An important aspect
of recovering from depression is continuing to participate in as many of your
regular daily activities as possible during treatment. For many people,
work is high on that list. Employment is about much more than making a
living. The satisfaction and security of work contribute to positive
self-esteem, and being part of a work team can help foster a sense of
belonging. Keeping the established routine helps in certain distraction from
the self-absorbing negative thoughts and feelings.
But there is no
surprise that it can be challenging to function at your best in the work world
while dealing with depression. That is true when you currently have a
job, but that is even tougher when you are just entering or returning to the
job market. In this situation, you need to “sell yourself” to the new or
prospective employer and project the self-confidence and professional integrity,
and concentrate maximally on new responsibilities and tasks, if employed.
We will offer
selected practical strategies on how to make the most of your job situation.
Note that many of these strategies can be put into action before you ever set
foot in your workplace or schedule your first job interview. When you are
playing an active role in your own treatment plan and maintaining the proper
perspective on your situation, you will find it easier to bring out your very
best in the work world.
On-the-Job Strategies
Consider adopting
the following strategies to improve your outlook and performance on the job:
- Do not let work take
precedence over recovery.
Work is important, but it is only one aspect of your life. Even on
the busiest of days, remember that recovery is your top priority. Your
treatment plan and the self-care strategies you employ each day should not
take a back seat to the immediate concerns and demands of the
workday. Sometimes, trying to reach your daily employment demands,
you may jeopardize your strategic recovery plan. - Stay in touch with your
family and friends. If your
job environment permits, make regular phone calls during the day to friends
and family. Staying in contact with someone you trust can give you
perspective on what really matters and keep you focused on getting better. - Remember what’s
important about work. It
is rare to find a job that does not involve challenging people, deadlines,
difficult assignments and other stress factors. At times when work
feels overwhelming, try to focus on the positive reasons why you work,
including financial independence and security, personal satisfaction and
the sense of community or belonging that comes from contributing to a team
effort. - Do not take it
personally. In many cases, the
problems are unrelated to your personal performance or attitudes, but
rather to the personality issues in your coworkers, managers, or
customers, or with the objective complications. While you can do your best
to work towards the problem resolution, that might not result in the
desired outcomes. Do not try to blame yourself for every work-related
issues, popping up in the area of your responsibilities. Remember, that
people you work with, may also have their own psychological issues or
personal stressful life events. - Keep in mind that
politics and personalities are part of working. When you work with other people, differing agendas, conflicting
priorities and interpersonal conflict can’t be avoided. They do not need
to derail your efforts to recover from depression. - Don’t set yourself up
by expecting perfection. But
even if you are responsible for the work-related difficulties, it is not
the end of the world. Everyone does mistakes. If you do your job,
that is unavoidable once awhile. Adjust your attitude and expectations
about yourself and your work, knowing that oversights and professional errors
are inevitable in any job. - Communicate with your
coworkers. Interact with
coworkers in small ways. Do not give in to the temptation to isolate
yourself. The less visible you are, the more you jeopardize your job. However,
if do not feel like, do not volunteer to initiate non-essential conversations;
ask questions instead. If necessary, write them out before meetings and
get prepared to important conversations and discussions ahead of time.
- Put special attention
on your appearance. While you
are coping with your depression, proactively and carefully monitor your
professional appearance. Make extra efforts to look good. - Try to hold yourself
together in difficult moments.
A crying jag may make you feel better, but it can disconcert your
coworkers. If you burst into tears, go to a private place to compose
yourself. - Don’t let the past
define today or tomorrow. Realize
that problems caused by your symptoms in the past will not necessarily
repeat themselves, especially if you have a working treatment plan in
place. Just because a lack of energy once caused you to miss a crucial
deadline doesn’t mean you are unreliable. Give yourself credit for
the progress you are making, and permission to start over. - Develop symptom-specific
strategies. To help you
keep focused on the future instead of the past, make sure to learn all you
can about your illness and your specific symptoms. Take a close look at
the symptoms that have tripped you up in the past, and develop specific
strategies for countering each of them. For example, if your
depression can make it hard to concentrate or if you feel overwhelmed when
beginning a project, it might be helpful to break work assignments into
smaller, more manageable steps that can be completed in shorter
timeframes. - Take regular breaks. Stepping back from work and doing
something that relaxes you, like meditating or listening to music, can
help you cope with stress. Do not tell yourself, you cannot afford even a
minor distraction. Getting back to work after, you may be able to perform
the task quicker and with better quality and efficiency. - Expose yourself to a
little sunlight during the day.
Lack of sunlight can make depression worse. Make sure you’re getting
enough. Working long hours might not give you a chance to be outside
before or after your working schedule. If you can afford, take a short
walk outdoors during your breaks, have your coffee or lunch outside, take
a brief walk on the parking lot. - Be physically active at
workplace. If you have fitness
center at job, aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day during your lunch
break or in small installments during the day. Even short 10-minute bursts
of activity can have a positive effect on your mood. If you do not have
such opportunity, you can at least simulate it by, for example, taking the
stairs rather than the elevator or parking your car in the farthest spot on
the parking lot. - Take baby steps. When you are working on a project that
seems overwhelming, break it into multiple steps, and complete them one at
a time. - Don’t skip meals during
the day. Going too long
between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat
something at least every 3-4 hours. Slow down and pay attention to
the full experience of eating. Enjoy the taste of your food. But, avoid heavy
lunches with lots of fat. Saturated fat in particular is really bad for
your mind and makes you feel weighed down and sad. - Drink water. Water needs to be an integral part of
your day, especially if you are feeling depressed. It cleans out toxins
and impurities and helps your organs process all the junk. No, I do not
you call you to drink 8 glasses of water, as per some outdated
recommendations, you may still find on the Internet. Drink, when do you
feel like, when you are thirsty, but do not let it go due to the work
overload. - Smile, at random. Smiling has been scientifically shown
to trigger a chemical response in the human body. What this means is that
the physical action of smiling will cause you to feel happier even if you
have nothing to smile about! Try smiling more often and see how it changes
your mind. - Don’t go it alone. It is difficult to juggle a full
work schedule while also meeting everyone’s expectations at home. When
you also need to find time and energy to devote to managing your
depression, it can be overwhelming. Examine your daily or weekly
schedule and look for activities, both at home and at work, that could be
delegated to others. Involving coworkers in shared responsibilities,
asking family members to help with chores, or reaching out to a friend to
provide a “sounding board” for your ideas and concerns are all good
strategies for accomplishing your goals without sacrificing your emotional
health and recovery. - Discuss your coping
skills with therapist. Take
your medications and attend your counseling sessions to ease the depression
symptoms that are making it difficult for you to function. Address the job
survival tips and techniques, while discussing your progress during your
therapy sessions, and apply obtained recommendations at your workplace.
Sources and Additional
Information:
