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Depression in business: When good meetings go bad

When Business Gets You Down

After chairing a not-so-crash-hot meeting last night, I was told this morning that the expectations I set for myself are too high.

Depression is a funny thing. There is no consistency – some days you are all over it, and other days it’s all over you. But the one thing I have noticed about depression is the people it targets. Or are we targeting ourselves?

When I look at those around me who also wrestle the black dog, there is one thing in common. We are all high achievers. We all have great families, demanding hobbies and brilliant careers. The more we achieve, the more there is to achieve.

It’s almost as if we set ourselves up for failure. Setting the bar too high. Asking too much of ourselves. Expecting nothing less than the best. We demand it of ourselves, even though no-one demands it of us.

And last night I fell. It felt like I fell pretty hard.

This morning I realised that I’ve brought those same assumptions along to my business – that fear of failure was precisely why I almost peed my pants at the thought of getting my blog on. I was self-sabotaging myself.

The same way I self-sabotaged myself by trying to chair a meeting I was obviously in no state to chair. I didn’t want to let anyone else down, but in doing so I let myself down.

I’m learning that in business there are no heroes. It’s OK to ask for help, and it’s OK to receive it. In fact, since last night there has been no shortage of help, and I have gratefully accepted it. So, what I have learnt is this.

Depression and business are not exclusive. I don’t have to keep them in two separate boxes and always have my game face on. Because there are days when that game face is gonna crack.

Talk about it. I am amazed at how many friends and colleagues face the exact same challenges with depression. We like to think we are progressive by discussing it… so damn well be progressive!

Turn up the tunes. Not only crank up the volume, but also play something that gives you a lift. This morning I changed from Radiohead (quite introspective) to Pink (kick-ass chick), resulting in an instant boost to my state of mind.

Write a list. Things get so incredibly overwhelming in business, regardless of your circumstance. Writing a list lifts the fog and makes you realise that yes, it is achievable. And if it isn’t? Then you are in a position to…

Share the load. Yes, you may be a sole trader, but I promise you there is someone in your world who will step up – for an hour, a day, or a week. And clients understand – a bit of transparency goes a long way.

Don’t try to save the world. Because you aren’t Clark Kent, and I’m not Wonder Woman (well, not 24 hours a day, anyway). You don’t have to please everyone else – you just need to take time to focus on you. The ten minutes it has taken me to whip out this blog has been ten minutes for me that I would have procrastinated about for another six weeks had I not stopped to take a breath (and also received a timely reminder from a friend ;-)).

I know we all experience it differently. But I’ve found that the bolder I am talking about it, the easier it is to cope with it. To actually live with it and not let it rob me of everything.

And to hell with that meeting. We’re all entitled to a bad day.

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WriteCopy

Melinda Leyshon is a business copywriter with over 15 years experience in corporate publishing and strategy development. She has worked with some of Sydney's leading brands to deliver SEO and direct response copywriting, brand development and more. She has a huge success rate with business award applications and, throwing small business and corporate tenders into the mix, you have one of Australia's most experienced business copywriters! She also loves triathlon and has a serious penchant for licorice. And chocolate. Together.