This article will give you some tips on how to market yourself and boost your professional profile.

1. Have the right mindset

Based on experience and conversations with professional networkers, I realized that for young professionals, the concept of networking can be incredibly daunting. But, networking is a major part of any field of work.

For employers, colleagues, and peers to respect and get to know you, a fair amount of communication is needed. We are often taught extensively how to apply for jobs, how to write up an impeccable CV, but we are not often taught how to conduct ourselves and how to manage our mindset in order to go into a meeting or a networking setting with confidence.

So this is something I learned and it proved to be very essential: never enter a gathering feeling like you are in need to gain something from it, or that you are inferior to anyone else. What this does is subtly contribute to your changing level of self-respect, self-preservation, and self-worth. By seeing everyone in the room as someone who has something more to offer you than you do for them, means you are not internalizing a basic fundamental concept of our deen which is to look at each other with equality.

Allah  created humans equally, but society attributes more value to humans based on their monetary worth, popularity, and/or beauty.

By adjusting your mindset, you’ll be able to believe in your own worth and capabilities, you’ll understand that your value or worth is not based on the changing societal norms, but purely from Allah who dignified all human beings.

Through this reassurance you will gain access to your own skill set and talents,  and furthermore enter any situation knowing you have something special to offer others, which in turn will heighten your level of confidence.

If you see networking as a collaboration, as opposed to someone doing you a favor, it will no longer be a burden, more importantly, you will be treated with respect as a peer, regardless of your age.

Our religion does not call for respect of each other merely based on age or profession; respect is for everyone, and some of the most accomplished and respected companions of the Prophet were as young as what we call today teenagers.

Anas bin Malik narrated that:

“An older man came to talk to the Prophet, and the people were hesitant to make room for him. The Prophet said: He is not one of us who does not have mercy on our young and does not respect our elders.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

2. Don’t hold back

 Often when making a new LinkedIn account, many people are slightly apprehensive about sharing too much about their career or academic history. Particularly since often, on a platform like this, it can very easily become a public space to be compared to other competitors in your field. The thing is, headhunters, employers, and peers are on there to see what YOU may have to offer that they don’t.

Tailoring your account to portray how your experience can in some way link back to your choice of career, is helpful. Holding back, and being shy about the work you have not done, or even the work you have will only serve to become an obstacle for potential employers or peers you are interested in connecting with, to know more about you.

Be proud of where you are, what you have achieved up to this point, and remember to draw on every experience whether it is a weekend spent volunteering for a local shelter, or a publication you have written for place importance in the little things. Ultimately filling the gaps in a loquacious way helps others to understand how you have spent your time up to where you are today. Something you should carry with pride that every step you took to get to this moment, was ordained by Allah , and there is huge value in that.

Your job is to make your story alive and meaningful and see the value and worth of everything. That takes some creativity, but also deep thinking and introspection. This is good for you professionally as people can be passionate about what you’ve shown passion for, and can sense your sincerity and truthfulness. But also the practice of seeing meaning and value in your experiences and understanding the benefit in them is a great source of barakah as Allah says:

“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]” [Qur’an: Chapter 14, Verse 7]

3. Take a good quality picture

It seems like a straightforward piece of advice, but you will be surprised how many great accounts are let down by their picture game.

There are around 467 million LinkedIn users today, 106 million monthly active users spanning over 200 countries and profiles with photos get 21 times more profile views than someone without one. There are books, Youtube videos, and articles available highlighting the importance of marketing yourself in today’s age. Remember marketing and selling yourself are two completely different things.

Knowing that a high-quality respectable image can actually serve to do half of the work, as we know an image can speak a thousand words, investing in a great one can save a lot of time. Any PR or marketing team will always draw focus upon the branding, the image you pick is a huge part of how you brand yourself.

