Take care and be kind to yourself

Building a routine

Even though it was hard to get the energy or interest sometimes, it helped me to have a routine and put a plan in place on the good days.”
Helen*
“I’ve always felt frustrated with my messy house. But I began to think like this: “I surely can clean for 5 minutes a day, and slowly work towards longer periods.” Soon I started feeling excited about improving my living space!”
Maria*
“When my depression was at its worst, nothing gave me any pleasure, even things that had mattered earlier. So, I had to force myself to eat, to exercise, to sleep, and so on. Then I made a schedule of things that were good for me and as it became a routine it was a bit easier. After a while I started to enjoy things again.
Lauri*

Key points

Having a routine can help you feel safer because you know what to expect1
Having a routine can reduce stress and can have a positive impact on your mood2
Having a routine
can promote health and wellness2

Because depression can stop you feeling in control, you may find that setting up a regular routine can help. The science behind this is, that when we organize ourselves and know what to expect, we have more personal resources that can be used to look after our mental and emotional health.

This is not surprising because routines protect and help people feel safer because they know what to expect.1

Not having a routine can negatively affect your stress levels, sleeping, and eating.2 Scientists believe that having a routine can promote health and wellness through structure and organization.2 Having a routine can help reduce stress and have a positive impact on mood.1,2 Not only can it improve your mental health, a routine can also improve your overall health and well-being.2

This section is related to the benefits of setting a routine which may have an impact in people with depression.

Be mild and gentle and “go with the flow” – don’t be hard on yourself if things don’t go as planned
or you don’t reach your goals. When this happens, lower your goals and give yourself a second chance.
Start today with a first step, and remember that different things work for different people at different times.

Taking care of myself and helping myself was crucial.”

Helen*
“At a certain point in time, I realized that being depressed is only a condition. Just to accept it for what is and think “let it simply be and don’t worry, it is only a temporary condition ” helped me to survive.

Paul*

Do not change or stop your treatment without advice from a healthcare professional, such as your referring doctor.
If your symptoms worsen, please consult a healthcare professional, such as your referring doctor.

This document has been cocreated by GAMIAN-Europe and Servier.
* Quotes shared by the patients reflect their own experiences and do not necessarily reflect medical and scientific evidence or practice.

¹
Heintzelman SJ, King LA. Routines and meaning in life. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2019;45(5):688-699.
²
Northwestern Medicine. Health benefits of having a routine. Available from: https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine. Accessed on: December 9, 2019.