5 Ways to Battle Depression During the Workday

It’s happening again. You went to bed the night before feeling perfectly fine. No worries. Little stress. It was a good day.

But this morning the darkness appears. Your mind feels cloudy. Your body seems to weigh a million pounds. You simply do not want to move.

It’s seemingly unexplainable. And this lack of explanation is often what makes living with depression such a challenge. Those around you that know of the battle may struggle with understanding what waking up to depression feels like.

But there are those mornings when depression knocks on your door and you do all you can to ignore its presence. You force yourself out of bed. Slowly dress your body with clothes. Glance in the mirror and whisper ‘I can do this’ all the while not sure you can.

Depression is silent. It can often lie dormant and show up when you least expect. But even in its silence you can feel the powerful presence within. Through the moments of doubt or frustration. In the split seconds your demeanor goes from fully present to fully agitated. Over time you begin to notice the trigger points that can lead to this feeling of hopelessness. But simply knowing the triggers doesn’t help you run away from mornings that it takes every single ounce of energy to step on foot out of bed.

Yet while you face this struggle, the world moves forward. So how can you fully exist during the days of the silent war? How can you continue moving forward knowing it takes all of your effort to simply show up?

Let’s look at 5 ways you can battle depression during the workday to get the best out of what you have to give during the days of struggle.

1- Choose the battles that matter

One of the greatest decisions you can make during a day of challenge is recognize how much energy you have to give and where to give it. There may be battles you can normally face on a day that you are clear-minded. But on the days of struggle learn to choose the battles that really matter.

Keep the rhythm and routine that you have set up so much of your day is automated. Make as few decisions as possible so you can give full energy to the decisions that make a difference. Keep things simple. Keep decisions at a minimum and pour your energy into what matters most.

2- Create success by limiting your tasks

You may have planned your day ahead of time based on how you felt previously. If you were feeling ambitious and motivated, your task list will reflect that. The challenge comes when the days of depression arrive out of seemingly nowhere. Give yourself permission to adjust on these days. It’s okay to lesson your output so you can heal internally.

This begins by limiting your tasks and injecting small moments of success into your day. Review your list of things to do and select the ones you are fully confident can happen. These small successes will go a long way to giving you the confidence and courage needed to survive the days of struggle.

3- Communicate with leadership

Our culture is becoming more aware, supportive and open to the struggles of mental health. While we still have a long way to go, many organizations are becoming increasingly aware of what many deal with. Communicate with your leadership that today is a hard day. Let them know if you didn’t get much sleep or what thoughts may be driving you today. If you have not had the opportunity to meet with leadership about your mental health, make that a priority as soon as possible.

Many companies are now providing personal time or medical time for self care. Ask your company if this is an option. If you need to take the day off, do so. Caring for yourself and knowing when to stop is critical to living with depression. Communicate these needs clearly with your leadership so they are aware of the effort you are making to be healthy and effective at work.

4- Create space before work

Oftentimes the rhythm of life becomes chaotic and rushed. It’s easy to find yourself moving quickly from one moment to another with little space to simple exist. Living with depression calls for space and moments of silence.

One of the best ways to prepare for the workday is to create space before you go to work. Use this time to meditate, read, reach out to a friend, pray, or focus on centering yourself and what you can learn from this moment. Allowing yourself room to focus on your health will do wonders when stepping into the workday.

5- Care for your mind and body

Placing care for your body last is often convenient. Especially when related to mental health. It is easy to forget how intertwined and connected your body, mind, and emotions are.

Throughout the workday take time to go on short walk outside. Set a timer at certain points of the day to remind you to take a break.

Prepare a healthy lunch and drink lots of water throughout the day. Feeding and hydrating your body will serve you well as you face the challenges a workday can bring.

Depression is powerful because you don’t often know when it will hit. At a moments notice you can transition from feeling well to feeling hopeless. Preparing yourself for the workday and caring for yourself throughout the day will equip you to be your best even during moments of darkness.