procrastination

Motivation: How to Complete your To-Do List in the Midst of a Depressive Episode

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Motivation: How to Complete your To-Do List in the Midst of a Depressive Episode

By, Dyami Efroimson

A major symptom of depression that can make life difficult for those experiencing it is the loss of motivation. Activities one may have enjoyed in the past, no longer bring joy and everyday responsibilities feel impossible to accomplish.  

What Causes This?

With depression, there is a severe lack of dopamine which is responsible for the rewarding feeling we get when we complete at task. This chemical imbalance in conjunction with other factors like lifestyle choices, genetic predisposition, and medication causes a decrease in one’s motivation. The thought of doing any activity can feel overwhelming, causing those struggling with depression to be unable to push themselves to complete even simple tasks.

How does one deal with this lack of motivation?

The key thing is: be patient with yourself. Do not beat yourself up for not being able to do seemingly “easy” tasks. Break the task making you feel overwhelmed into smaller parts that seem a little more doable. For example, if you’re having trouble getting out of bed, start with just sitting up if you are lying down. Or if you need to clean your room, just focus on picking up one piece of clothing off the ground, then another, then another, until you have no clothes left to pick up. By breaking your projects down into simpler tasks, the larger items on your to-do list become a little more manageable. As you complete these bite-sized tasks, your motivation will slowly make its way back as you build healthy habits, and your to-do list will get smaller and smaller.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Depression Motivation: A Brief Guide

Procrastinating before bed? This might be why

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By Katie Weinstein

Revenge bedtime procrastination is defined as the decision to sacrifice sleep for leisure activities. The reason it is called “revenge” bedtime procrastination is to get back at the day time hours for stealing away free time. Many people are tired when going to bed and intend to go to sleep, but chose to binge shows on Netflix or scroll through hours of Tik Toks without an external reason to stay awake, meaning there is an intention-behavior gap. 

Since revenge bedtime procrastination is still a relatively new idea in sleep science, the underlying psychology explaining this phenomenon is still being debated. One explanation is that daytime workload depletes our capacity for self-control, so we can’t fight our urge to stay awake to participate in leisure activities even though it means we will be better rested for the next day. Another explanation might be that some people are naturally “night owls” and are forced to adapt to an early schedule, so this is their way of finding time to recover from stress. A third explanation might be that, during the pandemic, domestic and work lives are blurred as people work overtime hours and do not divide work time from leisure time. 

The reason that it is important to be aware of revenge bedtime procrastination is because sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation can cause daytime sleepiness, which harms productivity, thinking, and memory as well causing physical effects such as insufficient immune function and increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 

In order to prevent revenge bedtime procrastination, try putting away technology 30 minutes before bed, create a regular bedtime routine, avoid caffeine late in the afternoon, and find time for leisure activities during the day. It is also important to recognize when you need help managing your procrastination and your sleep problems.

If you or someone you know is struggling with revenge bedtime procrastination or other types of sleep problems, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

What Is “Revenge Bedtime Procrastination”?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/revenge-bedtime-procrastination-a-plight-of-our-times#Tips-for-better-sleep