Get It Done When You're Depressed Read Online Free PDF Page A

and my brain would say, Everyone else is doing something different—you made the wrong decision! When it was really bad, it felt impossible for me to make a decision at all. After going through this for years, one day I just said, Enough. I’m going to make a decision and stick to it no matter what. I’m so tired of letting depression control my decisions.
    When I write, I have many decisions to make—how to structure the book, what language to use, what audience to target, etc. If I let myself get overwhelmed with these decisions, I lose writing time and feel terrible. Instead, I often let the decisions work themselves out so I can simply function enough to write.
    What I do now:
    • I remind myself, Depression won’t make a decision today, but I will.
    • I tell myself, Depression tells me I made the wrong decision, but I didn’t. I made a choice, and it’s my own.
    • I promise myself I’ll choose something no matter what—even when my brain feels so dead I can hardly walk, and even when the guilt makes enjoyment impossible at first.
    • I make it clear to myself that I won’t analyze my decisions. No second-guessing. Yes, there may be something better, but I’ve made my decision and I stick to it.
    • I always tell myself, Good for you, Julie! when I make a decision.
    Exercise
    It helps if you have some predetermined decisions you can turn to when certain common situations come up, such as the following:

    What difficult decisions do you routinely have trouble making? List them in here and then list the set-in-stone decision you can use each time this situation comes up and you’re depressed.

ASK DR. PRESTON
    Why is it so hard to make a decision when you’re depressed?
    There are two things happening here. One has to do with a pervasive sense of not trusting your own judgment. When you’re not depressed, you can make many decisions that are accompanied by a feeling of confidence ( I feel confident that this is a good choice ), but during depression, self-doubts predominate.
    Also, when you’re depressed, you have a greater tendency to primarily see the negative, even in decision-making. A decision such as choosing a restaurant can have some positive elements but also some negative elements. When you’re depressed, you’re more likely to interpret this choice as exclusively negative.

A Depressed Brain Is a Confused Brain
    It’s difficult to make a decision when your choices are clouded by depression. By overriding your ill brain and making a decision no matter how it feels, you can calm your thoughts to the point that you can actually enjoy your decision. Once you get used to this process, you can face choices with a plan and always be confident that you know what choice to make.
    Here are some other thoughts to consider:
    • Let other people pick restaurants, what movie to see, and anything else you find difficult when you’re depressed.
    • You decide what you do at work. Pick something and do it. Period.
    • If you have to make decisions that directly affect other people, remember the type of decisions you make when you’re well and copy them when you’re depressed.
    • Put off big life decisions when you’re depressed so you can focus on the smaller, everyday decisions. You can focus on the big decisions later, when you’re not depressed.
    Remember: Never negotiate with depression. When in doubt and overwhelmed with choices, make one decision. Do it—don’t analyze it—and stick to it!

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    Set Up a Realistic Work Space
    Depression can make you feel uncomfortable no matter where you try to work. Maybe you move around all day, trying to find the perfect place that feels right. Or maybe you’re too easily distracted by the goings-on around you. No matter your situation, if you’re not comfortable in your work space, you’re not likely to get things done when you’re depressed.
    Feeling fidgety or distracted in your work space is a normal part of depression. You can have the feeling