Q: This is either a list of chores you either find yourself procrastinating about or just never have time for, that do not require a lot of preparation to begin. When you have time to kill, you just might have the motivation to do them. Here are some examples: Balance your checkbook. If you are waiting for an appointment and your checkbook is handy, you may be able to pull it out and take a look at the check register, totaling up the deposits and debits, and making sure the entries are up to date. Update your daily planner. Many of these are on PDAs or other electronic devices, and old entries can be deleted to free up space from time to time. Clean out your cell phone's messages and old contacts. If you have a cell phone with a bunch of old contact information, or that stores a lot of recent calls, missed calls, and voice and text messages, this might be a good time to clear all of the useless stuff out. Organize your purse or wallet. Be careful that no one is observing you if you have a lot of cash or personal stuff that is pulled out; however, if there are few people around you, you may sort your credit cards, business cards, and other stuff to make things a bit easier to find when you need them. This probably should've been first on this page as it's one of the best ideas -- meditating can calm and relax you like nothing else. If you've never done it before, give it a shot! It only takes ten minutes of practically doing nothing. It is, however, something you'll get better at over time. Don't expect to reach nirvana the first time you try it right before your dentist appointment. Getting adequately zenned is a skill that comes with practice. Whether it's a homework or cooking dinner, there's probably some activity that you need to get done eventually. How about that old friend that emailed you two months ago you've completely forgotten about? It's either that or laundry! If you can't think of anything, you're probably not thinking hard enough. Most people have something to clean, organize, make, submit, research, or finalize. Think ahead -- what will you need to do next week? . Oops, already did that. But you could change this one!
A: Keep a mental list of activities you need to do. Meditate. Get some real work done. Write an article on how to kill time

Q: You will receive a thorough training before becoming a suicide hotline worker. Your training should indicate steps you take in every call, resources available, how to troubleshoot situations, and who to ask if you need help. Make sure you understand all of these steps before you begin taking calls. If you do not understand something, ask. You will receive hands-on training, including participating in role-playing exercises, answering mock phone calls, and watching other workers take calls, before you answer calls on your own. Make sure you follow your agency's rules on confidentiality, for both you and the client. Some agencies have you use an alias to protect your identity. While it may feel frustrating to not be able to follow-up with the person who called you, understand that it helps you focus on staying in the moment to prevent a crisis, and not dwelling on things you may not be able to change. QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) is a suicide-prevention technique that anyone can learn and use, whether you work in a crisis management capacity or are just a concerned citizen. Those trained in QPR learn suicide warning signs and become "gatekeepers," or people in a position to recognize a crisis and suicide warning signs. Question the person about suicide directly. Talk to them about any suicidal ideation, plans, timelines, or means. Assess their immediate risk. Persuade the person to get help. Be a supportive listener and empathize with their concerns. Then you could say, for example, "I want to make sure that you have a way to stay safe right now. Who can you call right now who can come over and stay with you?" Refer for help. Assess their support network and other protective factors (relationships and behaviors that reduce likelihood of suicide). Utilize some of these support systems already in place to get them help. Your hotline may have additional resources to which you can connect your caller. Understand that different cultures and groups of people may have different needs and concerns. If you are working in an area that has a large population of a group of people with whom you are not familiar, you may want to have some additional training on common problems and how to work with that particular community. For example, you may want to take additional training courses on how to help suicidal youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, the elderly, or veterans. Check with your organization to see if they offer in-house trainings on different populations, or if they recommend outside organizations that can help you. If you are on a call trying to manage a difficult situation, or if you feel like you are unable to be an effective helper for this caller, follow your organization's protocol to get assistance. Remember that different people are more susceptible to different emotional triggers than others. Keep your ego in check. Remember, it's not about you, it's about helping the caller survive. Do whatever you can to keep the caller safe, even if that means asking for help. Know that in your role as a hotline counselor, you will likely be exposed to many difficult situations. Understand you may even hear a person attempt and/or complete suicide over the phone. Your training will help you develop effective strategies to handle your own emotions while working on the hotline. Connect with other volunteers and supervisors on your hotline to prepare for difficult calls, and to for suggestions on how to take care of yourself after particularly traumatic calls.
A: Follow your agency's protocol. Follow your QPR training. Get training on different populations. Ask for help. Prepare for deep emotional impact.

Q: Ask yourself if any of your friends feel like "emotional vampires"--people who want to be listened to, admired, and sympathized with, but don't return the favor when you want to talk. Does it seem like they're pulling you down into their problems without helping you with yours? Drama-prone friends who monopolize your time and energy without reciprocating might not be worth keeping around. Think deeply about whether the friendship is worth your time and effort. These could include a friend talking behind people's backs, acting rudely towards friends or family, or anything that makes you uncomfortable or upset. Examine how you feel after spending time with them. Feeling tired, stressed or upset after the interaction is the biggest red flag of all. Confront them kindly but firmly by saying, "You've been talking a lot about other people lately and it's been bothering me. Is there anything you want to talk about?" If a friend doesn't respond to your attempts to help or doesn't show any effort towards changing their habits, it may be time to let the friendship go. Try saying, "I value our friendship, but it's become too difficult to overcome your negativity. If you ever want to talk or try to change your outlook, I'm here, but I need to focus on myself for a while."
A:
Take an inventory of your existing friendships. Confront friends head-on when you see warning signs. Limit your time with toxic friends, or leave them behind completely when necessary.