BAKICIDW/LJ: Refocusing

[firecat]

Are there any books, web sites, communities, or apps for this? --> "Getting things done when you're depressed, easily fatigued, easily distracted, virtually unable to prioritize, and tending to have a problem with authority, including your own

Comments

[nancylebov]

http://www.amazon.com/Get-Done-When-Youre-Depressed/dp/1592577067

And googling [getting things done when you're depressed] turns up a bunch more.

[firecat]

Thanks! Have you used that one?

[bunnybutt]

I'm a list-worker. Bigger projects turn into nested lists, aka outlines. Checking things off is its own reward when I'm doing well, and when I'm doing less well a check = an actual reward of some sort.

In terms of habitat, I hired a house cleaner to make sure the base line is always there. I would sink without that.

[firecat]

Thanks!

We hire a house cleaner because that is cheaper than relationship therapy.

I make lists and then, more often than not, studiously ignore them or look at them and feel overwhelmed.

[johnpalmer]

I hired a house cleaner as roach insurance (turns out that roaches aren't as much of an issue in the PNW, but the principle remains). I knew I could want to clean as much as I wanted to, but if I was too tired, it just wouldn't happen.

[sarahmichigan]

The website "Unfuck Your Habitat" is a judgement-free zone (comments like "How did you allow your house to get so filthy!" are NOT allowed, for instance) and there are tags devoted especially to trying to clean and organize when you're depressed or ill. I really like it tons.

http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com/tagged/depression

http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com/tagged/mental-blocks

[firecat]

Thanks, I haven't been able to work with UYH in the past but the tags look helpful.

bigger tasks

[dr_brat]

I no longer have the reference, but the key to getting larger tasks done is to break them down into smaller tasks and then schedule the smaller tasks. So "Write syllabus for new course" is useless to me, but "review book," "seek other books," "seek articles," "review book1," "review book2," "review article1" (etc), "develop assignments" all get plugged in to my schedule and the syllabus gets done. "Break down and schedule JobX" is also a mindable task.

Re: bigger tasks

[firecat]

Thanks. For me there's some kind of disconnect between the theory of that and the practice.

Re: bigger tasks

[dr_brat]

I find I can only do it for one large task at a time. Otherwise I get overwhelmed and stuck. I can stick small things in, but I can't manage multiple broken down large tasks. :-(

Re: bigger tasks

[firecat]

That's helpful to know. I can do one at a time. Maybe right now I'm trying to do too many at once.

[elainegrey]

It's not specifically for depressed folks, but i found http://jenniferlouden.com/products/satisfaction-finder-buy/ very helpful.

Many of the concepts were fairly familiar, but the condition of enoughness has been helpful. I won't say it's made me rock and solved every task oriented issue, but it has made me very aware of both unrealistic expectations and honoring my energy levels.

Conditions of Enoughness (COE)

"This will be satisfying because i have declared it enough. It is my life, I get to decide"

1. name what is enough in simple facts [Specific Measurable Actionable]
3. insure they are achievable in an average day [Realistic]
2. include a time element [Timebound]
4. Declare yourself satisfied when your conditions are met -- even if you don't feel satisfied.

STOP when you have completed what you said what you said you would do. Declare it enough.

One of the complementary techniques i came up with is influenced by "pomodoro" techniques

[firecat]

Thank you, the "I get to stop" concept is what's missing from so many productivity systems.

I've also got a random creative idea picker, but I stopped using it. Maybe I'll try to pick it up again.