24 Jun Depression From Work: How To Deal With It

Being down and sad are things we experience from time to time, as there are instances where life’s happenings can feel too overwhelming to bear. Unfortunately, these feelings can affect us anywhere and at any time of our lives – including at work. When unmanaged, feelings of depression from work can affect not just our performance and our perception of what we do for a living, but even the way we look at our lives.

In fact, mental health issues have overtaken musculoskeletal problems as the leading cause of long-term work incapacity and sickness absence in Australia and most developed countries. Unfortunately, the problem has started to drive people into committing suicide as well, with eight (8) Australians alone choosing to die by their own hands each day. According to News, for every person that succeeds in doing so, 30 more attempt suicide.

If you feel as though workplace depression is affecting you in very negative ways, how do you deal with it effectively?

Acknowledge its existence: One of the most important first steps towards managing depression from work is to acknowledge its existence. Continuously denying it might be the reason why you’re not getting the kind of solution you need for your woes. Acknowledging you have workplace depression puts you in a position of someone ready for understanding and recovery.

Look after your physical and mental health: One of the most important aspects of dealing with depression is to also make sure you get your physical and mental health sorted out as well. Make sure you try to get physical activity, a healthy diet, a lot of sleep in order to get yourself energized. Try walking or jogging in order give yourself a dash of dopamine in order to be happy as well. Use your breaks when you have them, and make sure you try to make adjustments to your workload that would make them easier and more convenient for you to do.

Try to rekindle with a hobby or a past time: If you have a tendency to work extra for extra money, try to lay off the overtime and instead use your off-hours to actually leave work back in the office and enjoy yourself. Eat out, watch a film, rekindle with an old hobby, or grab a drink or two. It doesn’t always have to be in the company of others. Get to know yourself again by treating yourself.

Tell your boss if it’s affecting you negatively: If you feel as though your work is starting to be affected by your depression, it might be time to notify your boss about the matter. This is especially if you need to be in close proximity with your boss or if you need to be in touch with them because of your particular duties. Letting them be aware of your situation not only fosters trust, but it also puts them in a better position to help you adjust to your current situation.

Take a break when you need it: If for example you’ve been diagnosed with a fever, chances are you’re going to take time off from work in order to focus on recovery. If you’ve been told you have diabetes, you’re most likely going to take measures to get yourself fixed. Likewise, depression works pretty much the same way. Depression can have an extremely detrimental effect on how you do life and deal with work, and as such it’s important for you to take a break when needed. This allows you to get the time to find your focus and reposition yourself again in life.

Look into getting workplace insurance and services: Try to check whether or not your current workplace has safeguards in place in order to provide you with insurance or services that deal with mental health. If you need to take a day off and your work offers you the opportunity, please do so in order to get the well-deserved time off you need.

Get into therapy if possible: Lastly, if you feel as though nothing is working for you and your depression, consider taking extended leave from work in order to undergo therapy. Teams such as ours from Life Resolutions are available and more than willing to help you get through your particular ailment.

Conclusion: You Can Still Make Work Fun And Exciting

Work can be quite the volatile and flexible activity, especially when you realize that work can sometimes get exciting and frustrating at different parts of the month, week, or even a day. This nature of work can sometimes lead to various emotions, and when work becomes a bit stressful, it can lead to negative feelings such as depression and anxiety. However, if there’s anything the above has shared, it’s that work can still become fun and exciting given the right mindset. After all, you have complete control over how your life works, and as such the methods above can be some of the many things you can do to add some spice to your working life. If you feel as though none of these methods are working, feel free to give us a call here at VIC PARK PSYCHOLOGY on 08-6196 2415 so we can help you tackle these problems much better.