Here are some staple dos for Linkedin images to remember:

• It is a professional network, so smart attire is encouraged,
• Make sure the quality of your image is high, you can use an iPhone camera that can create the effect of a blurred background (the iPhone x is equipped with this feature). Ensure the sharp focus is on you, as you are the subject of the image, or alternatively, finding photographers on Instagram with a small following. They will be more accessible, remember you are creating collaborations in everything that you do, reaching out and asking them to take your picture for your professional or social profiles, can also be used to help them build their portfolio, therefore making it a shared endeavor. This also helps to build your networks with people in various fields, in a very organic way.
• Look comfortable with yourself, if you are wearing clothes that you feel stiff and uncomfortable in, this will translate, ensure YOU are comfortable as in turn that makes  US (the ones viewing your profile) feel comfortable too.
• Make sure you are smiling to showcase that you are in fact a pleasant human being to work with. It is also the Sunnah of the Prophet , which will place more barakah in your endeavors.

“I have not seen anyone who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah ” [Jami’ at Tirmidhi]

 4. Make sure to fill all sections

Sit down and think, draw on your strengths and skills that Allah blessed you with. Have confidence in them, and ensure you cover all areas of your Linkedin page.

The website itself offers widgets that can be found in the corner of the page as a reminder to cover all areas such as skills, academic background, work experience and so on.

The first thing your potential colleagues, peers, and employers will see is your image, your bio section, and your current job position. There are split opinions, about what the job seeker should write in the bio if they are looking for a job. Some would suggest being explicit and stating “seeking opportunities in…”  which has been proven to help headhunters rule out other candidates. However, from my personal experience, naturally, people are drawn to someone who is quietly confident in their field.

The opportunity seems to come more towards those who seem like they don’t need it, but rather would value it.  Just like how in a networking setting, it is best to make a good impression, make your introduction in a way that allows the person to see what you’re about and have to offer, without you having to seem like you are at the mercy of these peers.

So stating the field you are in, and perhaps stating your interests help viewers of your profile gauge your areas of interest. With this, you will find that you will be treated as a peer, however,  some employers may not know you are looking for a job, therefore you must be hands-on, and proactive about seeking the right employers yourself.

5. Invest in Inmail

InMail messages are sent directly to another LinkedIn member you are not connected to.

This is normally great when there is a public figure who may have too many connections, to get access to them through the regular route.

If you have a basic (free) account, you must upgrade to a Premium account to use InMail. You receive a specific number of InMail credits based on your subscription type.

This way reaching those who inspire you is a lot more feasible. For even greater reach and effectiveness, consider using the Best SMM Panel to enhance your overall social media strategy and connect with those who inspire you more effectively.

6. Important numbers to motivate you

If you are more motivated by numbers, here is a list of comprehensive statistics about marketing and LinkedIn you may find helpful:

• The most sought-after skill on LinkedIn in 2014 that got people hired was Statistical Analysis and Data Mining
• It has been noted that there is a 13x increase in profile views for LinkedIn members that list skills on their profiles.
• With 92% of B2B Marketers leveraging their Linkedin on all other social platforms, it seems that’s a great way for more of your networks to reach out.
• Know your audience, according to statistics there are 57% male users and 44% female users on Linkedin.
• With Microsoft offering to pay 26.2 billion dollars to buy Linkedin, it is very clear how influential the app and website have become.
• There is also over 3 million active job listings on the platform, therefore do not shy away thinking there aren’t enough jobs for all of these users.
• From March 2016, 27% of users had between 500 to 999 first degree connections, that is an awful lot of connections.

A colleague of mine recently told me she doesn’t think it’s important necessarily to make these online connections. I think it really does, I told her it is kind of like getting all the business cards you have ever been given and putting them all in one box all neatly organized, and then texting each person in that box and establishing contact with them. Now imagine that box was online, I see LinkedIn as a place to keep all of the contacts you have ever made, and desire to make, in your back pocket, you will never lose touch, you will update each other about the things you are passionate about with the status option, and establish bonds. When you think of it like that, you’ll be able to make the best use of it.

