Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Keep a journal. Calm your mind with exercise. Confront your worries. Desensitize yourself to the unknown. Let yourself be emotional. Get treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. Seek therapy for chronic insomnia.

Answer: Try thinking about everything that bothers you and putting it on paper every day. Divide your worries into things you have already dealt with and things that you have a plan for dealing with. While you write, imagine that you are physically removing all these worries from your mind and placing them on the paper. This will help you put your worries away at the end of the day. Try not to leave any of your worries completely unresolved. If you can't deal with them before bed, make a simple plan for when and how you will deal with them so that you won't have to think about it while you are lying in bed. If you worry about things that you cannot solve or influence, like global warming or your children's well being on a school trip, write those down as well and tell yourself that you are discarding them as you write them down. Do not write in your journal right before bedtime. You want to give your mind a bit of time to relax and forget about the worries that you have written down. You can also try keeping track of your daily habits, including foods you ate and the amount of exercise you got, in your journal. This may help you recognize patterns of habits that are good or bad for your sleep. Exercise is good for your body and your mind! If you suffer from anxiety, try incorporating at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine. This simple lifestyle change can help your body cope with stress. Try to avoid stimulating exercises right you go to bed. It is best to give your body a few hours to wind down between your workout and your bedtime. If your mind is racing with anxieties or obsessive thoughts, sometimes the best thing to do is to acknowledge their existence and actively work to dismiss them. The next time you find yourself worrying about something for no reason, take control by telling yourself that it is an obsessive thought and encouraging yourself to rise above it. Then distract your mind from the thought by finding a task or another thought to occupy yourself with. It may help if you repeat a mantra to yourself. Try something like: "I am having an obsessive thought about _____. There is no need for me to worry about _____, so I will think about _____ instead. It may also help to take a moment to analyze your worries and think about all of the reasons why they are not productive things to worry about. You can try incorporating something like "It is not worth my time to worry about _____ because _____" into your mantra. If you encounter a legitimate worry that genuinely requires action, focus your energy on brainstorming possible solutions to the problem, instead of ruminating about all of the bad things that might happen. Once you have come up with a solution, tell yourself, "I no longer need to worry about _____ because I have made a plan for dealing with it." If you are worrying about the uncertainty of the future, try repeating the worry to yourself several times. As you do so, tell yourself that you don't know what will happen in the future, and that you're okay with that uncertainty. Eventually your mind will become more comfortable with the thought you are having and will move on to other thoughts. Your worries may stem in part from your resistance to showing other emotions, such as anger or sadness. Don't be afraid to talk about your feelings, or to cry when you feel sad. Releasing your emotions like this will help you feel much better! While it's important to acknowledge your emotions, it's also important not to allow yourself to dwell on negative feelings, as this can lead to more anxiety. Once you've acknowledged how you're feeling, try to do something to lift your emotions. If you're in bed, try thinking about something that makes you happy to improve your mood. Many people who suffer from chronic insomnia also suffer from clinical depression or an anxiety disorder. While doctors do not know for sure if one causes the other, there does seem to be some correlation. If you can manage the symptoms of your depression or anxiety, either with drugs or with therapy, you may have a much easier time falling asleep. You might benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy if you have a difficult time falling asleep on a regular basis, even if you don't suffer from depression or anxiety as well. This kind of treatment will help you recognize the causes of your insomnia and change your thinking patterns to help you fall asleep more easily.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Prepare some sticky notes with important points written on them. Take a short moment to collect yourself before launching into the conversation. Be prepared to talk about yourself. Speak slowly and clearly. Project a bigger level of enthusiasm than normal. Follow through with the next steps. End the call on a positive note.

Answer: It's normal to lose your train of thought on occasion during a stressful situation like a phone interview. To prevent this from happening, write down some main points you want to discuss on some sticky notes and place them around the edge of your computer screen. Having them right in front of you is a good safety net in case you stumble over your answers. On the sticky notes, include things like the company's mission statement, a list of work history information you want to make sure they are aware of, and a couple of prepared answers to questions you expect they might ask you. The call will generally be made during business hours and may take you by surprise. If that happens, ask the caller to hold for a moment while you move to a quiet location. If the phone call is scheduled for a specific time, try to be ready at least ten minutes ahead of time so that you have a moment to calm your nerves. During the call, you may be asked to discuss why you're currently looking for work; what skills you have that meet the position requirements; and whether your pay requirements fall within the hiring range. There may also be questions relating to your job stability or why you changed from job to job. Consider your answers ahead of time so that you'll have your responses ready. It's normal to talk faster when you're nervous, so try to make a conscious effort to slow down your speech pace during the interview. You should even consider waiting a bit longer than you normally would (just by a few seconds) before answering questions so that you make sure the caller has enough time to finish their question and you don't accidentally talk over them. Speaking too fast can make you seem nervous and unprepared. It can also cause you to rush into an answer before you've had enough time to fully consider your response. Since the caller can't actually see you smiling, it's important that you convey a slightly exaggerated sense of enthusiasm over the phone. Don't go too over-the-top with it, but let the caller know that you're excited about this opportunity. Laugh (when appropriate) at jokes and respond to questions with enthusiasm. Once you have answered all the questions, be sure that you don't end the call without knowing what the next step will be. Find out if they will contact you for an in-person interview, or if you can schedule the interview now. Make note of the date and time; the name, title, and phone number of the person with whom you'll be meeting; the address or location, and directions to get there (if offered). Be sure that you are clear about what the next steps are and the expected timeline for moving forward. Before hanging up, thank the caller for their time and consideration. Inform the caller that you are interested in moving forward and enjoyed the conversation. Try saying something like, "Thank you for the call. I am very interested in this opportunity and excited about moving forward in the process. What is the next step?"

