Finding Energy to clean the depression pit
So I fell into a bad depression dip for several months and my room is looking....well, you cant even see the floor. Like at all. It's starting to become a hindrance to actually living. Making it hard to get around or find clean clothes because I haven't done laundry in a while (only doing a small load when I realized that I have no clean socks or boxers.) I KNOW that I need to clean. My anxiety has been eating away at me, telling me to clean my room, but I simply have no motivation or energy.
How do I find the energy to clean up, even if it's just enought it actually walk around my room or find clean laundry? I've tried everything I could think of, from blasting my favorite playlist to video chatting with friends while trying to work on it. But I just get so stressed and overwhelmed with the craziness of the pit. I've made lists, tried breaking up the tasks, but nothing has worked for me. Someone please help.
@MindTheVoid hi depression is very hard mentally and physically. ❤ don't be too hard on yourself. I find it I constantly keep thinking I have to do this and that, it never gets done, like a mental block. I get up in the mornings have some coffee with a clear mind then I find it's easier to accomplish. So take it one-day at a time don't put pressure on yourself ❤ it does help. All the best and sending hugs your way
@MindTheVoid Hi, I really get where you are coming from. I only managed to clean my depression pit over the last week or so. I couldn't manage to do it all in one day because it felt overwhelming so instead I created a list of all of the colours of objects in my room and each day I picked a colour to pick up and put where it belongs. If I had a colour that was very small and not to tiring I would add 'non-coloured' tasks like doing the dishes and washing any clothes I had put in my wash basket. After about a week my room is now finally feeling livable again.
Hope this helps :)
I find that having a target that's very small helps. For instance, I've been in a similar position with my home. It's fall, I have 2.5 acres worth of yard with lots of trees. So, cleaning up leaves as a single homeowner is a TASK. On top of that, I have a dog, 2 cats, 6 chickens, and a koi pond that all require consistent attention. Then, where's the time to clean the house? It's extremely easy to get crushed under the weight of the smallest things. I'm also going through crippling depression and anxiety, and much has kept falling back to an absolute bare minimum (to keep the animals from being affected). Anyway, and sorry for the long back story. I make progress best when I make small goals, and allow myself to decide if I'll continue to "start" something else, without the goal of finishing. Like, I'll just day, "Today, when I get home from work, I'll just clean the kitchen countertops". Then, I jump into it without thinking when I get home, being a small task. What I find is that I can either take that accomplishment and call it a win, and sometimes just accomplishing that first goal inspires me to continue to another small goal. Like, cleaning the microwave. When I accomplish more than I set out to do, it feels good to take stock of how I did feel motivated to accomplish more, and give myself a pat on the back for accomplishing more than I set out to do. Slowly, things can come to a point where you look around and suddenly you're in a much better spot than you thought.
I like this and do practice this kind of small goal setting in other areas of my life as well.
But, ..the very best thing that helps me to stay proactive against this and fix it when it comes up is the I hire someone and they come in everywhere week and work side by side me to get the chores done. In this way, I am satisfying my need to do the chores my way and they are scheduled to pick up my slack and keep me on track. Even if I want to skip it, with the extra helping hand I can deligate toward the things on my mind, after I get started it becomes an easy 3 hours. And, I drop off and pick up my laundry weekly. To me, investing in these low cost chores to keep myself on track and not slipping at work or getting burnout to drop to my knees and igniting the flames of my psychosis, depression or racing thoughts. This is the best way I have found.
I've definitely been where you are. Please give yourself some credit for even recognizing the issue while in such a bad depression. The mere fact that you WANT to take any step to clear up your room is good and worth a little pat on the back.
Something I used to do was to really start small. I'd tell myself "Go downstairs, open the dishwasher, and put five glasses away. Five." When I did that, it was often that I'd put at least the whole top rack away, if not more. Then I'd give myself a huge pat on the back.
If what you see on the floor seems overwhelming, you might consider getting up and literally shoving stuff to the side with your foot to form a path. Back in bed, you will see the floor of that path. Then later (or the next day), you might put a laundry basket near your bed. Then as you get up to go to the toilet or fridge, throw a few light colored things in to/fro. By the end of the day you may have a basket ready for the clothes washer. Then do the same with dark clothes the day after.
I hate cleaning, and so probably do you, so I would do it for one minute every day, also doing something is a coping mechanism for your depression, you need a plan, you need small goals, like today you'll just dust the tv screen and that is an accomplishment.
Or hire a designated cleaner.
It feels much better to feel depressed when everything is clean around you, and the clutter itself may be the secondary trigger for your mood deteoriation.
Good luck.