to ask for a really pathetic well done

[ParryHotterx]

so living with what can sometimes be quite severe depression, as anyone else who is knows, the housework becomes a vicious cycle of self-loathing. Got to 6pm today and the usual feeling of all I've done today is procrastinate and nap, settled down for my usual wine and pity fest and thought I've got to do something to break this cycle.
Set a 20 min timer on my phone and loaded the dishwasher. 5 hours of 20 min bursts later and the living room and kitchen are clean for the first time in well over a year. Rest of the place is a dump, but looking round and I feel great.
So here's a grown up professional woman asking for a well done for tidying up a little bit

That's amazing! Serous well done!

I need to try something like that myself (severe depression here too)

Op I’m proud of you.
I wish I could have been as motivated this past weekend.

That's brilliant.

Thank you all feeling a bit overwhelmed
I read a post a while ago about the 20 minutes. Instead of looking around and thinking it's an impossible task, just say 'I'll do what I can for 20 minutes'. Hopefully that'll keep my motivation up for tomorrow :)
Ironically, for someone who can usually sleep 20 hours sleep I'm now not at all tired. Must be the bleach fumes

Genuine well done @ParryHotterx! It's important to celebrate every achievement and you've every right to feel good about finding the motivation to do something different this evening. (And relish having a clean kitchen and living room!) I find that tidying up at home has a definite positive impact on my mental wellbeing afterwards. Hope you're able to feel proud of yourself and well done once again 😊 x

Well done!!!! I've done EXACTLY the same, for the first time in months. I've done it with a wine in hand, but hey, tidy is tidy.

Well done. It's not pathetic at all, you've done a good job .

Well done!!!
I seriously cannot bear tidying up and become some sort of Kevin and Perry character even though I am supposed to be an adult. I don't mind actual cleaning as much, it's just clearing everything first. By the time you clear everything away it's too much effort to clean windows etc. so it always feels rewardless as it's a huge job to get everything sparkling, and then you realise you need to redecorate or fix this and that.

Massive well done OP!!

I’ve been there, exactly there and it’s a fucking slog. Seriously, you have done so well to do even make the decision to set the timer. It takes so much to get to that stage. Talk yourself up for this, you really deserve it. And don’t be afraid to take it easy tomorrow, you may be exhausted, you don’t have to maintain this level of activity. You’ve done loads. Look after yourself. I’m a few years down the line and I want you to know that things really do get better. Small steps. Keep taking those small steps and remind yourself how far you’ve come each time.

Wow! That's brilliant. Did you come up with the 20 minute timer idea yourself or see it somewhere? I am a terrible procrastinator - getting it over with is not an incentive for me at all. The more anxious I am the more I procrastinate. But I think I could do things for short amounts of time (actually this is often how I get things done, and when they are done I realise they weren't that bad). I think the 20 minute thing is genius. I might have to shorten it to a smaller amount of time though.

That's brilliant OP. Seriously well done! I hope I can do the same tomorrow. The living-in-a-shit-tip / despression cycle is very real and it boils my piss when people can't / won't understand how it happens and how overwhelming it can be.

On the pathetic achievement front, I've just submitted a job application. I've been a SAHM for a few years, have a zero confidence, am a bit depressed and my dad died 3 weeks ago. But I (just about) got my shit together to meet the application deadline, so yay me.

Well done you've inspired me to do similar tomorrow!

That's awesome OP, well done. As someone with similar issues, I know what a HUGELY BIG DEAL this is. You're right to be proud. Massive pat on the back and some for you

Well done MrsFumble too

I'm well impressed ! Not heard of the 20 minute thing before but could usefully adopt it myself, and I don't have depression.

To do 5 hours in this heat is just amazing. You've earned a

That is just brilliant, hope you allow yourself to feel really pleased. DH has similar MH issues so I understand what a BLOODY HUGE ACHIEVEMENT this is

Well done OP! Enjoy looking round the space now. Maybe take a pic and put somewhere prominent to continue the motivation

Well done

Well done xxxx