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Find Your Work Purpose

Depression takes away the feeling that what you do has purpose; it’s one of the most debilitating symptoms of the illness. If getting things done gives you no pleasure or sense of accomplishment, then what’s the point of doing anything? For some, a sense of duty keeps them going. For others, it’s money. For many, it’s a family obligation. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you feel good about what you do.

Your Work Does Have Purpose

If you seek to find purpose in your current work and obligations, you can see immediate improvements. What you do does have meaning, because it’s how you make money, support the people you love, get out of the house, and improve your life. It might not be the work you want to do at this moment, but it has purpose. You just have to find it.

When you discover the purpose in what you’re doing now, you can then think of what you really want to be doing. What makes you happy? What makes you feel like you’re making a difference in the world? People who deal with depression need to be sure that what they do on a daily basis has a strong meaning.

Do any of these signs indicating you need to find work that feels more purposeful to you ring true?

• Your job isn’t satisfying.
• You don’t look forward to work, even when you’re not depressed.
• Your work isn’t challenging enough.
• You simply don’t know what to do careerwise.
• Even though you love them very much, staying at home with your children is not what you thought it would be.
• You want to stay focused on the positives of what your work offers, even when the depression makes it difficult.

Cheryl’s Story

My work is work. I do it because I have to. I always do it to my best ability and, know that others are fine with my work. I never thought being a receptionist would work for me, but I really do need something where I don’t have to take extra work and worries home with me. It’s a pretty good career, but I’m not excited about it.

What excites me is horses. I volunteer with a nonprofit organization that uses horses to help disabled kids. And I love it. I love it less on the days I’m depressed, but I never cancel. I go because it makes me feel like I’m making a difference. I don’t say, “These kids are worse off than me. I have no reason to be so depressed.” Instead I say, “I use their love and enthusiasm to help myself function. We both have our challenges.” I often have the thought that I could do this work full-time. I’m working on that.

My Story

I know what I write helps others. People write me and tell me so. But I don’t have daily contact with my readers, so the effect isn’t easy for me to see. I do know that it helps me to have a goal and reach it, but purpose has often eluded me. I’ve constantly searched for something that will give me the feeling that I’m living life and doing things that make a difference.

Then something amazing happened. I started to teach writing classes. I can literally watch students go from idea to finished project. I can help them reach their goals. I can see their excitement and feed off it. I found a purpose in helping others find their purpose. I’ve always loved teaching, but didn’t feel I could do it professionally because of my limitations. (There I go again, defending my inability!) No, I can’t be a college professor. That hurts, but I can do my best. I sometimes teach a night class at a local community college, and it makes me feel good!

What I do now:

• I work hard to not worry so much about how my students are feeling toward me. This leads to less stress and less depression.
• I focus on what I can do instead of expecting myself to be perfect.
• I look for a purpose in the moment. When I’m sitting in front of my computer writing and I have the thought that my life is empty, I remind myself, “No, it’s not. What I do has purpose. I’m writing a book right now, and that’s my purpose.”
• I know my writing makes a difference. I know I help people. I know this, and I have to focus on it when I write.

Social Media and Technology

Finding your work purpose doesn’t only mean paying jobs. Hobbies count too. Doing what you love in life—the very definition of a hobby—helps manage depression. Depression will tell you that hobbies are pointless and might even lead you to give away or throw out the tools needed to do your hobby, but never listen to this depression talk. You need a hobby that can be there when life feels impossible. Finding an online group that shares this hobby creates a safety net you can use when you feel hopeless. The group is there 24 hours a day, and being able to talk about something other than depression can really help.

Whether you like restoring cars, Liverpool football club, flying airplanes, or exploring the world’s bridges, you can find a place online that shares your interest. Set this up now. If you love photography for example, join a group that shares photos and discusses the latest lenses. If you’re into healthy eating, find a group that eats the way you do and talk about this when the depression is bringing you down. Perhaps you’re an expert in your hobby. Going online and offering advice can lift your mood. Depression will take away the belief that life has no purpose. Being around a group of people who share your hobby reminds you that your world does have purpose and meaning.

Script

I wish you could live in my depressed brain for even a day. Everything that I enjoy and everything that gives purpose to my life is stripped away when this darn illness takes over. I need help in remembering my purpose with work and especially with my hobbies and things I enjoy doing when I’m depressed. I need someone to physically lead me to behaviors that I usually enjoy when I’m well. You know how much I love tinkering in my shop on a good day. Remind me on a depressed day to simply go to my shop and do whatever I want. Remind me that that’s my peaceful place. You can say this to me: “When you’re around your tools and wood and you start to build something, I see a profound change. I ask that you go out there and make something. It doesn’t have to look good, and it doesn’t have to feel good in the moment. Let’s try this and see how it can help with your depression. The only goal right now is to walk into that wood shop.” I give you permission to say this to me, and I promise you I’m going to try it. Let’s see how this works.

Exercise

It’s important that you rationally look at what you do now and how it impacts your life and the lives of others. List three ways your current work has purpose:

1. 
2. 
3. 

List three ways that the way you take care of your family has purpose:

1. 
2. 
3. 

List five ways your work affects others:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 

Look over the following list and decide what suggestions or type of work would really help you find your higher purpose:

• Ask for a different position at work
• Train others at work
• Change your work
• Travel
• Explore the creative arts
• Uplift the world
• Get a college degree
• Volunteer
• Go back to work
• Mentor
• Quit work and stay home with your kids
• Quit your job for something more purposeful
• Teach
• Work in a religious/spiritual setting
• Work with animals
• Work with kids
• Work with the disabled
• Work with your hands

If you’re not able to do what you love in your current work, explore taking a class, teaching a class, or volunteering until you can either make changes within your current work or try something completely new.

ASK DR. PRESTON

Question

How do you find purpose when one of the main symptoms of depression is a feeling that life has no purpose?

Answer

It’s very important to take a realistic look at your life, first of all. When you ask a depressed person what they do that’s meaningful, 90 percent of the time they’ll say “nothing.” But careful reflection on this, often with the help of a significant other or therapist, can help you identify things you’re currently doing or have done in the past that do have purpose and meaning. It’s all about wading through the depression to get to the reality of the purpose your life already has. When you do this, if you truly find that your life lacks purpose, you can work from a stable and rational place to do something about it.

Your Purpose Might Surprise You

Maybe you can find purpose within a small part of your work. Is there something you do that you especially enjoy? Can you ask for more of that work and pass off the other work to someone who likes what you don’t? Examine what you really want and find a way to do it. The stronger your purpose, the more power you have over depression.

Here are some other thoughts to consider:

• Ask the people in your life to tell you what they see as your purpose. And listen to them!
• Get out a piece of paper and list all the things that give you purpose, from family, friends, work, creating something, and volunteering to spiritual practices and maintaining your physical health. Even if this is hard, do it! Then put the list up on your wall so you can see it when you wake up in the morning.
• Live each day with a goal of looking at what you do that makes a difference.
• Look for purpose in the everyday world instead of thinking that your life has no meaning.
• Start small if you want to make changes.

Remember: Finding a purpose lessens your depression symptoms significantly. If you’re not sure of what your purpose is, start exploring today. Then go for it!