7. Don’t go mad, but don’t shy away either

The whole point of being on LinkedIn is to expand your professional network. Taking time out to build networking strategies for any professional or social media profile can have huge benefits in the long run. Learning to map out figures in the field of work you are interested in engaging with can really help propel you into the right circles.

Once you are able to source the experienced professionals in your field and build connections with them, an algorithm will form, creating more opportunities for you to connect with individuals that fall under the same bracket or category. Such as employees working for a particular company like Google, or peers interested in/ working within the field of Startups and NGOs. Building connections with like-minded individuals is a positive action to take for your outlook, as it will help inspire you towards projects and ideas.

Creating synergies and collaborations with like-minded people will help empower you and your vision, to place more value on what you are doing. Have a set amount of connections you aim to achieve by a certain time, creating small goals creates motivation and will make the whole process more interesting,

Remember you are not connecting for the sake of having connections, each human being is valuable, and possess qualities that Allah destined to be on your path, therefore seeing the connecting process as an opportunity to be inspired through the great qualities in others will help you remember quality, not quantity. This said, there is some kind of notoriety that comes with reaching the 500 plus mark on Linkedin that serves to grant the user with a little more leverage.

It’s great to build up your network to help others know how well connected you are, but bare in mind this should not be the sole reason for your network strategy mapping.

Correct your intention and actively ask Allah to help you connect with the right people who possess the knowledge, qualities, and skills that will propel you into the job you are looking for.

8. Remember it’s all there for a reason

Linking our job or career to Allah isn’t something we often think about; we seem to disconnect from the reality that our relationship with Allah  is holistic and all-encompassing in our lives. The spiritual side of our religion is not only about walking away from our desks briefly to pray in a quiet room.

Everything we do, from the minute our eyes open each morning, to the seconds we spend thinking, the peculiar set of thoughts that suddenly erupt, to the people we bump into…etc, none of this is coincidental, it is all ordained and allowed to occur by the will of Allah .

Therefore you need to think more meaningfully about every connection you make and every idea you have and your own career aspirations in light of your purpose in life and your destination afterlife.

If this is the case, and Allah is the priority, everything will fall right into place. You’ll be able to see that everything happens for a reason. Perhaps there will come a time in the future where your very presence in the workplace of your choice becomes a means for you to attain great rewards from Him . Or more than that, sometimes our purpose isn’t so grandiose and majestic as to change the world, sometimes Allah provides us with a safe sanctuary, a place that we need to be in order to learn things, to change, grow, and evolve, it can be a place in which you live “a mediocre” existence by societies standards, but it’s, in fact, a place in which you find great internal peace, and consequentially are able to glorify Allah in a way you may not be able to in any other place.

9. Reflect the excellent etiquettes of the sunnah

There are great tips and gems in following the sunnah that add meaning and a sense of ihsan (excellence/good conduct) in our work and interactions. For example:

“It is reported by Thabit al-Bannani that Anas used to oil his hand with scented oil in the morning for the sake of shaking hands with his brothers.” [Al Adab Al Mufrad]

A huge part of our religion is placed on perfecting one’s manner and character.

The Prophet said: The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners [Sunan Abi Dawud]

Having good manners is often referenced as a hugely pivotal aspect of the day to day dealings in our workplaces, and is almost always referenced with regards to business.

Business etiquettes, such as learning more about the culture of the person you are about to go into business with actually serves to bring about a stronger rapport, and mutual respect between colleagues and business partners.

By just mirroring the sunnah in various key areas of our lives, such as making sure we look presentable, not speaking ill of others, returning a bad word with a good one, being patient and working hard when we are faced with an obstacle, all of this can boost our own professional profile online and offline.

Reflecting the Prophet’s way of conduct is the perfect example to follow that can help you personally and also make everyone comfortable dealing with you.

