Depressed on the Job?

When you’re depressed, it’s hard just getting out of bed. Keeping up with your boss’s demands? Almost impossible. But there are ways to stay sharp at work. Check out our experts’ smart strategies…

Like most women, you’re usually an ace at juggling demands of work, hubby, kids and home. But not when depression sets in.

“Depression often brings an overwhelming, I-can’t-handle-anything feeling,” says psychologist Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D., author of Pregnant on Prozac (GPP Life) and survivor of two postpartum depressions.

“Tasks that seemed easy before can suddenly feel like too much,” she says.

Depressed workers forget projects, are too tired to finish them or can’t get motivated to even make a phone call. And having to leave the office for therapy or other treatment will eat into work hours too.

All in all, depression costs U.S. employers more than $51 billion annually in missed workdays and lost productivity, according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Here are 9 common work problems, plus tips to get back to business.

1. You aren’t motivated.
Losing interest in things you once cared about is a typical depression symptom. Once-enjoyable activities don’t bring pleasure anymore and it’s hard to get yourself to do them. Even the simplest task seems overwhelming.

Depression Rx: Jumpstart your day with a walk. You’ll get two mood-lifters at once: exercise and sunlight.

“Sunlight first thing in the morning [raises] serotonin,” a brain chemical that helps regulate mood, Bennett says.

The walk itself can also fight depression, according to a recent 2009 University of Edinburgh meta-analysis of 25 studies.

If motivation lags during the workday, take another quick stroll.
2. You have no energy.
“Depression typically leads to overwhelming fatigue,” says Stephen Ilardi, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas and author of The Depression Cure (Da Capo Publishing).

It’s the same way you feel with a bad case of flu, he adds. “There’s a sense that you can’t even come close to doing what you could before.”

One reason for fatigue: You aren’t getting enough snooze time, which can exacerbate the blues. Sleep-deprived teens were three times more likely to be depressed than their well-rested classmates, according to a 2010 Robert Wood Johnson Medical School study.

Depression Rx: Simple changes in your daily routine may improve slumber and boost energy levels.

Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. That strengthens your urge to sleep, says Ilardi.

Expose yourself to sunlight within an hour of waking. Bright light resets your body clock, switching off production of melatonin, a hormone that induces drowsiness, according to Ilardi. About 15 hours later, your brain turns it back on and you get drowsy.

Dim lights about 45 minutes before bedtime to prepare your brain for sleep. Turn off overhead lights, bright big-screen TVs and computer monitors.

3. You can’t finish tasks.
Depression slows the brain’s processing speed – your ability to quickly understand information and act on it, according to a 2010 University of Texas Southwestern University study.

“At the end of the day, you may feel as if you didn’t get [anything] done,” Bennett says.

Depression Rx: Forget about multi-tasking. Instead, focus on one task at a time, and try to tune out everything else.

That’s harder than it sounds, but Bennett says you can talk yourself into concentrating on the task at hand, even while co-workers are making demands and emails interrupt.
“When an email pops up as you’re doing paperwork, say to yourself: ‘I’m filling out this form right now. I will complete it, press send, and put it in its file.' And then I will focus on the next task,’” she advises.

More refocusing techniques:

“Bring a natural object, such as a flower, to the office,” suggests sleep expert Matthew Edlund, M.D., author of The Power of Rest (HarperOne). When concentration flags, “take 30 seconds to focus on that object,” he says.

Can’t sit still? Play a favorite upbeat song in your head or iPod and then take a walk outside, moving to the beat. Not only are you meditating on the tune, you’re also relieving stress with the movement.

4. You put off important tasks.
Depressed people are champion procrastinators.

One reason is “you may think [the result] won’t be good enough, so you put it off,” says psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., author of A Happy You (Morgan James Publishing).

Depression Rx: To overcome procrastination, set a schedule, Lombardo says.

For example, if you have a project due in three months, break it into smaller, short-term tasks. Then assign due dates for each, so that the last is finished just before the deadline.

To keep yourself on track, find an “accountability partner” – a trusted co-worker or confidante. Have them check in by email or phone every Friday to assess your progress, Lombardo suggests.

