As someone who suffers from depression, I’ve been in your position. You keep pushing things off because you’re tired, deciding your bed and Netflix is far better than that Lon-Capa due at midnight. Then, your grades start to drop because you can’t muster up enough motivation to leave your bed for class, or even care about school. Then, before you know it, you’re getting your first F in a class, wondering what you could have possibly done differently.
Of course, there are many things you could have done differently. You could have studied, went to class, done the homework, stopped taking naps all the time, invested your time wisely, etc. But, your depression stops you. So, instead of pushing yourself too hard and having no success, I have decided to share my tips I use to help me.
1 ) Buy a desk planner
While having your planner with you in your backpack is great and everything, if you’re like me you either forget to look at it or stop keeping up with everything because it takes too much effort. Instead, buy a desk planner and fill in your assignments and exams at the beginning of the semester while you still have motivation.
2 ) Have your roommates make you do your work.
I would tell my roommates if I had an important thing due either that night or later that week. If I tried to escape and watch Netflix or nap, my roommates would keep nagging me to do my work. That way, the sooner I did my work, the sooner I could enjoy my nap, no interruptions.
3 ) When things get too overwhelming, step back.
Whether this is by taking a shower/bath, eating, drinking some tea, or watching one episode on Netflix, sometimes you need a break. I find that if I work on something for too long of a time period, I lose steam and my work is not the best. Putting the work down and coming back to it has always been my solution.
4 ) It’s okay to skip class sometimes, but don’t make a habit of it.
Everyone has their days where they need a mental health day, but making everyday a mental health day is not the solution. It only causes you to miss participation points, lose absences for when you’re physically ill, and miss out on important information. If you miss class, remember to either ask your professor or a student what was covered.
5 ) Keep up with your meds
You may find yourself stressed, or you miss a day or two of pills, but please keep taking them. If you’ve been on them for a while, getting off them will only make things worse. I learned this the hard way.
6 ) Sleep!
No, I don’t mean naps. I mean sleep a decent amount of time (at least 8 hours) each night. Don’t stay up all night doing work or browsing the Internet. Don’t tell yourself that because you did work all day you need to make up your missed Netflix time. Go to sleep so you can have as much motivation and energy as you possibly can the next day. It makes doing things a lot easier.