One gem from the sunnah that really touches me, for example, is how the Prophet Muhammad never removed his hand from a handshake before the other person did the same. He always made the other person feel valued and appreciated and welcomed.

This can be translated to the online space as well. We may justify being lax with responses, or returning a polite word with a good word because it is done virtually. But this should not be an excuse, we must translate etiquette and manners to the online space, such as thanking a person for connecting on Linkedin. Introducing yourself, without arrogance, treating each human with respect and integrity. All of these elements require us to constantly return to our intention and renew it.

Abu Hurairah reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “It is also charity to utter a good word.” [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

These are only some tips; do you have more tips to boost one’s professional profile and link success in this life with the next as well? Share with us in the comments. 

The post 9 Ways to Boost Your LinkedIn Profile appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

We are naturally affected by changes in sunlight with the change of seasons. During winter time, most of us love comfort food and can feel super lethargic. For many, this winter in particular, may be a difficult one; this could be due to a number of difficulties and struggles we may be facing in our personal lives, alongside the devastation that continues to transpire across the world, that we have been forced to bear witness to. Additionally, we may feel that our iman has taken a few knocks or we may feel fearful of the future, and as a result, we become filled with anxiety. But for people who experience seasonal depression or SAD, things are even harder. We must be able to acknowledge that even the weather can majorly affect our mood; we need to examine if we have any chemical imbalances and we should monitor comfort foods consumed during this cold and dark period, to help effectively eliminate feelings of despair. (It is also important for those who may experience symptoms of SAD to speak to their doctor).

I often have mixed emotions about winter, and in this state of confusion, I read a beautiful saying: “The best season to a believer is the winter, its nights are long for those who wish to pray, and its days are short for those who wish to fast.” – Hasan Al-Basri

How can we ensure that we continue to be productive Muslims, even when the sun isn’t shining? How can we be the strong believers and reap the maximum from the cold months? Here is a list of some useful ways to stay focused and positive. These are tips that I have benefited from myself during my own self-recovery mode and I hope it can help you become a strong believer who can sail through the winter in sha Allah.

1. Slow recovery and self-care

The first thing we feel like doing when feeling blue, have low mood, anxiety, and borderline depression, is to withdraw, be alone and to find comfort in our beds. Slow recovery and self-care is a massively misrepresented process. Often people will choose to eat healthier by staying away from certain foods and drinks that affect their mood, but this only lasts for a short period after the natural positive result. We then become complacent and no longer feel the need to continue, welcoming another major dip in our mood once more. We must maintain a good diet whilst staying up to date in educating ourselves about our bodies by attending dental appointments and scheduling in blood tests. These are small but consistent steps toward feeling better. Prioritize heat furnace repair to be cozy when recovering at home during the winter. Also, engaging in routine heating maintenance service is the best way to guarantee the continued effectiveness and durability of your heating system, offering reassurance throughout the winter season. Then, Click for Cavity Insulation Experts and their services.

Allah loves the small and consistent deeds; therefore, He will love these steps when the intention is to become a stronger Muslim both physically and mentally. The Prophet Muhammad said,

“A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer…” [Sahih Muslim]

Seeing a doctor and running tests regularly allows us to gain further insight into the inner workings of our very unique bodies and minds. This kind of ‘unglamorous’ self-care can bring about a better understanding of what the problems might be, and the effects our surroundings are having on us, particularly in cases of hormone changes.

2. Internalise that winter is a figment of our perception

Frosty fingers, car wheels stuck in grey puddles, hail, razor rain, chilly mornings, fog, misty traffic jams… These are some of our experiences of winter, but it doesn’t have to be our reality. Winter is just a set of days that will pass quickly, and some will be more noticeable than others. Some may even be warm, fun and engaging, and some peaceful and non-eventful.

