Hi, just wondering if anyone here believes having a properly scheduled daily routine can reduce depression?
I’ve been thinking about making a daily routine, but I’m not sure if it’ll even work or not so any input would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, just wondering if anyone here believes having a properly scheduled daily routine can reduce depression?
I’ve been thinking about making a daily routine, but I’m not sure if it’ll even work or not so any input would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t think I’ve ever been depressed but have definitely found myself drifting for want of a decent routine. Having got to the stage that I’m never quite sure how much my body can offer me from one day to the next, and being unable to commit to the rigours of paid work any longer, my solution is lists.
My lists live on my computer, on Outlook Tasks and OneNote. And if something doesn’t get done, I can reprioritise or re-date the tasks that get missed. The lists just help me to keep a focus on life.
Give it a try!
Ditto to GCCK.
My daughter is great at getting me motivated and I thanked her for not giving up nagging me.
I’ve had that depression of a heavy black cloud looming over me. Sometimes much easier to have a duvet day and I don’t feel lazy nor guilty. If someone told me to pull myself together, it was like telling a blind person to look where they’re going!
But one duvet day led to 3 or 4.
Eventually I saw my gp who prescribed Sertraline. It really helped but I never had a Things to Do List…until daughter bought one for me.
Every little thing became a great routine and allowed time without exhausting myself.
I now routinely write Make bed, shower, cereal, meds get dressed. With ppms this little task list takes takes 2 hours. Getting dressed can be very tiring unless simple & casual.
Make a list of everything from waking up. Phone calls to make, shopping to order, friends to invite or meet up with … all go on my list. If any task gets missed, then I start with those the next day.
The feeling of satisfaction I get when each task is crossed out is so rewarding and I have a coffee & chocolate treat most afternoons.
Routine can lead to all meds taken on time, not forgetting appointments meetings etc.
I use a tablet on Notes page with times filled in to get stuff dealt with.
Simply knowing you are creating your own timetable and nothing gets forgotten will certainly help you to lift that depression.
Good luck,
Chrissie x
Thats great Thanks for responding me…
Hi there
This an exercise from Martin Seligman, the instigator of the positive psychology movement and in large scale trials has proved more effective than SSRIs. I have personally found it very effective indeed.
It was originally the gratitude diary but he’s found this new exercise more effective. Towards these end of the day, but can maybe be a bit earlier if energy a problem, you write down three things that have gone well today and why.
They don’t have to be big things. Like, I had a really nice dog walk today because it was lovely and sunny. We had a nice meal today because I remembered we had to use to use up that cauliflower (I love cauliflower!)
I found that it works best if the ‘why’ has to do with me. So it may have been sunny but I had a nice walk because I had the discipline to make myself go out even though I could have lied in the sofa instead.
Basically we’ve evolved to be a bit negative because those genes survive more." I thought about us getting flooded so didn’t build my home next to the river where it would get swept away…"
This exercise resets our brain to be more positive. Simple really but highly effective
Good luck with it