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How do you focus while depressed?

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Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#11

Post by foobar502 »

daimyoyo wrote: post #6

I can fully understand where you're coming from and while it can be rough, this can be a time of unique creativity for you. What I do when I'm down is I start planning the next phase. I'd recommend getting as detailed in your mind as possible. See the project coming together and not only will this be a great use of time you'd otherwise spend in bed, seeing this vision can snap you out of your funk. Works for me. I wi…

thanks! in the past I treated such down time as a time to regroup, but we live in a world with deadlines and sometimes rigid schedules where it's not always possible to step back.

This is not a whine... I'm with a fairly productive mindset "usually", so perhaps it doubly hurts when I can't be productive or take life by the mouthful.

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#12

Post by foobar502 »

Cherian_Abraham wrote: post #5

At times Life sucks. Beyond our control. Things slip away even when we clutch at it. We feel that we could have salvaged it if we had done anything different. We run those scenarios in our heads over and over. And we all go through it more than once in our lives. And no matter how much we all say that its normal, that its bound to happen, that we all went through it before, truth is, you are the one going through it…

Thanks mate! Appreciated :)

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#13

Post by foobar502 »

JoshKalkbrenner wrote: post #9

It's difficult to focus when there are many, many, many challenges bearing down like sandbags on your shoulders. You know how your site (if you started one) has days of low traffic and days of high traffic? Well, look at the long term. Did your site increase month over month? If yes, then keep pushing forward. If not, then step back and think about why your not moving forward. This too shall pass ~ honestly, I always…

yea, it passes, but what worries me is that it keeps returning...

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#14

Post by JoshKalkbrenner »

foobar502 wrote: post #13
JoshKalkbrenner wrote: post #9

It's difficult to focus when there are many, many, many challenges bearing down like sandbags on your shoulders. You know how your site (if you started one) has days of low traffic and days of high traffic? Well, look at the long term. Did your site increase month over month? If yes, then keep pushing forward. If not, then step back and think about why your not moving forward. This too shall pass ~ honestly, I always…

yea, it passes, but what worries me is that it keeps returning...

Have you seen a doc? No shame in that.

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#15

Post by gschill21 »

I suffer from depression too, I have found that communicating - be it in person, on the phone, or online (so many options there!) helps the most. Being around uplifting people helps as well. I would say also not to focus on why we are depressed, but focus on something that you are looking forward to in the future. I was depressed for about two years in college...just moved from FL to Bos and the weather, people, etc sucked. I complained for about 12 months straight and then one day compiled a list of what I was looking forward to and how I would get there....I still have that list and 3/10 of the goals have been accomplished and well before the dates I originally had planned.

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#16

Post by englishpaulm »

1) Keep working on your depression: therapy, consider meds (but only w/therapy), exercise (even if just walking a mile a day), hydrate, eat healthy, etc. Talk with people. Force yourself to get out of the house. This stuff matters.

2) On focus: start with a one hour block a day when you can do no facebook/hackernews/etc, and instead, you have one thing you have to get done. You will feel good about getting this one thing done. Make sure you get at least one non-trivial thing done each day. Work your way up to two hours a day, and then when you can, three etc. (Most non-depressed people are probably only productive 3-4 hours a day anyway:)

Good luck!

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#17

Post by foobar502 »

JoshKalkbrenner wrote: post #14
foobar502 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yea, it passes, but what worries me is that it keeps returning...

Have you seen a doc? No shame in that.

I am seeing a psychologist. I considered taking meds but decided not to due to possible long term side effects (IMO... to each his own regarding long term risk I guess)

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#18

Post by foobar502 »

englishpaulm wrote: post #16

1) Keep working on your depression: therapy, consider meds (but only w/therapy), exercise (even if just walking a mile a day), hydrate, eat healthy, etc. Talk with people. Force yourself to get out of the house. This stuff matters. 2) On focus: start with a one hour block a day when you can do no facebook/hackernews/etc, and instead, you have one thing you have to get done. You will feel good about getting this one t…

Yea, HN and FB are the two great procrastinators :)

And Thanks!

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#19

Post by foobar502 »

gschill21 wrote: post #15

I suffer from depression too, I have found that communicating - be it in person, on the phone, or online (so many options there!) helps the most. Being around uplifting people helps as well. I would say also not to focus on why we are depressed, but focus on something that you are looking forward to in the future. I was depressed for about two years in college...just moved from FL to Bos and the weather, people, etc…

While I guess that's besides the point, how long into the future were those goals set?

Re: How do you focus while depressed?

#20

Post by StatusStalker »

I find that when I am depressed I do something that makes me belly laugh. Whether it's watch a comedy show or just go out with my friends. You need to be reminded of how it feels to be happy, even if just for a second.

On this "happy thought"you should pick up on your work where you left off. The more productive you are the better you will start to feel.

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