4 Ways To Move From Languishing To Thriving In 2022

2021 was a tough year. As the pandemic stretched on, many people found themselves not exactly depressed but certainly not thriving—stuck somewhere in between, feeling apathetic, unmotivated, dissatisfied, and all-around “meh.” This feeling, like you’re “just going through the motions” instead of actively engaging with your work and your life, is called languishing—and, for many, it was the dominant emotion of 2021. (In fact, languishing was such a common experience, Adam Grant’s article on languishing was the New York Times’ most-read article of the year.) 

Languishing is a challenging experience, both physically and emotionally—and it’s a nightmare for productivity.

But with a new year comes a unique opportunity to shake the experience of languishing—and get back to feeling motivated, optimistic, excited, and productive.

So how, exactly, do you do that? Let’s take a look at these 4 strategies to move from languishing to thriving in 2022:

Get into a flow state…

Have you ever had an experience where you were so immersed in, focused on, and engaged with what you were doing that you lost track of time? That’s called flow state—and if you want to move from languishing to thriving in the upcoming year, one of the best ways to do it? Embrace more experiences that induce that kind of flow state.

Research has found that spending time in a flow state has all kinds of benefits that can help you move away from the feeling of languishing, including increased dopamine production, improved performance, and heightened creativity.

Flow looks different for everyone. But if you want to spend more time in a flow state, focus on activities that engage you to the point that not only are you enjoying the activity, but you’re so engaged, that hours could pass and you might not even notice—which, depending on the person, could include anything from learning an instrument, skiing down a mountain, writing a novel, or digging into data and looking for patterns.

…and get your blood flowing during the day

When you’re languishing, you typically feel fatigued, unmotivated, and lacking energy. And when you’re in that state, it can feel impossible to get up and get moving.

But if you want to get out of that state—and start feeling more energetic and vibrant? Exercising is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

When you exercise, your body releases various neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and endorphins. The release of those neurotransmitters impacts your body and brain in various ways, including by improving mood and increasing energy—both of which can help you shake the “meh” feeling associated with languishing.

So, the next time languishing manifests for you in low energy and lack of motivation, lace up your shoes and squeeze in a workout. Exercise (even if it’s a quick session!) will leave you feeling happier and more energetic—which is much more in line with thriving than languishing.

Switch things up and challenge yourself

When you’re languishing, every day can feel the same; that unmotivated, fatigued, and disengaged feeling carries from one day to the next, making work (and life!) feel monotonous.

If you’re feeling that sense of monotony, a pattern interrupt may be just what you need to jolt you out of the “blah” experience of languishing—so look for ways to switch things up and challenge yourself.

For example, has work been feeling monotonous? Volunteer to take on a new, challenging project—or sign up for a class to learn a new skill that will help you take your career to the next level. Are you spending every evening passively watching your streaming apps? Try something more active and engaging instead of catching up with your Netflix queue—like reading or a video game.

Bottom line? When you’re languishing, you can feel like you’re stuck in a rut. So if you want to get out of languishing, break out of that rut—and give yourself the pattern you need to feel more engaged, energetic, and motivated.

Do something for someone else

When you’re languishing, it can be easy to get caught up in your own experience. But one of the most effective ways to feel happier, more engaged, and more purposeful (AKA the opposite of languishing) is to focus on someone else’s experience—or, in other words, do something for someone else.

Taking the focus off of yourself and your struggles and, instead, redirecting that energy to helping someone else or being of service in some way has been shown to help people thrive. For example, one study found that people who volunteered for at least two hours each week were happier, more optimistic, and had a higher sense of purpose than people who didn’t volunteer.

So, if you’re languishing, get out of your head and turn your attention towards helping someone else. Offer to help a co-worker with a challenging project. Spend some time volunteering for a cause that feels meaningful to you. Take a more junior member of your team out for coffee and see if there’s anything you can do to help them grow in their career.

The point is, spending time helping others can make you happier, more hopeful and give you a more profound sense of purpose about your work and your life—all of which can help you shift from languishing to thriving.

Use these tips to thrive in 2022

Languishing is a challenging place to be—both from a professional and a personal perspective. But now that you know the strategies you need to make the shift from languishing to thriving, you have everything you need to leave languishing in 2021—and thrive in 2022.