post-project depression

post project depression

“I can see no way out but through.” From the poem, “A servant to servants,” by Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Today’s post is an update of one I published in June 2014, “Now You’re Done: Post-project depression.” Post-project depression has been on my mind because I am once again finishing a book that has taken roughly two years to complete. Whenever I was not working with clients, writing new blogs, and dealing with all the administrivia of running a coaching practice, I would dive into the book project. However, I’d forgotten how the sense of purpose propelling me forward and the excitement of finishing the project would give way to, you guessed it, post-project depression.

 

Post-project depression is a real experience

Psychologists have known about post-project depression for many years. Many creative types, including authors and academics, go through this after “giving birth” to their particular obsession, whether it’s a dissertation, novel, play, painting, sculpture, or organizing a big event like a retrospective show or an opera. Many women literally go through these emotions if they suffer from “post-partum depression,” after the anticipation and excitement leading up to the birth of a child. Some new mothers experiencing post-partum depression are completely floored, not imagining they could possibly feel so exhausted and depleted, but they do.

I’ve gone through this several times over the past few years: making a move to a new house after getting married over Memorial Day in May 2014; finishing Scaling the Ivory Tower: Your Academic Job Search Workbook; [ironically] finishing a chapter for Unraveling Faculty Burnout: Pathways to Reckoning and Renewal; and now as I finish my latest (soon to be published) book project, The Confident Academic. It feels like a great big hole in daily life has suddenly appeared. What am I supposed to do now with the time previously given to my big project?

Advising myself

I decided to review what I’d written about post-project depression in previous blog posts, to remind myself there is a pattern to the process, and there are steps I can take to mitigate the sense of depletion. I am happy to report the “5 tips to help get through post-project depression” hold up and are republished below. As mentioned in the 2014 blog, post-project depression is not the same as true clinical depression. Rather, it’s a completely normal reaction from running on adrenaline (and sometimes fumes) to get all that we need to get done to make the big project a success. We are totally obsessed, and our focus narrows down to the details of what must be done to get this project finished.

5 tips to help us get through your post-project depression

For authors and academics, completion means there are piles of papers to sort, research materials to file, decisions about whether or not to keep the edited copies or just let them go. For all of us, there may be relationships (sorry, partner, I have not been giving you the consideration you deserve) or physical environments (yikes, my home is a mess) needing renewed attention.

1. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate…then rest!

First, you want to recognize that all that adrenaline and attention to detail got you to finish a successful project, whatever it was. It’s important to give yourself some time to just breathe and be in the world before you take up the next project. Some people watch back-to-back DVDs or binge on streaming programs, some begin exercising strenuously at the gym, some bake cookies or do car repairs. Whatever works as “veg time” for you is what you need to give yourself a break.

2. Experience all the emotions that go with finishing a project.

It’s important to allow yourself to experience the range of emotions that comes from finishing a project even when it’s a big success. Dustin M. Wax, past contributing editor at Lifehack writes, “It’s natural, too, to feel sad, disappointed, even depressed at the end of a big project, even one that’s a resounding success. The things we do define us as people, and the biggest things we do are the biggest part of us; losing them, even by choice and design, is hard. I think this is why so many people seem to experience a fear of success that’s as paralyzing, if not more so, as the fear of failure: they are not prepared for the changes in their life that success would bring.” So let yourself feel all those mixed emotions. It’s part of the process.

3. Begin to take stock of the most recent project.

Ask yourself some questions like: What went right? What went wrong? What was the best/worst thing about this project? Did I enjoy/dislike working on the project? Would I do it again? How would I do it differently next time? Has my perspective/status/income changed as a result? How do I feel about that? How will I answer the infamous, “What’s next for you?” question.

4. Look for what inspires you now.

Inspirer, from Latin inspirare, from in- + spirare, means to breathe. Allow yourself to get excited again, once you have just hung out for a while and rested, giving yourself whatever nurturing and care you need. Determine whether what is inspiring you right now is a passing fancy or something you can imagine sticking with, through the boring, tedious phases every project goes through before completion. Landing on an idea for the next project is a great way to let go of the last project.

5. Give yourself time to plan the new project.

You don’t have to tell anyone what you are up to, especially if you don’t know yourself. Having a deliberately vague answer to “What next?” can come in really handy. When asked, just say, “I have several ideas that I am working on, but I am still in the exploratory phase.” This is also a great answer for anyone deciding to change a career trajectory. Think about what you really want to do for a while before jumping into action. Savor the planning phase.

For a description of the stages you might be going through, check out this blog post, Breaking up is hard to do: 3 stages of post-project depression.

If you still feel you are stuck in post-project depression, schedule a free 20-minute session with Hillary.

One caveat: If the sense of deflation or depletion hasn’t left you after a few weeks or a couple of months, it might be time to look into professional help for actual depression.

 

 

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