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Plan a casual activity with your friend. Ease into talking about your depression whenever it feels right. Communicate to your friend whether the information is confidential. Say what you have practiced. Help your friend feel comfortable. Keep your friend engaged. Bring resolution to the conversation by deciding on a "next step. Transition out of the conversation.

Answer:
You can take her to lunch, or go for a walk somewhere you both enjoy. Research has shown that mildly depressed people's moods improve when a task diverts attention to something external such as an activity. Being in a better mood can make it easier for you to be able to open up and talk about your feelings. If you're not in the mood to do an activity, don't feel pressured to plan one. A conversation over a cup of tea at the kitchen table or on the couch can suffice. The best way to start is to tell her that you have something important you want to share, so she knows not to take your conversation lightly. If you don't know how to bring it up or feel uncomfortable, try saying something like, "Hey, I've been feeling kind of weird/down/upset lately. Do you think we could talk about it?" Make it clear from the beginning of the conversation whether you want her to listen and hear what you have to say, or want her opinion or suggestions. Be sure to let your friend know whether what you're telling them is private or if they are permitted to communicate your difficulties to other people on your behalf. Be as specific and direct as possible. Don't dance around what you need or what you're requesting. It's okay if you get a little tongue-tied and shaky as you talk. Just talking is the hardest part! If you're having a hard time dealing with your emotions during the actual conversation, it's okay to admit this to your friend. Letting them know how hard the conversation is for you might even be helpful to your friend to understand your state of mind and how serious the situation is. If you begin to feel overwhelmed at any point during the conversation, it's okay to take a break, take a deep breath and gather your thoughts. If your friend seems uneasy, break the tension by thanking her for being there and listening, or apologizing for taking up her time or having a hard time talking about it (if that is true). Individuals with depression are sometimes prone to feeling guilty. Guilt can be persistent, but it can also be managed and minimized. If you feel guilty during your conversation, one useful way to manage this perceived guilt is to remember that guilty thoughts are not facts. You are not burdening your friend by sharing your feelings. Your friend is more likely to feel grateful that you trusted her with this information and eager to help your recovery than she is to feel the "burden" you envision. For your conversation to work, your friend needs to be listening to you completely. There are many ways to hold her attention, including making eye contact, using gesturing and body language (e.g., facing the person, not having your arms or legs crossed), speaking clearly, and avoiding outside distractions (e.g., background noise, people passing, cell phones ringing). Look for signs of active listening. When a person is listening closely, they are deeply focused, trying to understand what you're saying. Check for cues like eye contact, nodding, or meaningful responses to what you're saying (even "uh-huh" can be meaningful!). People also show that they understand a conversation with their contributions to that conversation. They might repeat or paraphrase what was said, ask follow-up questions, and otherwise be working to keep the conversation going. When people stop understanding or are at a loss for words, they may use filler words. Filler words are "go to" words and can vary from person to person. They may use the same phrases over and over again (e.g., "that is interesting"). They may also trail off (i.e., not finish sentences) or not be working to keep the conversation going. Be aware, however, that these responses can vary from person to person. For example, some people think more clearly when they aren't making eye contact and may deliberately avoid it in order to concentrate on what you are saying. Think about how your friend talks and how she acts when she's paying attention. " When a person (like your friend) wants to help, she wants to know what actions she can take. This is part of human psychology: we feel good when we do something for others. Helpful actions can also alleviate some of the guilt your friend might feel when she sees you in distress. You should talk about your feelings as much as you need to, but it helps to end the conversation with something concrete or specific your friend can help you with (such as letting you vent about your feelings for half an hour or taking you out to get your mind off your problems). Recall what you had decided to request or hope for when you were preparing for this conversation and tell your friend about that. Pay attention to your friend and how the conversation is going. When you feel it's time to move on, suggest a different topic or move to end the conversation by saying something like, "We should be getting home," or, "I'll let you go, I don't want to take up too much of your time." This move is mostly likely up to you, as your friend may feel uncomfortable ending the conversation.