For some people, this will fall into the “well, duh” category.
Sometimes, when one has lost one’s optimism, it’s easy to let things slide – paperwork, housework, things you should do.
Don’t do that.
Because as time goes on, the weight of those “things not done” gets heavier and heavier. Just looking around the house can become an exercise in depression, as you see the evidence of everything you really should have done. And as you gather your motivation to start digging out of that hole you’ve dug for yourself (or the multiple holes that you’ve dug for yourself), it’s harder to measure the progress you’ve made. If the distance to go is 20 miles, going 10 miles can seem like a good accomplishment. If you’ve got 500 miles to go, it’s harder to see 10 miles as progress.
Don’t let it slide. Throw yourself into it, keep at it, keep doing it. Not only will you avoid the unpleasantness of things not done (people or government agencies calling you to task), you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Which is a great way to fight off the blahs.
See, I told you it was probably a “well, duh” kind of thing.