Since the cold has hit, winter has emerged from November to around, let’s say, February (London can experience wintery conditions all year round; consider yourself lucky if you have different seasons!) depending on which side of the equator you are on. Technically, this is around 15 weeks or 105 days, which would be reduced to 75 days without weekends. By dividing your time by days or weeks, you realise how little you actually have of it to live through.

During this time, set life goals. It will no longer feel like time is slowly passing, but a period you will want to savour, especially since the days are shorter. Achieving goals in these short periods between fajr and maghrib is a massive boost of motivation in itself, which in sha Allah will extend to the warm days of other seasons. There is no time to feel bored, lazy, or lonely. Fill the void by setting self-made goals which can be anything from ensuring you cook healthy meals every day and going for a 10-minute jog, to learning how to drive or a new language. There is a world of knowledge to be gained from studying the Qur’an and Allah’s Names and all the little, hidden jewels in Seerah and Ahadith.

Passing or “killing” time is sinful, and in this case, a cause of our own spiritual, emotional and psychological death, as Hasan Al-Basri said, “This life is a passing of a few days, with each day that passes a part of you is gone.”

3. The 5-second rule

Mel Robbins, a relationship expert from the United States, tells us that our body is wired to send us signals of what we need. When we feel stuck or dissatisfied, it is a signal to help us find our needs and wants. Our bodies, our cells, hair, and nails are growing constantly for the course of our entire life. Our souls need exploration and growth too. We often have impulses in our mind that either give us a strong urge to do or to stop. Robbins suggests that if we do not marry this impulse with an action in five seconds, we pull the emergency breaks in our minds and kill the idea.

“To combat your mindset, adopt the five-second rule. Move from idea to execution in five seconds. Pretend that if you don’t, the idea will start to melt. The longer you wait, the more likely you’ll have only a puddle left to work with. If you think that’s not enough time, guess again. Five seconds is a lifetime for your brain and plenty of time for your thoughts and feelings to step in and kill the idea.” – Mel Robbins

From my perspective, there are also a lot of opportunities for whispers from the Shaytan during that time too, which can act as a block for us to become the strongest, most successful version of ourselves. A simple example is when your alarm goes off to pray fajr. How often do we snooze our alarm, especially in the winter time and then an hour later, the sun has come up? How often do we make plans to stay awake after fajr, given how late it comes in, but rather than take action, we decide to go back to sleep? Apply this 5-second rule and follow every good intention with an immediate action.

Remember that Shaytan’s main aim is to misguide us, and to prevent us from movement, which in turn will make us miserable. There is movement in action, and only through movement can we grow and change for the better. Perhaps, we are put in a position where we feel like there is no escape purely to set off the survival instincts within us to pull us out from the dark, into the light of the success that we were destined to achieve.

4. Get close to The One who put you in this position

Often, when we are tested, we are plunged into moments of silence, dead ends, and lost opportunities. The tests can be major, dramatic, and horrific, but often just the dull of nothingness can lead to despair, feeling forgotten, unimportant, and even unworthy. This is a natural human emotion to feel. By first acknowledging that it is understandable to feel this way, this allows us to be non-judgemental of our pain, and therefore, allows us to accept its presence in order to let it pass.

As Muslims, we don’t believe in coincidences. Just like the leaf falling from a tree, everything is intended, and happens with His permission:

“Not a leaf falls but that He knows it.” [Qur’an: Chapter 6: Verse 59] 

Allah knows about it; it was meant to be. These mundane moments have a purpose and our job is to seek the treasure that Allah plants in those moments. 

However, we often are not open to see these intended clues in our day to day lives, so we miss the little blessings and hikmah (wisdom) behind such tests. By looking from this perspective, we feel a closeness to Him, we appreciate any test because it orders us to search, and in our search, we find something that brings us ease and contentment. Allah is Al-Qareeb (The Closest to us).  He is close when we thought He had forgotten, He is there.

