Organize Away Your Depression

Depression can make the simplest things seem huge and overwhelming.  The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II, recommends getting organized as one of several ways to tackle depression.  Others include:  exercise, support groups, medication, learning new behaviors, and becoming more self aware.  Getting Organized and taking back control over your stuff can be helpful and empowering.

Here are some easy to implement organizing ideas:

1.              Create a checklist to assist you with the day to day routine / activities

a.     Put one on next to the bed (1. Get out of bed; 2. Make bed; 3. Go to bathroom)

b.     Put one on the mirror in the bathroom (1. Brush teeth; 2. Take shower; 3. Comb hair; 4. Put on makeup)

c.     Put one on the refrigerator in the kitchen (1. Make coffee; 2. Make and eat breakfast; 3. Take kids to school; 4. Go to work)

d.     Put one on the door you use most frequently (1. Take briefcase; 2. Take purse; 3. Take cell phone; 4. Take lunch; 5. Take books to return to library)

2.              Remove clutter from the spaces you see and are in most often.  Clutter in our spaces also clutters our mind and can add to depression.

a.     Look around the room (bedroom, living room, kitchen, etc.), what is in there that does not belong (I like to tell my clients to think of the Sesame Street game; “Which of these things isn’t like the others, which one of these things doesn’t belong?”)  Remove them from the room.

b.     Put trash in a trash bag, put items that don’t belong, but have a place to go away, box the rest.

c.     The key is to remove the excess from each room.

d.     If you can’t do it on your own, ask a friend, family member, co-worker, or someone to help support you.  You don’t want them to do it for you, but support YOU in doing it.

3.              Use a large wall calendar.

a.     It is important to see what is on your schedule, so the larger the calendar the better.

b.     Write your and your family members meetings and appointments on the calendar.

c.     Make this the central location that the whole family goes to for information.

d.     You may want to put another calendar in your bedroom or bathroom to help track your weight, exercise program, mood, feelings, etc.  This calendar is your private calendar.

4.              Start small; you don’t need to do everything today.

a.     Celebrate if you get one item done on one of your checklists or if you create one checklist and follow it for several days.

b.     When removing items from various rooms, go slow, focus on one spot at a time (Example: stuff on the couch, or maybe one cushion on the couch)

c.     Remember, even if you only pick up ONE item, that is more than you might have done yesterday.  Celebrate.