5. You have little self-confidence.
At work, “you need to feel confident to be your best,” Ilardi says. But when you’re depressed, self-esteem plummets and you’re more likely to second-guess yourself.

Because confidence is low, your work suffers, which makes self-esteem plummet. “It can become a self-fulfilling prophesy,” he says.
Depressed thinking tends to be exaggerated or just false, says Lombardo. For example, you might see a minor mistake as a fireable offense.

Depression Rx: When you notice negative thoughts, substitute positive ones, says Lombardo.

For example, you might think, This customer won’t buy from me anyway. Why bother with a pitch?

A positive message would be: I have a strong track record, and the customer is interested. I have a good shot at this sale.

6. You can’t relate to co-workers.
Depression often makes you withdraw from other people, which can sabotage relationships with co-workers, bosses and customers. They may see your behavior as rude or antagonistic.

Depression Rx: You may want to hide in your office, but push yourself to make a social effort.

“Fake it till you make it,” Edlund says. “If you keep doing a behavior long enough and actively enough, it will feel more normal and natural again.”

Set small goals, such as chatting briefly with three co-workers a day or calling three clients.

Remember to make eye contact with co-workers and greet them. And don’t forget to smile.

“Turning up the corners of your mouth – even a little Mona Lisa smile – will start endorphins flowing,” Bennett says.

These feel-good brain chemicals give a physiological lift. Plus, other people will probably smile back and that too can brighten your day.

7. You don’t want to tell your boss that you’re depressed.
People in some jobs – airline pilots, for example – must report depression treatment to a supervisor.

For many workers, though, what to share and with whom is a personal decision. Even though there’s much less stigma attached to mental health treatment today than in the past, it still exists in some workplaces.
You may have a practical reason to tell your boss, for example, if you want a temporary adjustment in responsibilities or time off.

But before you tell your supervisor, learn how much you must legally share and your employer’s confidentiality policy. Resources include: your employee assistance program (EAP), human resources (HR) department, state licensing board or the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Accommodation Network. Learn more at the JAN website.

Depression Rx: If you’re unsure of your supervisor’s reaction, test it with a general comment, suggests psychiatrist Michael Banov, M.D., author of Taking Antidepressants (Sunrise River Press).

For example, say “I read an interesting article that said up to a quarter of women will suffer from depression at some point.” Then gauge your boss’s response.

“If you get a negative reaction – such as ‘those women are so weak’ or ‘they’re just making excuses’” – this person may not be supportive, says Banov.

8. Your treatment creates problems.
Some antidepressants have side effects that affect job performance. For example, tricyclic antidepressants, such as Elavil, may cause drowsiness, says Banov. Other medications – such as bupropion (Wellbutrin) – can increase alertness and hinder sleep.

Plus, therapy appointments eat into work time.

Depression Rx: If you’re on an antidepressant, ask your doctor about when to take it. Tricyclics are best after work and bupropion early in the day, says Banov.

Also, look for a therapist who schedules appointments before or after work hours and on weekends.

If depression substantially limits your ability to function at work, you may be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against workplace discrimination, says Cathleen Bolek, an attorney in Cleveland, Ohio, who focuses on employment law. But for that protection to kick in, you have to be able to show that your employer knew about your depression.

“If you’re concerned that your employer or supervisor may be treating you differently because of depression, the best thing to do is notify them of the depression so that you can show they were aware of it,” Bolek says.

Under the ADA, you may also be entitled to request reasonable adjustments at work that allow you to perform essential job tasks.
For example, “if depression makes you a slow starter in the morning, you might request an adjusted work schedule that starts later in the day,” Bolek says.

These strategies, along with professional treatment, can help you handle your illness and job demands more effectively. In the long run, you – and your career – “may come out of a depression better than you went into it,” Bennett says.

Consult your doctor if you think you’re experiencing depression.

Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance writer who specializes in health and psychology. She’s author or coauthor of four books about depression, including Encyclopedia of Depression (Greenwood) and Monochrome Days (Oxford University Press).

How Much Do You Know About Depression?
Depression is an extremely disabling disorder. Despite all the progress in diagnosing and treating this disease, many people still are in the dark when it comes to understanding depression.