6 tips to get motivated when you're feeling depressed.pdf

6 Tips To Get Motivated When You're FeelingDepressed

BY MEGAN BRUNEAU

MARCH 23, 2014 5:00 AM EDT

A common response to identifying lifestyle changes that might make a depressed person

feel better is, “Easier said than done.” Someone coping with depression may get what she's

supposed to do, but the question is how? After all, depression kills motivation, energy,

interest, and focus.

Once you give the engine a jump, it often becomes easier, but until then, how do you

connect the jumper cables you need to make a spark?

1. Set the bar LOW.

When you’re depressed, you’re not functioning at your usual 70-90%. Rather, you’re sitting

somewhere closer to 20%. If you set the same expectations for yourself that you had when

you weren’t feeling depressed (which is sometimes just getting dressed), you’re going to feel

anxious and overwhelmed, and probably won’t do the task you expected from yourself (and

thus will feel defeated and ashamed).

6 Tips To Get Motivated When You're Feeling Depressed http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13042/6-tips-to-get-motivated-when...

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Set SMALL AND SPECIFIC GOALS. Seriously. Unload the dishwasher. Heck, unload three

glasses. Task completed and still itching for more? You can always raise the bar if you’re

feeling particularly motivated. Take note that if you feel highly overwhelmed while tackling

your goal, chances are it's too high and you need to lower it to something more realistic or

specific.

2. Practice self-compassion.

Self-criticism is depression’s BFF. If you beat yourself up for being so “unproductive” and

“lazy,” You’re going to keep yourself feeling like crap and thus, paralyzed. Try instead to use

the same encouraging words you might use for a friend or loved one. If you can’t find the

words, read more about self-compassion here <http://oneshrinksperspective.com/> .

3. Recruit support, or ask for help.

Some of us have trouble holding ourselves accountable at the best of times. With little

motivation or energy, it’s that much harder. Confide in someone you trust, and ask for their

help. Ask a friend to hold you to your commitment. Ask your partner to accompany to a

yoga class. Pay for your support group, counseling appointment, or massage beforehand

so you’ll be more motivated to attend.

4. Envision how you'll feel after the task.

Getting in the shower, going for a walk, preparing a meal, or hanging out with a friend

seems like a very ominous task if you focus on the effort involved. People who are

depressed generally have low self-efficacy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-efficacy> ,

which means they have low confidence in their ability to perform tasks. As such, they tend to

feel overwhelmed and avoid such tasks. Lower expectations for yourself within the task, and

envision how you (might) feel after the task rather than during.

5. Make the goal to do it, not to enjoy it.

When you’re feeling depressed, it’s natural to lose interest in things that used to make you

happy. Comedy is no longer funny, sports are no longer fun, spending time with friends is

no longer engaging. Anxiety, depression, and self-loathing take over, leading to feelings of

detachment and defeat. So, when doing something “fun” or “active,” do it with the goal to do

it, not to enjoy it.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MindBodyGreen.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice,

6. Acknowledge your courage for stepping out of your comfort zone.

As painful as it is, depression can be come comfortable in a “devil you know” kind of way.

You know what to expect, for the most part. You know the pain, you’re in the pain, you can

predict that tomorrow will be more of the same. The idea of stepping out of this comfort

zone can be quite anxiety provoking. Steven Hayes <http://www.stevenchayes.com/> , a

psychologist whose work I admire said, “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’re

always going to get what you’ve always gotten.” So, if you find you’re able to do something

(even very slightly) different, congratulate yourself. There’s a good chance whatever you’re

experiencing will come with anxiety, because anxiety accompanies uncertainty. Anxiety may

be telling you you’re stepping out of the familiar routine of depression, so acknowledge your

courage and try to bring such experiences forward in your journey.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com <http://www.shutterstock.com>

To learn more about happiness, check out our video course How To Create More

Happiness & Meaning In Your Life.

Megan Bruneau

Megan Bruneau, M.A. RCC is a psychotherapist, blogger

<http://oneshrinksperspective.com> , and lover of sport and satire in Vancouver, Canada.

Previously involved in personal training and yoga industries, she weaves Buddhist

philosophy into her holistic approach to psychotherapy. Her articles focus on universal

human struggles and the benefits of self-compassion--topics she draws from themes she

sees in the counselling room and in her own life.

When she's not counselling, writing, or doing nothing, you can find her playing soccer and

tennis, skiing and snowboarding, and trying to use her perpetually wet socks to practice

tolerance and gratitude for feeling.

Read more from Megan on her blog: OneShrinksPerspective.com

<http://www.oneshrinksperspective.com>


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6 tips to get motivated when you're feeling depressed.pdf

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