Motivation hacks to beat depression

How does one get motivated when one doesn't feel like doing ****?

My only method at the moment is to sit in an armchair, because then at least I am sitting upright and don't just roll over onto my back and fall asleep. I have also considering showering every day because maybe that will help me feel fresh and alert.

Please feel free to use my ideas and contribute your own.

I've always stood by making myself shower every day. It helps.

It can be hard to really ever be motivated. One thing thing I do is break tasks down into mini five minute portions. I may not get everything done, but at least something gets done.

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depression can suck the life out of you i try and take it one day at a time

I second the showering!! I literally cannot do anything productive with greasy hair lol. But other tips would be getting out of the house or switching up your pattern. I often find its hard to view everything in the same bland grey if you see something you're not used to.

Another one would be music. Find a few songs that make you feel really great and have that on repeat. Don't listen to anything else and make that your charge up music. The more you get done during it, the better it'll work when you use the technique later on!

I also second setting small goals for yourself. Okay so all the dishes is a lot of dishes. Clean 5. Or spend on 10 mins working on a project you said you were going to. Generally it's the initial inertia that stops people so if you push through it you may surprise yourself and finish all the dishes!!

I also try to make myself uncomfortable. If I haven't done anything in a while, I'll make plans with some friends or family or by myself. That means I have to look presentable to go outside and if I'm outside I might as well get some stuff done since I've got grownup pants on lol.

And the most important last thing don't beat yourself up over a bad day if you can help it. Just acknowledge it was a bad day and rest up early and back at it tomorrow. Sometimes it takes a ridiculously long time to get out of a funk but it'll get there!

Best of luck!

I really found these tips helpful and willing to try. I've always found that music helps to lift me but it's getting that first song on that's hard work. After that it tends to flow.

I'm going to force myself to get showered and dressed today and see if that can help me lift my mood a bit today. I suppose the hard bit here would be to make sure I choose proper clothes and don't put my pyjamas back on.

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I really like your idea of showering everyday. I had hygiene issues where I would shower one day and then say to myself 'okay every other day' but then I would get depressed and end up not showering for a long time.

When I finally did it was always the best shower I ever had. Showering everyday makes you feel clean and happy.

And lastly, I agree with unicorn about getting out or trying something different and exciting. I always feel like every day is the same old crap like I'm stuck in groundhog day. It's nice to get out and do something different as hard as it is initially to get up I usually end up having a lot of fun!

On the same thread as showering, another really good tip is dressing up and eating good food. Doing things that improve your mood really help you take on the day. I often find that if I make myself look nice I'm much more determined to do something.

My skin is too dry to shower every day, but I definitely find that getting dressed early in the day motivates me.
I also keep a "to do" list and force myself to complete at least one item each day.
Upbeat music gets me going - I stay away from music that brings my mood down.
Stepping outdoors for fresh air and taking time to see and enjoy whatever is there normally causes me to smile - and when I'm smiling I feel more energized.

Very good ideas! Also, doing something useful for anybody, just for the sake of it. It makes me go out of myself

I showered with my clothes on the floor of the shower rather than wash them

Reminds me of a Seinfeld episode where Kramer decided he'd wash his greens while showering . . . Lol.

I read on an alternative health site that a few people had success with showering in very cold water. The 1st post was from a guy in the UK whose hot water heater quit and he was forced to take cold showers for few days. Inexplicably, his depression went away. A few other posters then tried and had success as well. Also, some other health benefits.

Commit to doing a voluntary job one morning a week. OK you're not getting paid but you still don't want to let yourself or other people down and it forces you to bathe/shower, brush teeth, wear clean clothes at least one day a week.

Build a 'wallace and gromit' contraption that tips a bucket of cold water over you if you're not out of bed by 9 am.

Pay someone to knock at the door at 9 am and tell them they're not to stop until you come to the window and hurl abuse at them.

Leave the heating off in the winter but turn it on the first day of summer so that going virtually anywhere is better than staying indoors.