.

So today, I wanted to share some of the specific questions I got, along with some suggestions for keeping your mood and energy levels up as well as for being more productive and focused during the longer, darker, winter days.

1. Is it normal to be unmotivated in the winter? I feel so badly about doing nothing when I have cleaning to do, calls to make taxes to tend to…

This is a hard question. Actually…it isn’t. YES IT’S NORMAL. Am I yelling? Yep, sure am!

It is not only normal to feel unmotivated in the winter, it’s normal to feel unmotivated when you have a to-do list that feels impossible to get to even on a good day, week, month, or year. My first comment will be to get my book. Seriously. I’m not even going to give you a shameless self-promotion caveat here. My book walks you through a process of understanding what is most important so you know what not to do on your to-do list.

But beyond this, even if you do know what to do and it’s not so daunting, it’s not only FINE to spend time on the couch doing nothing…it is imperative for your mental and physical health to have down time when you have absolutely nothing scheduled.

That said, if an inability to move forward with tasks is upsetting or impeding your life, it may be related to depression. If you suspect depression or you try these tips and tricks and they don’t work. please see your physician (I can work with you on this locally or virtually in Oregon, virtually in California,  or as a team member online.) If you are having thoughts of self harm, or are in crisis, you can (as of the time of this post) call or text 9-8-8 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get support.

Another common cause of feeling ‘unmotivated’ is task paralysis which can happen from overwhelm, but can also be related to ADD. We are learning so much more about how commonly people grapple with an ADD (not neurotypical) brain and as we learn more about this we gain more tools and tactics to manage it. Of course you shouldn’t use social media to diagnose yourself, but TikTok has so many creators these days who have tips and tricks that have worked for them, you may find something there that can help you. There are also executive function coaches who might be of help. I even have a friend who runs an annual weekend long “celebration of unique minds” in Austin, Tx called Neurodiversion in the spring.

2. Are there things that can help with setting your circadian rhythm when you’re not going to sleep when it gets dark or waking as the sun rises?

Yes! One of my favorite things is the combination of the blue light box by Philips, and the Daylight alarm clock, also by Philips. If you’re having issues with staying productive and energetic at this time of year then this is a great way to work with your body’s natural rhythms to support a more energetic state.

3. I’ve heard that activity trackers can be helpful but they’re so expensive, do you have any other ideas that can help motivate me when I just want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea instead of getting outside?

I have personally had a great experience with wearing a step tracker. When I first started wearing it, I was appalled at how sedentary I was on my work days so I started to keep an eye on my steps and if by early evening I hadn’t hit 10k steps (that’s my arbitrary personal minimum goal) I would go out after dinner. Since early pandemic I’ve been doing much of my practice online so am able to walk consistently during my work hours. Most work days I’m at 25k steps. This has been an absolute game changer for e.

As for trackers, the prices have gone down so much in the last few years. I use a fitbit, which I wear on my ankle because if I wear it on my wrist it doesn’t count my treadmill steps. I’ve been asked more than once if it’s an ankle monitor!

My husband has a fitbit watch which he loves. My sister wears a little clip-on fitbit around her neck that was super inexpensive. I also wear an Oura ring that tracks my sleep, O2 saturation and other metrics. Also, if you have an iPhone and you are keeping it on you all the time, your steps will be tracked in your Health app already.

4. I feel like I’m tired all the time in the winter, no matter how much sleep I get. What can I do to increase my energy?

Again, feeling tired can be a symptom of clinical depression so if you think this is a possibility, please go to your doctor to get screened. As for specifically what to do, first up is sleep. That means seven to eight hours for most people, and for some, it means eight to nine. If you have trouble sleeping it’s important to get help to figure out what the problem is, and fix it. Conditions that can negatively affect sleep include sleep apnea, thyroid issues, hormone imbalance, menopause, anxiety, depression, and more. This is something that I typically address in appointments with my clients and you can address with your own physician or health provider.

If you want some help working this out, to see if you’re dealing with normal winter blues, depression, or other health issues, please feel free to contact me. You can find information on my virtual consults here, and for local appointments (Portland, OR) see my office website.

The take-home

Remember it’s normal to turn inside a bit in the winter. Quiet nights on the couch. Hot tea and close friends. Early to bed. Sleepier nights. Don’t begrudge yourself the lovely introspective time that winter affords. But if you need a little more va-voom, try some of these tips, they’ll help. If you need more of a boost feel free to sign up for my FREE 7-day (a tip a day by email) Energy Infusion. It’s older so might be a tiny bit outdated with language etc, but the tips should be pretty easy to implement ideas for increasing your energy and staying productive.

Yours in health,