Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life10 Apr 2025

Mental Health and Productivity: Getting Things Done When You're Depressed with Julie Fast

In this episode we revisit a conversation with Julie Fast, author of Getting It Done When You’re Depressed: 50 Strategies to Help You Achieve Productivity Even with Depression, Anxiety, or ADHD. She shares her expertise on how to overcome productivity barriers caused by mental health struggles. Julie, who has lived with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and ADHD, offers strategies and real-life insights on how to get things done even when your brain isn’t cooperating.

In this conversation, we explore:

Understanding Depression and Productivity: Julie explains how depression can make it nearly impossible to get started, and why it’s important to develop a system to help push through the inertia and achieve even small tasks.
The Myth of Motivation: We discuss why motivation doesn’t come first and how action leads to motivation, especially for those struggling with depression.
Building a Plan for the Basics: Julie talks about the importance of having a plan for simple daily tasks, like brushing your teeth or answering emails, and why these are the foundation for larger accomplishments.
Feeling the Depression and Doing It Anyway: Julie discusses the power of acknowledging your depression and still taking action, even when you don’t feel like it, and why this is crucial for maintaining progress.
Creating a Realistic Workspace: We explore how setting up a manageable work environment and using time limits, like the Pomodoro technique, can help get things done despite depression or ADHD.

Julie’s approach is rooted in empathy, understanding, and actionable advice for anyone struggling to balance mental health and productivity. This conversation is for those who need practical strategies for getting things done without the pressure to be perfect.

Learn more about Julie and her work at JulieFast.com and find Getting It Done When You’re Depressed on Amazon and other retailers.

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