“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me” [Qur’an: Chapter 2: Verse 152]

Think of the feeling we get when a friend or someone important remembers us – so imagine the Lord of the all the worlds, The One who made those people important, is closer to you than your jugular vein and remembering you in the best of company. He is The Giver and He will grant us with anything we seek. We are just not looking hard enough for the clues to get us there. Spending extra time in ibaadah (worship) makes us feel close, and closeness to The Light of our Maker helps to fill that void that nothing else can.

5. Make it delicious again

Sometimes it’s not a chemical imbalance or a bad diet, it is the absence of a more creative outlook. I recently spoke to some sisters about what winter means to them, and nothing particularly stood out about their answers upon the surface.

It could be a decaf Vanilla latte on a cold day, crisp sun below freezing mornings, the cozy warm lights that go up on street corners, and it finally being culturally acceptable to wear millions of layers. In what would initially appear to be quite unimpressive and normal responses, these are where the little delights of winter can be found, only enjoyable in this time.

It’s funny – the little things we appreciate are never what we assume they would be. But without them, it all gets a little harsher, colder, and bleaker. We get to create and construct our reality by what we put into it, what we seek, what we look forward to, and what we focus on. By listing your winter delights, it works to help you focus on these little presents you will receive, which only exist because of the presence of the cold and dark.

These five steps have always helped me cope with the seasonal blues. What are your ways to fight against the winter low points? Share them in the comments section below.

The post How to Productively Deal with Winter Blues appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

When Muslims lose someone dear to them, they almost automatically say:

“…Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 156].

But the truth is, death is something no one can really prepare you for. There is no ‘right’ way to make sense of it or deal with it after accepting Allah’s decree. Although communicating and speaking about our losses with friends and family is beneficial, a far more empowering sensation is awarded to the believer who is gifted with a stronger connection with a superior source, whose power will never cease, grow tired, nor His ability to listen to us dwindle. I am still studying and recently lost my father. Through the coarse nature of life, I learned very quickly that we either become engulfed and swallowed whole by our circumstances, or we adapt and become proactive and flexible. For the Muslim, there is always an option, as we each have a choice in how we will react.

Here are some of my tips. 

1. Do NOT dwell in isolation

Instead, observe the blessings. The lonely Muslim sends a personal invitation to Shaytan to come and visit him, sit on his bed and become misery’s company. A natural reaction humans possess is the need to focus on their losses when a major bereavement occurs. However, the trick is to focus on every single little thing you still have, being mindful that this could be taken too. If it were a parent, appreciate the other more ardently; if it were a sister, then look after your other siblings; and if it were a friend, take care of their family. Love begets love, while regret breeds discontentment.

I learned that when the thing/person we are most attached to in this world leaves us, it is a firm lesson in the process of detachment from dunya: to hold Allah above all others in your heart. More than this though, I quickly felt the support of Allah manifest itself in endless ways. The departing of one soul led to the gaining of so many more, as well as the opening of so many more relationships and opportunities. He is Al-Fattah (The Opener); He brings people onto our path to help fill the void. I lost a father but gained many more new friends, as well as the support of family members from the corners of the globe, and even support from strangers. Your job is to let all this comfort, affection and support pour in whenever it comes knocking as part of the healing process.

2. Ignore the woodpeckers

A vital gem which a friend of mine shared with me after she lost her grandmother was to take what people say graciously, but with a pinch of salt. All the messages of support, the paying of respects, the promises, grand gestures and testimonies of ‘always being there to talk to’ and the love people had never shared with you before, will eventually wither. Nothing lasts, and although appreciated at the time, that’s okay. If they were to stay, we would become unhealthily reliant on them. However, it is essential to be wary of those whom I call the “woodpeckers”: those who may gnaw at our confidence, happiness and self-esteem with subtle, continuous negative comments. It is vital that you become strong enough to rid yourself of the woodpeckers from your life, those who may bring negative energy and pass passive-aggressive comments. These relationships are toxic, particularly if you are feeling vulnerable and not quite yourself yet.

