This week I was going to blog about going back to school and saving big on school supplies. I was. Until I got a question that seemed way more important than something you can already Google.
“How do you stay successful at work when your depression hits?”
Well first, my depression does not hit, it is with me everyday. I have good days and I have bad days, and over time I have learned coping mechanisms that work for me. I can’t rightfully suggest any of those to anyone, as they are different for everyone and depression effects everyone differently. But I can share with you my strategies for how I can keep going at work when I really only want to be at home under a blanket.
- Know Your Limits. Before diagnosed, I believed that I didn’t have a depression disorder because I was able to get out the door and function everyday. I figured, if I am able to do that when others are not, that’s probably not what my issue is. Believing that whatever it was, I would push myself through it and just stack on the responsibilities to distract myself, was very harmful in the end. It worked, but eventually it felt like I was half-assing everything, and I made my depression worse. Knowing your limits, knowing that you need to set aside time to decompress or whatever it is you need to do, means saying no. It means saying no and not feeling guilty about it. Not feeling guilty, is of course, easier said then done. However, setting boundaries for yourself and others is healthy, and everyone who should mean anything to you, should respect them. Christy Wright, one of my personal idols, made a list for how to say no at work and in life. You can read her great ideas here.
- Dry Shampoo. Some days, I have only so much energy to give. If I use it to get dressed, and out the door, and to work on time, and to deal with customers, then I have very very VERY little left for much else. Because I am aware that those other things NEED to happen, I can decide what doesn’t. For me, sometimes getting in the shower seems like the worst thing ever, other times I just sleep in too late and can’t pull myself out of bed in time to wash my hair. NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT DRY SHAMPOO. This stuff is a literal godsend for me. If I only have 3 F’s to give, you can bet I’m spending one on my hair. Spray it in and you look just fine. Fine enough to get to work and not feel gross about yourself. (or at least a little less gross.)
- Avoid Overstimulation. Sometimes this is inevitable, a busy day at work is a busy day at work. But I know that if things start to get hectic, especially if I’m having a not so great day with my depression, that I will suddenly become unable to focus and my work will suffer. If you feel yourself becoming overstimulated, find something to diffuse the situation. Take a walk, put head phones in (not too often or else you might seem anti-social!), or play some relaxing music at your desk. I find that it works for me to take a break (if possible) and go sit in my car and call my mom for a bit.
- Have a Notebook. I have my bullet journal with me everywhere, when I feel depressed or anxious I can use it to distract myself. I can look at some exciting events coming up that I am looking forward to, I can doodle in it, I can make a million and a half lists, whatever makes me feel better at that moment. If for nothing else, you can use your notebook to write down what you’d like to scream at your bosses face! Just make sure they don’t see it 😉
- Buy Clothes Easy to Slip On. My depression is worst in the morning and at night. If I don’t even want to wash my hair, you can bet I don’t want to get dressed. I have adopted a wardrobe almost entirely made up of sheath dresses and jackets. I slip the dress on, throw on the jacket, and grab my flats. It looks simple and professional and required very little of my precious energy to figure out.
As you can see from above, dealing with depression is a lot like dealing with a budget. You budget for how much energy you have, not for how much energy you expend. You set your priorities and give your energy to those first, and then take the rest to use toward lesser important things.
Take care of yourself, the best way that you can. And remember that you are always doing your best, even if your best is a little different from what your best was yesterday.
Until next time, wishing you all sugar and savings,
Taylor