How to get things done professionaly at work when I'm very depressed?

Work through individual tasks and see them as set goals to achieve. Try to keep thoughts set on the task at hand. It's useful to focus on jobs that need to be done, when you feel depressed. Use a tick list to help you realise what you have achieved! you should feel a sense of management and a way of focusing while at work. Keep in mind that you will get some time during the day to switch off and allow some time for your thoughts or simply rest.

It is very beneficial to take day off for your mental health if you are struggling greatly. Mental illness is no different than any common contagions in that they make it difficult to perform your usual activities.

The most specific advice I could give here is to exercise. If you find your thoughts wandering off to dark corners, take a 5 minute time-out from your work. Go outside, get some fresh air, change of scenery, and do a little bit of running or body training. Once you come back in you might have shifted your focus, and return to your work with better concentration.

The "half-smile." Smile only with your mouth (as opposed to a genuine smile which includes the use of your cheeks, eyebrows, and forehead). This will in a way trick your mind into thinking you're happy, and then the half-smile turns into a real one. Also, academic research has found that good posture promotes happiness during depressive episodes.

Wow, this can be tough. I think the important thing, when one is "very depressed," is to reach out and get as much help as possible. I recommend working with a pro (therapist or physician) and talking often with listeners at 7 Cups (of course!) and reaching out to reliable, supportive friends and family. At work, too, it's good to reach out for help--and see if others can help with projects or deadlines. When possible, it might be good to take time off or try for a lighter schedule. (However, it can be tricky to disclose mental-health conditions to certain employers, whereas others are wonderful about it and have Employee Assistance Plans to help employees get through tough times. Some states and countries have laws that provide protection, and some do not.) As for tips for getting through the day, I could say things like, Try to get some sleep and eat healthy food and definitely get some exercise to keep the fog at bay -- but when a person is very depressed, this can feel terribly hard to do! So, when depression gets very bad, I think it's time to consider seeing a physician and using appropriate sleep aides and other therapies and medicines that can give relief. And ... yes, depression can make it awfully hard to reach out for help, but it's crucial! Please don't try to "tough it out" alone. There are people like the listeners at 7 Cups who are waiting to help.

I understand how hard it can be to stay productive while fighting depression. This could be a good question to ask your counselor, if you have one. Personally, I feel that it can be very helpful to do something, such as listening to music or watching a short video, in order to completely distract yourself from your sadness. Next, just start working and try to keep your mind away from your depression for as long as possible. You could set a timer and tell yourself that you'll just work as hard as you can for 10 minutes. Normally for me, I continue to work productively even after the timer goes off. If your depression is seriously affecting your working abilities, it might be a good idea to seek professional treatment. Recovery is worth it!:)

It is hard to get things done sometimes when you're very depressed. Set yourself reminders and small goals. For example if you've got something due at the end of the week, try to set reminders to work on it. Try to work on it for maybe 15 or 20 minutes at a time so you don't overwhelm yourself and take breaks. If you've dealt with depression before, try to find what has worked for you in the past and see if that has worked. It's also never a bad thing to speak to a Doctor about depression.

Little tasks each day and rewards for completion. Cycles come and go, but if its a permanent situation that does not improve, I look for a better place to work

Take off work for a bit and go outside or you can get up from your seat and sit next to a window. Listen to music but you need to get up from your seat. No sitting.

Set yourself small realistic and achievable targets. There is no point making targets which arent realistic and achievable as this is setting yourself up to fail. Have a review date and celebrate every small achievement you make as they all add up! Even if you do not achieve what you wanted to by that date, do not give up because when you do eventually achieve what you had wanted, it will mean even more to you. Even though you are trying to achieve something at work, also take time out for yourself in your own private life as your private life often impacts in your professional life. If you work on being happy in your private life, this will transcend into your working life also. Just give yourself time!