I have had my fair share of interesting conversations that we shall name “things not to say to a grieving person.” Sometimes people feel awkward not knowing what to say or how to say it, and as a result do not offer kind words at all. Or perhaps they make you feel uncomfortable by sounding insincere in their interaction. Things like “you’re so strong,” although at first sounds like a positive affirmation, later on becomes a condescending thorn in your side that often reminds you of what you must live up to in order to feel you are doing the “strong healer” position justice. Or those who rub salt in the wound by saying “I appreciate my family so much more now that I have witnessed this.” And my personal favourite: “I envied you, but honestly you realise no one’s life is perfect.”

There are also the more kinder comments in which the person couldn’t possibly understand or know how heart-wrenching it can feel like to listen to, “I had a dream about [person who passed away] the other night.” Although this seems like a nice gesture, in reality it feels like someone else’s emotional guilt, baggage or worse, fleeting dream — which may not mean much to them but to you a traumatic reminder of the very thing you’re still trying to make sense of — being heaved on to you in impolite bouts. Finally, those who may know of your struggle, know of your loss, know of your tribulation and still refuse to make excuses for your shortcomings are the most toxic of all.

A reminder to all of us: let’s be very careful what we say to others, especially in times of adversity. Words are more powerful than you think! Guard your tongue at all times, as Prophet Muhammad advised us to [Muslim].

4. Be patient

Give yourself time to heal with those who are sincere, and above all be grateful to Allah who designed this pivotal moment in your life in order to push some people away and draw others closer. In doing so, be patient and remember the Prophet’s words:

“How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” [Muslim]

5. Be kind to yourself

Despite what anyone says, you have experienced something unlike what you ever have before. This explains the shock, devastation and fear. Even if you have, it still feels different every single time. Loss is our greatest fear and so it is only a matter of time before you adjust and develop coping mechanisms. The positive to draw from this experience is the immense strength you will gain. The tribulations that would have once sent you into ruins, can now be flicked off your shoulder. Seek one trusted friend who you know will be understanding and positive when seeking counsel and sanctuary from. Additionally, when you fall short of a deadline for a big work project or even fall into a massive argument with a friend, forgive yourself, go easy on yourself. Tell yourself you are no longer the person you used to be and in doing so acknowledge the fact that you will no longer have to keep up with the rat race we often get sucked into in the life we once indulged in.

Reassess your priorities

Take this pivotal moment in your life to turn things around to change and pull away from the things you didn’t like before or felt stuck in. Draw from this new strength you are about to experience and get rid of all the emotional, psychological and spiritual litter that only held you back.

Be self-sufficient

More than anything, find reliance upon yourself as self-sufficiency breeds organization, confidence, belief in oneself and empowerment. Learn about your body and mind in terms of how they may react to sadness. Identify stressors in your environment and work to cater to your needs. If you feel a low mood coming on, indulge in your favourite activity. Distract yourself with a good book, comedy show reel or a film. Moreover, find a quiet place away from it all and tell it all to Allah , tell Him everything: whisper the fears, anger, annoyance, impatience, ask Him for help as He is the Only One who can ease your pain or allow you to forget, and you must believe He will. I assure you, He never lets us down or falls short of His promises.

6.  Occupy yourself

We all need time out to experience each feeling as it comes. However, it is imperative to try and keep moving forward. Bereavement often brings you back to the past; it reminds you of all the things you could have said or done. However, our routines that we are generally used to become a lifeline. Going back to organising, working and studying straight after someone close to us passes away can serve as a healthy distraction that allows you to channel your energy toward producing something positive that will work to aid your life. No one really prepares you for the practical side of time management within everyday living whilst enduring paralysing pain, yet Allah reassures us:

“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease” [Qur’an: Chapter 94, Verse 5].

