Gaining Mastery Over Depression At Work Is Easy: 8 Simple Tips
Depression at work is just like a cruel war. Either you win or perish trying! But why die when there is a lot more to see in this beautiful world? Just defeat this cruel war with your strong will power!
Depression is real! And it is not the thing which shouldn’t be discussed with the peers. It is not the thing to be ashamed of. It destroys your health and mental capability than anything else. But it is worse when you suffer from depression at work.
You lose your all attention from work, want to remain alone, don’t want to work, and ultimately quit the work completely. This becomes an alarming situation for personal health and for working health as well. According to the statistics of MHA (Mental Health of America), depression costs badly to the economy of the USA which is more than $51 billion. And this loss is just due to the increased rate of absenteeism and lower productivity which is the result of depression.
No worries! Do not let depression possess you. You may ask with your eyebrow up “How?”. So, just sit back and have a read to all the simple tips given here and apply them to your daily life. This would help you a lot in overcoming the depression at work and your work would not be affected anymore. Let’s get started!
- Split down your work
What could be uglier than the task being assigned to you when you are already in a depression? You might foresee the completed task like a huge mountain that you have to climb without safety measures. Such thoughts will create hypertension and will definitely affect your productivity level. Moreover, you can underestimate yourself by thinking “I am not capable enough to do this project”, “I cannot complete this long project with my current condition”, “I am such a loser”, and so on….
In such a situation the best way to do your assigned project is to split down your work into smaller pieces. Suppose if you are a writer and have to write a blog then what you have to do is splitting your work into paragraphs. Like “I will write only one paragraph in the present moment then one paragraph after 10-15 minutes and so on”.
Give yourself separate different deadlines depending on the sections of the project. In this way, the huge mountain would start looking like a small bump which can be crossed with a jump.
- Start from the middle
If you still feel paralyzed after breaking your task into smaller pieces, then the best technique you should follow is starting from the middle. It is most recommended tip for writers who face writer’s block and can’t write much which ultimately leads towards depression.
When you start your project from the start, it creates pressure and looks too long to be achieved. Therefore, starting from the middle reduces pressure and the work looks short from both sides i.e, from start and to the end. This will also reduce the depression at work and you will work with a lighter mind.
Moreover, to reduce depression you should also start doing unrelated things from your project. Like those things which may relax your mind. When you will be doing unrelated things, this also ultimately lead to the opening up of your brain required things will automatically be done.
- Take breaks
In the depression at work, breaks are considered to be the allies of depressed people. We think, our productivity is at a peak when we work continuously and don’t even move our necks up. But that’s wrong. Studies show that when we take breaks while working it decreases the stress hormones and increases the dopamine chemicals which makes you feel good.
Moreover, when you take breaks in the work it makes your neural connections stronger which helps your memory to strengthen. Breaks will make you more productive.
Depressed people form many negative thoughts that consume their energy enough. Therefore, it becomes mandatory for them to stop and take a breath. Taking breaks will allow you to freshen up and then start again with more energy.
- Lean in the wind
This is a phrase used by DePaulo in “Understanding Depression” which explains the condition while depression at work. This means that when you feel good, try to do as much work as possible so that it can be balanced when you would not be in a good mood or you can say that when you would be in depression.
This way, you would have time for chilling out and give yourself proper time in the depression phase without an added pressure of work. Just take advantage of your good and stronger days so that it may cushion you in the days when you would be struggling.
- Apply some calming practices
Sometimes it’s okay if you break the sophisticated corporate etiquettes. when you feel depressed at work, listen to some music by wearing headphones. This will release your tension and would also soothe your nerves.
Another technique that you can apply is “Deep Breathing” which is also known as the square breathing technique. This means inhaling four times, holding the breath for four, and then exhaling for four too and then starting again.
Another crazy technique is tightening up your fist then imagine the face of the person you don’t like and want to punch him and then release. This will also help you out in overcoming your depression.
- Approach venting buddies
When you feel depressed at work and feel fragile & anxious the best thing he should do is finding your best and venting buddies. Who can lighten up your mood and can divert your attention from the problem creating things.
Open up in front of the person you think him trustworthy. This will reduce your feelings of isolation. As the person in front of whom you will be opening up would be your best buddy or trusted person, you will be more comfortable while sharing your frustrated thoughts as compared to the professional psychiatrist.
By this practice, you can overcome depression and can focus more on your work. Moreover, you can also take help from your peers regarding your work during your crucial time.
- Personalize workplace
Your desk must be a reflection of yourself & your pursuit of staying functioning and alive. There should be happy lights in your cabin that would look like screaming “go away, darkness!”. There can also be paintings placed on your table and on the walls of your working room which would depict the lesson of hope, happiness, and life. This will keep you motivated and will not allow your work to affect up to some extent.
Another idea to cope up with depression at work is placing the picture of your family together in front of you. This will remind you of the importance of your job and will scream “just don’t quit!”. This will also inspire you and will keep you going.
- Make plans
When you are going through depression at work or even without any work the only place you want to go is your bed with lights off and shades down. This just worsens the situation and you don’t want to do anything.
And now the internet has made it more difficult. Whenever you open it up, you see it is full of hate, negativity, and many more. This makes your mood completely down. Studies say that using social media for 30 minutes per day diminishes your depression possibilities.
Therefore, it is necessary to make other plans than just using a cell phone or laying in isolation. Get out of your house is the best idea. Just take the shower, cool down your brain, get dress beautifully, have a walk, and socialize. There are more chances that you will even forget that you were having a depression.
In nutshell, depression is not the thing which you can’t defeat but the thing that can be curbed with your string will power. Just fight end this filthy disease otherwise it will result in your life’s end, your dreams’ end, and your goals’ end. Follow the above-stated tips and live your life as normal. Keep doing your work! Stay happy!
