Strategies for Managing Depression at Work

Dr. Haytham Mansour

24 Jun, 2024

When you're depressed, it can be difficult to get through the workday. Depression doesn't respect your work hours.

Strategies for Managing Depression at Work

Perhaps going to work makes you anxious, or you're having trouble connecting with your coworkers. Maybe you find yourself dozing off when you should be paying attention, or perhaps you're just keeping an eye on the time, eager to get back in bed.

Should you experience any of these symptoms, depression may be beginning to affect your professional life. Depression affects us both at home and at work, if not at both.

Although there isn't a quick fix for depression, there are several strategies to get well. In addition to receiving depression treatment, there are numerous simple things you may do to improve the quality of your daily life.

What impact does depression have on a person's capacity for work?

In the US, depression is a prevalent mental health issue that affects 17.3 million people trusted Source. These individuals work an average of 8.5 hours a day, and their depressive symptoms don't go away when they're at work.

Your workplace may also be a contributing factor to your depression, depending on the stress levels and support systems in place.

We'll examine a few ways depression may present itself in your professional life.

being depressed and lacking motivation at work.

You can experience depressive or unmotivating moments at work, or you might just want to go home and get back into bed.

When you're depressed, it might be difficult to find the motivation to attend meetings, plan your daily duties, or even make time for your coworkers or clients.

Professional psychologist Melissa Matos in California states that sometimes "it feels like someone depleted your battery, or like everything you have to do at work feels far more difficult." or challenging than it normally does." "Depression has the power to subvert your productivity."

It may eventually impact how well you perform.

Depression frequently has an impact on one's feelings about their work. Perhaps you're not as passionate about what you used to be. It is difficult to give it the attention you would like because of this.

"Most of the time, things that you used to find inspiring or fun become more challenging or uninteresting," says Jocelyn Patterson, a trained art therapist and licensed mental health counselor in Florida.

As a result, you might discover that, in places where you used to be driven to finish your daily tasks at work, you're moving a little more slowly and finding it more difficult to meet deadlines. she explains.

You may discover that, if performance reviews are in place at work, you aren't performing to the same standards as you once did.

Connecting with your coworkers is more difficult.

According to Patterson, "You might find that the things you used to laugh about over the water cooler no longer provide you with much entertainment."

It's more difficult to move past errors or setbacks.

This may seem hopeless. It may also have a major impact on your confidence.

According to Ely, "Being hard on yourself can prevent you from making new mistakes, which can lead to procrastination and the inability to make decisions or be productive."

Has depression at work been impacted by the pandemic?

The State of Mental Health in America 2021 study indicates that from 2019 to 2020, there was a notable rise in the number of people seeking treatment for depression.

Many people are now working from home or visiting clients and colleagues less frequently, if at all, as a result of the pandemic. Zoom meetings and Zoom weariness have become the new normal for many individuals.

According to Matos, "People are not only feeling more worried about their financial security, job security, and health; many people are also feeling more alone and disconnected, which can exacerbate or even cause depression."

It's true that for many people, the social aspect of work has vanished, which exacerbates feelings of loneliness and depression.

Working remotely can be handy in certain ways, but it can also make it harder to distinguish between your personal and business lives.

When you're melancholy, Matos says, "it can be really difficult to maintain focus and attention on a Zoom call."

Additionally, you can feel pressured to work longer hours at home, particularly if you haven't completed enough. This can lead to a self-fulfilling dilemma whereby your sadness makes it difficult for you to concentrate, which causes you to work more slowly and inefficiently.

However, you push yourself to work longer, which depresses you even more, and the vicious cycle keeps repeating.

Perhaps you have to engage with people at work in a way that makes you uncomfortable, like going back to a customer-facing role before you're ready, or they make it hard for you to observe social distance rules.

Some employers have forced people to choose between returning to work and taking care of their health, which is an untenable decision, because of poor return-to-work rules following nationwide lockdowns. Anxiety and depression can also be fueled by these health and money issues.

How to handle sadness in the workplace?

There are numerous things you may do to find a little inspiration, relaxation, or solace during the day if you're finding that depression is interfering with your professional life.

Acknowledge the symptoms you're experiencing.

Determine the locations of the problem regions first. Do you find it difficult to focus? Not able to fulfill deadlines? Steer clear of talks with coworkers?

Once you are aware of the issues, you may create an action plan and establish small targets to help you get through the day.

According to Patterson, work duties are a means to an end. "Consider the actions you must do to reach your objective. Your objectives may be anything from getting back home and getting into bed at night to reaching out to your support system or even finding yourself walking again. your stride.