We only have a set number of hours in a day, and stopping for too long to reflect on the pain can often lead to feelings of overwhelming anguish and sadness. It can also be debilitating and paralysing if indulged in. Remember, we need to strike a balance between productivity and the time to adjust. Setting yourself manageable goals whilst scheduling time taken out for others will distract you whilst reminding you that you are not alone in losing. We all lose something or someone, it just manifests itself in different ways. A lot is expected of you after experiencing a loss; not only must you deal with practical financial responsibilities, you are also juggling your emotional, spiritual, physical and psychological well-being. Being organised to take enough time to cater to each area is mandatory. Moreover, looking after your health should be your priority.

7. Look after your health

This brings me to my next point, health watching: what we eat, how we eat, when we sleep, for how long we sleep, will become a useful tool to automatically feel a little lighter. Alhamdulillah, I was able to set up a women’s only kickboxing society as a result of wanting to create a space for exercise and expression for Muslim women, using negativity of our current surroundings to foster a positive outcome.

Focusing on spiritual, emotional and psychological well-being is in direct balance with your physical well-being. When one is neglected, the others topple one by one like dominoes. Our life can remain balanced and work in a perfect loop of cause and effect. If we don’t get enough sleep one night, we feel it the next day. The food we eat can very easily stimulate low mood and generally fool us into believing we are in a constant state of what we believe to be depression or anxiety. Our physiological state is working as a result of the foods we eat and hormones in the body. It is vital we acknowledge the difference between grieving and low mood that is a result of our bad lifestyle.

Action points:

– Take up a non-competitive sport that you enjoy

– Go for morning runs to clear your mind

– Cut out coffee/sugar to avoid sugar highs and lows and the build up of anxiety

8. Do not suppress your emotions

Psychologist Frieda Bernbaum, a PhD research psychologist and expert on depression, discusses the idea of feeling anger to be a far healthier emotion for us when experiencing grief, as it stimulates outward expression as opposed to inward fatigue, thus preventing symptoms of depression from forming. Bernbaum goes on to say how numbness helps with devastation and allows for the person to make plans for the future, to make sure we are not going to fall apart during this process.

Don’t block the emotions you’re feeling, but understand them. The sadness we feel from any kind of loss inside won’t subside completely, and it never will, but why must we associate and attach negative sensations to a very large portion of what life and living entails? We hurt because we love, perhaps if we didn’t know what the sensations of love felt like we wouldn’t hurt as much and what more of a loss that would be, to not be able to feel anything at all. If it feels unbearable or painful at times cry through it and then enjoy that sometimes you may feel content and even happy with your company, or circumstances for that time, and that is also a mercy granted by Allah .

When Prophet Muhammad’s son Ibrahim died, Abdul-Rahman Ibn ‘Auf said:

“O Allah’s Apostle, even you are weeping!” He said, “O Ibn ‘Auf, this is mercy.” Then he wept more and said, “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation” [Sahih Al-Bukhari].

9. Make Qur’an your oxygen

I was added to a Whatsapp group at the start of this year whereby women from all over the country and globe are able to update it every time they complete the set pages of Qur’an for the day. The beauty is in seeing strangers from all over send “Done, Alhamdulillah” throughout the day, spurring others to follow suit and read the Qur’an and its translation and/or tafsir. It became my favourite part of the day.

The Qur’an is magical – almost fairy tale-like – in how it is tailored to you, your problems and your personality. It makes you feel like you are heard and it makes you feel special – as if you’re the only one experiencing what you are experiencing. The words speak to me at my exact time of need. I feel Allah speaking directly to me. He answers my prayers and questions about life and after death with every lecture I watch or every ayah I read in the Qur’an. It is only faith in the darkest of moments that enables us to forget the paralysing pain and trust the prosperous plan. The hadith and Qur’an serve not only as spiritual lifelines, but also a practical life book providing guidance on how to handle the good moments and the bad.

Have you lost a loved one recently? What other tips and resources helped you get through this difficult time and resume a productive lifestyle?

The post How to Remain Productive While Grieving appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.