two dice

SPREADSHEETS AND A PAIR OF DICE: My secret tools for being productive when I’m depressed

No therapist has ever told me to use Microsoft Excel to cope with depression. Therapists are more likely to suggest using thought records or a mood tracking app.

I recommend using spreadsheets. I don’t remember how or when I stumbled upon this method, but ever since I discovered how effective it is to put my to-do list in Excel, I’ve kept coming back to it. When in doubt, I spreadsheet it out.

There’s an important second tool that I use with my to-do list spreadsheet, called an “online random numerical sequence generator.” Think of it as digitally rolling the dice. I don’t start from the top of the list and work my way down; I let the computer tell me where to begin.

A spoonful of chaos helps the mundane tasks go down.

4 steps I follow


SPREADSHEETS and A PAIR OF DICE My secret tools for being productive when Im depressed1

Make a list, check it twice

The first step is opening my to-do list Excel spreadsheet. If I’m creating one from scratch, I start in the top left cell and type in one task that I need to get done that day. I continue adding items down the column, one cell at a time. I usually put the simplest ones at the top—no task is too tiny. Currently, the top five chores on my list are the following:

  • Do dishes
  • Have a shower
  • Wash face
  • Brush teeth
  • Make bed

It may seem silly to write these things down, but not to someone who deals with depression. It takes a lot of effort to get yourself into the shower when you’re not doing well mentally.

Making the bed isn’t that difficult, but that brings me to an important point: I always make sure there’s a mix of easy and more overwhelming tasks on the list. Getting the easy ones done gives me the momentum I need to take on the more challenging ones. It also creates a much-needed sense of accomplishment. Yes, even brushing your teeth is an accomplishment on difficult days.

I continue adding tasks of varying difficulty, one per cell, down the first column. Here are a few more of mine:

  • Take three deep breaths
  • Drink a glass of water
  • Post to Instagram

That last one—post to Instagram—probably doesn’t seem to fit. Isn’t that a fun task, not a chore?

That brings me to my second important point: the list needs to be a mix of things I need to do and things I want to do. I’m much more motivated to get through the annoying stuff like cleaning the toilet when I know there’s a funny YouTube video on the other side of it.

Eventually, I have a complete to-do list with a good mix of tasks that seem easy and tasks that seem challenging, with some fun things thrown in. Then it’s time to bring randomness into the mix.

Fire up the random numerical sequence generator

SPREADSHEETS and A PAIR OF DICE My secret tools for being productive when Im depressed2

That’s a mouthful! It’s really as simple as going to a website like random.org and selecting “sequence generator.” The important thing is to ensure that the range of numbers you input matches the number of items on your list (for example, set a range from 1 to 50 if there are 50 items on your spreadsheet).

Once the parameters are set, you’re ready to get your sequence and find out which item is the one the Universe wants you to start with!

Leapfrog through the to-do list

Each number in the random sequence that’s been generated corresponds to one item on your to-do list. If the first number of the sequence is 5, you simply go to the fifth item on your list. If it says, “brush your hair,” start with that.

Keep going through the numbers and corresponding tasks, one by one. I like to highlight each cell I complete so it’s easy to see where I left off.

Fundamentally, it’s a relatively uninteresting game for a depressed person to play by themselves. Don’t knock it until you try it, though. Doing things in a different order than you did yesterday or the day before is kind of fun.

I find that lethargy and boredom are big symptoms of depression that I have to contend with. Bringing in a sense of novelty, playfulness and surprise is actually quite effective at both motivating me to get things done and lightening my mood. It feels good to check things off my list, especially when one of the items is “eat candy/cookies/chips” (yes, that’s actually on my list, but so is “work on job search,” so it takes what it takes).

Break the rules

Yes, the random numerical sequence generator tells you what to do next. Ignore it at will.

If I’m not ready to work on my job search, I might do my nails first. There’s lots of room built into this system for procrastination. Better done later than not at all, I say. It’s so easy to do nothing at all when you’re depressed.

Sometimes I jump ahead to an item that I really need to do right away (I have to get dressed if I’m going out). Sometimes I skip items (working on a job search takes a lot of effort when even getting out of bed was difficult). Sometimes I give up on the random sequence completely and just freestyle it—cherry-picking one item and then the next based on my energy and mood at any given point throughout the day.

I made “the rules,” and I can break them.

Always something there to remind me


SPREADSHEETS and A PAIR OF DICE My secret tools for being productive when Im depressed

On days when I’m doing better, I don’t need to use this admittedly convoluted method. I have the motivation to “just do it”, as they say. I have many days when it isn’t that simple, though. If I’m halfway through the day and I notice that I haven’t been able to accomplish anything, I know that all I need to do is open that spreadsheet, open a tab on my browser and go roll the dice. Sometimes I just need to take the pressure of choice off my shoulders.

It’s truly amazing how much this spreadsheet-and-a-pair-of-dice method has helped me get things done on difficult days. I may be my own worst enemy, but I’m also my own coach and parent, and this method is really just an exercise in giving myself rewards and offering myself compromises to get myself to the finish line. Even if I don’t complete everything on my list (which is almost always the case), completing a few of the items can be enough to make me feel like I haven’t wasted my day.

I’ve noticed that my depression is the worst when I first wake up. Sometimes I open my eyes in the morning and I can’t imagine where to start my day. Thanks to this method, this isn’t a decision I have to make. My routine is just a roll of the dice. When in doubt, I spreadsheet it out!

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image 1 Peter Lomas from Pixabay 2 image by Pexels from Pixabay 3 image by Alex Demoura from Pixabay 

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