Chaotic, overwhelmed, depressed, please help.

[Thisisatemporaryname101]

I don't know where to start.
I work from home but do have to go out to meetings at people's houses few times a week. I could go into office but have a dog so I can't.

I struggle to organise work, it's a busy job and I've not been in it for long, I have a lovely manager but I just look at all my piles of scrappy notes and feel like I could cry. I know what I'm doing and it's all manageable, I'm just chaotic, disorganised, overwhelmed. I get very easily distracted so will start one job, leave it half finished, then start something else.
I get overwhelmed with everything that needs doing, housework, kids, dog, meal planning, exercise. Then I just give up and piss about on my phone.

I need some strategies to help me organise my life and get my shit together. My attention span is pathetic and I have so many half finished things.
I also do a lot of sitting around or napping, definitely depressed but I'm on antidepressants. Exercise helps massively yet I can't motivate myself to do it.

Please help.

I would be better if I could go in the office as would be with other people and wouldn't be so easily distracted.

Where do you work at home? Dining room table, or your own study/office? If you have your own office, treat it like going to work - close the door, and don't come out other than to go to the loo or get a cup of tea. If you can't see the windows that need cleaning and the floor that needs vacuuming you will be much less likely to worry about / act on it in working hours. It is really difficult to keep that separation of home and office - I feel for you!

Dog sitter?

Thank you, I could use a dog sitter but it's 25 pounds a day, so I can only afford to do it do it occasionally. I do have a separate office.
My phone is a big problem! I just mindlessly scroll, I also really miss being around other people and hardly anyone goes in the office anymore even if I did go in.

I am also extremely bored, bored of being at home, bored of my boring life! I much preferred life pre covid. The more I do nothing the more fed up I get.

Have you considered that you might have adhd? I spent a long time feeling a lot like you describe, was diagnosed with anxiety and depression for years. Until it transpired it wasn’t that at all.

im 100% not saying that’s what it is but it’s worth taking a look and seeing what you think

Unless this really is just a post covid situation? In which case totally ignore me

Yeh I think I might do. I make lists but they are useless and so then I make more lists then I stare at them blankly.

I'm also a binge/comfort eater which I'm trying to stop.

Ive stopped and started a lot of hobbies, running, horse riding, etc.

1. Don’t work in the same room as your phone.
2. lists, not post or notes - either in paper on on Trello, and moves things along once you actioned them
3. set regular screen breaks - if your mind drifts off set yourself a 40 minute intense work, 5 minute walk about, regime
4. don't worry about the house or meal planning until the weekend, rather than allowing it into your working time

Used to be a big reader but not so much lately.

Routine might help, maybe around dog walking? Something simple to start with.

My only one practical tip that is vaguely helpful for those of us with chaotic tendencies is to have one big notepad for everything, whether it’s work or home. Any time you need to write a list, take notes from a meeting, plan a project, write reminders… whatever, it all goes in the same place. Helps avoid scrappy bits lying around.
But the bigger problem might be that you are unmotivated to keep everything straight because you are unstimulated by wfh. Maybe worth trying to address that or it’s a hard battle.

I just don't know. Wish there a was a dog friendly working hub I could go too! Maybe that's a good new business idea!

I have seen a cafe near us which has dogs in and is a working space. I am unsure if the two parts are together though.!

So exercise and dog.

Can you power walk dog for an hour before work.

Hopefully then dog will be more chilled at home once back and you will feel better and you will have ticked off two important personal tasks at once. It's turning springlike so a really good time of the year to get this instilled into your routine.

Next phone distraction.

Put phone by kettle allow yourself a quick browse when making a coffee/tea. And just plough on with work tasks.

Normal daytime energies slump between 2pm-4.30pm so tackle your complicated, least fun tasks in the morning.

Treat your home office as an office.

If you feel lonely put radio 4 on for company or another station. At least there are live humans talking on radio.

Baby steps.

You will start to feel better.

You have to work so embrace it if you can.

You say the dog is stopping you from going into the office where you admit you'd be more focused. Why can't you leave the dog for a working day? Is your current problematic situation more of a priority than your dog having company in the day? I do agree with previous posts about managing your time better as well, but 'I can't go to the office because of the dog' is a bit strange.

Suffer from many of the same problems.

Re scrappy notes: just use one notebook for everything, use a new page per note and always put the date at the top of the page. There are many more sophisticated systems but for me this is the only one that works. I have notebooks going back years, I only ever need to reach for one and once I work out the date roughly for when I did the work I can quickly find the notes.

I am so easily distracted. I don't know how to solve this one though as it is definitely a work in progress for me. I do find that if I make a to do list at the beginning of the day it helps me stay on track. I don't necessarily get the chance to finish the list but for some reason having the list makes me more likely to complete a task rather than leave it unfinished.

My dog absolutely hates to be left alone. We do leave him for a bit but not for long, he just barks the whole time, regardless of whether he's been walked. I've tried lots of things to get him to be happy alone but I don't want him to be anxious and upset. It's really difficult. Not a lockdown puppy, just always had me at home. He does go to my mums sometimes but she will only have him about once a month. My husband will have him too sometimes but not easy for him to work at home. He's a very calm lovely boy, except if he's home on his own!

Thanks plumfy, I do try to have one list I just don't do much of it!!

Some good ideas here, leaving thr phone downstairs is a good one. I thought about getting one of those phone jails!

Also, seek a diagnosis. Medication could help you.

I’m the same - and so are lots of others. Working from home full time isn’t for everyone.

Lists help but make sure they are reasonable. Maybe if you schedule in time to be away from your desk/scroll on your phone/make a drink it would be less distracting? Like schedule in 10 mins every 1.5-2 hours. Sounds counterproductive but it worked for me when I was studying for professional exams!

Thank you, I have just committed to a 3 year training course which will include essays so I need to sort my shit out before then!

I sympathise about the dog needing company. We have a small green parrot and finding similar with him!

Aw bless your parrot!

So if I do have ADHD what could a GP do about it?

Ritalin? Is that what they give for it