Feeling blue can actually help some people to focus, manage their time and better prioritize tasks, new research suggests.
In fact, researchers found being in a good mood may hamper time-keeping and organizational skills. However, this was only true for extroverts - while introverts ground to a halt when they felt gloomy.
The study, which was carried out by Tara McAuley, a psychology professor at the University of Waterloo, and Martyn S. Gabel, a PhD candidate; explored how 95 people cope with the demands and stresses daily, depending on their mood.
Researchers focused on emotional reactivity - the sensitivity, intensity and duration of our emotional responses associated with our mood. These things are the defining factors that influence our so-called 'effective functioning' (or, abilities to carry out tasks).
Further research is needed to explain the relationship, but some studies suggest that high-reactive people are more accustomed to experiencing negative emotions.
