If you have seasonal depression, working from home can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you get to wear comfy clothes and sleep through your previous commute time. On the other, it’s easy for a week to go by without ever going outside as laundry, dishes and expense reports pile up around you.
Though the short days of winter can feel totally hopeless, Anita A. Chlipala, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Chicago, said there are many small daily modifications you can make to help you navigate seasonal depression — including (but not limited to) improving your environment. Sitting by a window, keeping motivational quotes around the house and sprucing up your workspace can boost your mood as you work from home. “A slight change can make a big difference,” Chlipala, also the author of “First Comes Us: The Busy Couple’s Guide to Lasting Love,” told HuffPost.
Carla Marie Manly, a practicing psychologist and author of “Joy from Fear: Create the Life of Your Dreams by Making Fear Your Friend,” explained that while many people feel down or blue during the colder months, seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a “major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern.”
“SAD tends to significantly dampen mood [and] depress interest in regular activities even simple activities can feel much harder to navigate,” Manly said. “When suffering from SAD, everyday tasks that are normally completed with ease can feel like mountainous projects.”
If you’re dealing with SAD or just feeling low in the winter, Manly suggested speaking with a therapist and checking in with your primary care doctor to potentially get lab tests or medication.
Light (both sunlight and electric) can be an effective tool in dealing with SAD, Manly explained. “Light therapy devices — sometimes termed SAD light boxes — are an effective, research-backed method of treating SAD,” she said. “Many models are aesthetically appealing and offer mood-boosting effects along with a dose of visual appeal.”
When everyday tasks feel totally overwhelming, it can be impossible to find the motivation to get out of bed and start working. Grace Huntley, a psychotherapist at Grace Huntley Counseling, recommended making things easier for yourself when you can. “If something can be automated, that’s great — set those coffee timers!” Huntley told HuffPost. ”If someone offers to step in and help you do something that feels particularly difficult, now’s the time to take them up on it. If you have the means to hire outside help to get things done like cleaning the apartment or doing laundry, then give yourself that option.”
Whether or not you have an official SAD diagnosis, revamping your workspace can help you create healthy routines, uplift your mood and make daily tasks feel more doable, experts said. Coupled with things like therapy, medication and other lifestyle modifications, it can be a useful tool. To help you get a jump start on refreshing your work-from-home space, we asked therapists and a few of our favorite interior designers for their tips for upgrading the vibes at your desk during the long and cold winter months.
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This gorgeous circular wall mirror comes in five sizes and nine border colors.
This peel-and-stick eucalyptus-pattern wallpaper is easy to install and comes in four roll sizes.
It’s no secret that Target has an amazing selection of artificial plants, like this 21-inch artificial Monstera that comes in a ceramic pot.
This full-spectrum light therapy lamp has four brightness levels and three color temperature options.
This hanging glass shade floor lamp comes with two styles of lightbulbs and has an easy-access switch you can simply step on.
This ergonomic mesh office chair has an adjustable headrest, flip-up arms, lumbar support and thousands of positive reviews.
This memory foam keyboard and mouse wrist pad set comes in seven colors and will keep your arm supported.
This eye-catching accent chair is elevated but inviting and comes in dark green and blue.
This mesh desk organizer has five upright sections, a pull-out drawer and a section for pens and supplies.
Don’t worry about finding scissors or glue or making a huge mess you’ll eventually have to clean up — this no-mess vision board set comes with 100 double-sided cards with motivational quotes and images and a folded display board.
This foldable yoga mat measures 68 inches by 24 inches when extended and 10 inches by 12 inches when folded. It comes in five colors.
HuffPost Wellness editor Lindsay Holmes loves her Walkingpad folding treadmill, which fits nicely under a desk or couch and is notably noise free.
Huntley recommends this Magicteam white noise machine with 20 non-looping natural sounds and this LED changing color light essential oil diffuser and humidifier.
This real wood shadow box measures 11 inches by 16.5 inches and has an inner linen-lined pad you can use push pins on.