Just be careful to set reasonable objectives for yourself to avoid aggravating your own feelings.

Before you find the ideal ratio of easy and difficult things that you can complete without being overburdened or burned out, Patterson says, it may take some trial and error.

List a few tiny things that make you happy.

According to Matos, "It's critical to identify aspects of your work or work environment that bring you either some enjoyment or feelings of accomplishment because depression zaps your energy, motivation, and interest."

For instance, you might find that going for a quick stroll to your preferred coffee shop or having lunch with a coworker lifts your spirits. Perhaps you have a favorite job that you do.

Plan time for whatever brings you happiness into your day as a small token of appreciation for overcoming the less enjoyable tasks.

Finding enjoyable or masterful moments is the goal, according to Matos. This can improve your mood and lessen the negative effects of depression on your productivity.

Even while those happy moments may seem insignificant in comparison to the negative emotions that come along with depression, they can still assist you in finding small moments of light throughout your day that will keep you focused.

If you feel comfortable talking to friends or coworkers, do so.

According to Ely, "We have a tendency to isolate and close ourselves off when we are depressed." However, that "really is the worst thing we can do."

Staying apart from other people might exacerbate the effects of depression at work and make it more difficult for you to get through the day.

According to Matos, "It's OK to let coworkers and colleagues know that you're going through a tough moment and that you might need some extra support."

She claims that being open and honest about depression with coworkers and employers not only normalizes it but also enables them to offer you the help you may need to perform effectively at work.

Not every business provides a safe area for employees to talk about their mental health, and not every employee feels comfortable opening up to their coworkers.

In that situation, discussing your problems with a friend can be beneficial. Perhaps this will lessen the burden.

Taking pauses lowers stress.

When you're depressed, everything seems overwhelming, and making oneself spend hours in front of a computer, at meetings, or serving clients is a surefire way to make things feel even worse.

Your brain is trying to tell you to take a break if you feel like you're getting overwhelmed, tired, losing focus, or simply not feeling as driven or engaged, according to Matos.

"You should definitely take a break and step away if you notice that you are becoming more agitated or frustrated."

If you can, try to give your breaks some purpose. Short-term zone-outs at your workplace won't work as well because they're not true breaks. Try shifting your body instead.

According to Ely, "Moving can improve blood flow to the brain, which can help you get rid of some of the fog that can accompany depression."

Taking a break, for instance, could entail that you:

Visit another room to view a humorous TikTok video.
Practice deep breathing or meditation.
Get up and take a stroll.
Take a seat outside in a nearby park.
Make a pal a call.
Get a drink at your preferred coffee shop on foot.

Options for treatment exist.

Getting help is often a crucial first step for those who want to overcome their depression.

The most popular methods of treating depression are:

therapy, often known as talk therapy.
drugs, such as those for depression.
self-care practices.

How can you be supported at work?

Even though it might be challenging to manage depression and work at the same time, many places of employment provide support.

Speak with HR or your management.

Even if this stage is challenging, it might be crucial. Informing your management about your depression may enable them to make concessions for you if you find that it's affecting how you perform at work.

She continues, Adjustments to deadlines, scheduling, or even job responsibilities might help someone stay productive at work while managing melancholy.

Additionally, with time, those modifications may assist you in regaining your confidence and sense of self.

For instance, you might be able to gradually lessen the negative effects of your depression on your work and resume success if you have more time to take breaks or even schedule treatment sessions before work.

Think of programs for employee assistance.

Employee assistance programs (EAP) provide mental health services to staff members for issues relating to their personal or professional lives.

Most of these programs are free. They are always private and provide you with brief access to certified therapists who can assist you in managing a range of problems, including depression.

They're also widely accessible. According to the International Employee Assistance Professional Association, over 95% of businesses with more than 5,000 employees and 80% of businesses with 1,001–5,000 employees respectively have EAPs.

Mental health services are covered by your employer's health insurance as well.

Group health plans and health insurance issuers are required by the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to offer mental health benefits in addition to medical ones. This can assist in lowering the cost of counseling and therapy before or after work.

You are also not required to attend in-person therapy sessions if you so choose. Talkspace, Better Help, and other virtual mental health services are among the many that accept insurance. Additionally, they facilitate integrating therapy into your hectic workday.

Finally, always keep in mind that you are not alone if you are experiencing depressive symptoms. There's no reason to feel embarrassed about the fact that a lot of others share your feelings.

There is assistance available. Certain organizations provide information on various symptoms and diagnoses, making it simple to get in touch.