How To Deal With Schoolwork When You're Depressed

When I initially started suffering from depression, I had no idea how to cope. I felt too demotivated to do anything, my work kept pilling on, my grades kept dropping and I just didn't want to deal with anything. The things that I had enjoyed the most suddenly were uninteresting to me.

Now, after suffering from depression for two years, this year, I have five sets of very important exams, a lot of work, internals, projects, deadlines, and I just can't afford to slack. So I figured out a few ways to deal with my work. Feel free to add on to this thread with suggestions, ideas and questions of your own. :)

1. Make a list

This really works for me for some reason. I make a list of all the work that I have to, and write the deadlines alongside. Then, whenever I complete a single thing, I take the pleasure of slashing it out. Seeing a whole page with slashed out items is actually kinda motivating, because it just feel like I've accomplished SOMETHING.

2. If your teachers know about your depression, talk to them about this. Talk to them about not being able to complete your work in time sometimes. Asking for leniency beforehand works much better than informing them after the deadline about how you weren't able to complete the work, and they will actually appreciate you a lot more.

3. There are good depression periods and bad depression periods. So if you know you will certainly not be able to work in the bad periods, try to manage your work in a way that you get most of it done in the good period.

4. Don't blame yourself if you're having a hard time. Remember that you're trying your best. Don't compare yourself to others, because you are dealing with a lot. If you miss a few deadlines, it's okay. It happens to all of us.

5. Reward yourself.

Set some work for yourself, and reward yourself when you get it done. Whether the reward consists of doing something that you like (for me, it's going for a walk and playing with all the dogs in my neighborhood), or if you're too lethargic to do something like that, just treat yourself to pizza. Or chocolate. Or an emergency solo dance party. Or, if nothing comes to your mind, just let the feeling of having completed something, sink in. Because I know how difficult it is sometimes, and if you complete something that you set aside for yourself, it is something you should be very, very proud of.

Hope this helps. :)