5 Ways to Make Life With Depression a Little Less Hard

Life can be a lot these days, and the pressure to do it all is real. But there’s a pile of dishes in your sink, you haven’t done laundry in a week, your fridge is empty, and you have 10 unread text messages … and it’s all feeling pretty overwhelming.

Add some mild or moderate depression symptoms into that mix, and suddenly, things that felt difficult before now feel nearly impossible.

This is why it’s important to recognize that sometimes doing the bare minimum is OK. Really. We have some tips for how to get those must-do tasks done with minimal effort for days (or weeks) when you’re depressed and just aren’t feeling up for more.  

Why depression makes it so hard to do stuff

First off, let’s not underestimate the importance of talking with your doctor or a trained mental health professional if you’re feeling depressed. Even if your symptoms aren’t regularly interfering with your daily life, getting help from the experts can still make life a little (or a lot) better. 

And if you’re struggling or are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, talking with someone who can help you is even more important. You can also call 988 to get help right away.

But if you’re doing all the things you need to do to get help, yet accomplishing daily tasks is still just hard sometimes, it’s understandable. That’s the way depression works.  

“Depression is very physical. When you’re depressed, your body simply doesn’t want to do as much as it normally does,” says Doyanne Darnell, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She specializes in treating people who have experienced trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidal ideation and substance use disorder.

Some common — and, tbh, downright unhelpful — symptoms of depression include:  

• Fatigue and low energy
• Aches and pains
• Getting less pleasure from normally enjoyable activities
• Lack of motivation
• No or little sense of accomplishment from doing things
• Having a hard time concentrating
• Feeling irritable or restless

When symptoms like these prevent you from doing all the things you need to do, like grocery shopping or washing dishes, it’s easy to fall into a negative thought spiral.  

How to make daily tasks a little easier with depression

Once you recognize the role depression has in making it hard to get stuff done, it’s time to find ways to make daily tasks just a little easier, so you’re more likely to have energy to do at least a couple of them.  

These tricks won't fix everything, but they can help make each day a little less of a slog.  

Making food with depression

Just like it can rob you of your desire to do your favorite hobby, depression can also literally make your favorite foods (or any food) not taste as good, or make you forget to eat or just not feel like eating.  

If that happens to you, Darnell recommends using other things as motivation to eat. Remind yourself that your body needs fuel: Since you’re already lacking in energy, if you don’t eat, you will only feel worse.  

If procuring any kind of meal seems like too much to deal with in the moment, try making a protein-rich snack instead, like cheese and crackers or an apple dipped in peanut butter.

Maybe after you eat a little something, you’ll feel up to preparing a meal. If that means cooking a simple meal, like pasta and a frozen veggie, great. If it means ordering takeout, also great. And despite what the internet wants you to believe, ultra-processed foods like those convenient frozen dinners aren’t evil. If it’s between eating a frozen dinner or not eating, choose the frozen dinner. Look for ones that are healthier (so your stomach won’t be upset later) and that have a protein source and vegetables.  

Adding movement to your day with depression

It’s a good idea to lower your expectations here. You might not be up for your usual miles-long run, long neighborhood walk or 45-minute gym sesh.  

But small bits of movement in your day still matter, so don’t fall into the all-or-nothing thinking trap depression often lays. 

“If you’re thinking, ‘I already missed some of my workouts for this week, so what’s the point of going now? I’m already out of shape,’ you really want to challenge that,” Darnell says. “It’s OK to do a little bit, and a little bit helps, and it’s better than nothing.”

Go to the gym for just 10 or 15 minutes. Climb the stairs in your house or building. Take your dog for a walk around the block. Or do some yoga or stretching at home — there are plenty of free videos online that you can watch to guide you.  

Making chores easier with depression

Start with the things you absolutely need to do, like grocery shopping or loading the dishwasher, and save the less-necessary chores like dusting or vacuuming for another day.  

Rather than committing to completing a chore — like washing all the dishes piled up in the sink — tell yourself you’ll just do part of it, like washing a few plates and cups so you have ones you can use for food that day. Instead of trying to fill up that empty fridge, just go to the store for a few necessary items and call it good.

“Once you’re in the middle of doing an activity, you can often do a little more than you thought from the outset. See how you feel and if you want to keep going,” says Darnell.  

Getting your day job done with depression

So you’re overwhelmed by having to go into the office or facing a packed day of work-from-home meetings. Rather than thinking about how you’re going to get through the entire eight-hour workday, take things one hour at a time.  

Focus on getting to the meeting your boss wants you to attend or going to your first class if you’re a student. After that, check in with yourself and see how it went. More than likely, it was probably fine, which means you can move forward and focus on what you’ll do for the next hour.  

Staying in touch with friends when you’re depressed

It’s crucial not to isolate yourself when you’re depressed — that will only worsen your symptoms in the long term. It’s also important not to put all your energy into socializing since you’re short on it to begin with.  

You know those family members or friends you love but who make you feel drained after interacting with them? Those are probably not the people you want to lean on right now.  

Since you won’t have tons of energy to communicate or meet up with friends all the time, prioritize the ones you can confide in and who are the most understanding. For other people, if you don’t want to go into details about why you’re not as communicative, maybe let them know that you’re taking a bit of a digital detox and will be back in touch once you’ve rested a bit.  

“Don’t overcommit yourself because you won’t have the energy to follow through on so many social commitments, but also don’t ghost people because it’s hard on them when you do that, and it can feel like a greater hurdle for you to reconnect when you are ready to,” says Darnell.  

That isn’t to guilt you, but simply to remind you that yes, people care about you. And having a little bit of accountability can help motivate you, too.  

The most important point

When you feel depressed, you might feel disconnected from yourself and your normal routines. Try to be patient with yourself as you navigate through your depression symptoms.  

“Our usual activities are harder to do when we are depressed, so find ways to make doing them a little easier — and go a little easier on yourself while you're at it,” says Darnell.