There are many evidence-based psychological strategies that are useful for everyday life and work situations.
For example, to improve productivity, particularly the challenge of starting a new task, I follow the 5-minute rule. Plan to do the task for just 5 minutes, at which point you can decide to keep going or stop. Any way you look at it, it's a win-win because a lot of the time you'll want to keep going, but even if you stop, 5 minutes is still better than nothing.
For relationships, my favorite strategy is active listening. Active listening helps the other person feel heard and understood, which they can then reciprocate for you. It ensures you're both on the same page and prevents misunderstandings. You can practice active listening by:
1. Allowing your partner (romantic, roommate, sibling, etc.) to speak for a minute or two
2. Summarizing or paraphrasing what you heard them say ("What I heard you say was...")
3. Checking in to make sure you understood correctly ("Did I get that right?" or, "Did I miss anything?")
4. Validating their emotions (even if you don't feel the same way or don't agree with their reasoning, validating emotions lets them know you can understand how they might feel what they're feeling and how uncomfortable/unpleasant that feeling can be)
5. Only once you've done the above, responding to what they said with your own thoughts and feelings.
For overall wellbeing, my favorite technique is cognitive reframing. If I don't like a particular thought, I ask myself if there's a different way I can look at it. Is the thought 100% true? Is it based in reality or only on how I feel in this moment? Is it serving me? Depending on the answer, I can then reframe the thought into a more accurate and helpful one. For example, instead of thinking, "I'm so fat, I eat like a pig," I'll reframe it into, "I'm working towards eating healthier, and even though it can be challenging, I have an opportunity to create new habits with each meal."
I use all of the above strategies regularly to help me get work done, communicate with my husband and clients, and practice balanced thinking to improve my mood, motivation, and behavior.
