I work all week and then when I finally have time for myself I just spend the entire weekend sleeping and moping around. Any time I’m out and trying to enjoy myself, my head is somewhere else thinking I should be busy…
Does anyone feel this way? Is this normal or some anxiety related disorder or depression that warrants a visit to a professional?
This could be a lot of different things. It could also be several of those things at once. Because you spend so much time sleeping on the weekends, if you think you’re getting adequate or close to adequate sleep during the week, make sure it isn’t a physical health related problem. There’s all sorts of things that can cause fatigue including depression but also a variety of vitamin deficiencies and so on.
As for not being able to enjoy yourself when you’re out, spend a bit of time trying to get to the bottom of why you’re feeling that way. Are you doing things you’ve previously enjoyed or just things that you feel like you should enjoy? Is the culture in your office or among your friends one of competing to see who is the most busy?
As for seeing a professional, look into it. Even if the root of the problem isn’t a disorder, a therapist/counselor/etc. can help you sort through your problems and optimize your life. And if it is, then you’re on the way to getting the help you need. If you don’t think that’s the right path or in addition to seeking that help, journaling and mediation are other activities that can help reduce stress.
It’s hard to tell what the problem based on what you’ve said, but there are a number of things you could try out. If you’re feeling tired more than you think you should be, you may have problems with your sleep, diet or exercise. Try to get a good night’s sleep every night. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, so you’ll have to figure out how much is adequate for you. Try to eat mostly natural foods, including a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Try to avoid fatty, fried or sugary foods. Also try to get some exercise everyday. For me, I definitely more energetic if I’m getting regular exercise than if I’m not.
I would suggest you work on your sleep and exercise habits and if in a few weeks nothing has changed, see a health professional.
how long is your commute? if you’re travel 3+ hours a day to get to and from work, you’re likely not having much of a breakfast or dinner, or at least your sleep is suffering.
Been dealing with similar issues - every time I take time for myself I get this overwhelming sense of guilt, like I should be busying myself with more work or whatnot; even to the point where I have full-blown panic attacks when I’m not near anything I can work from like a cellphone or laptop.
In my case, though it’s mostly due to a pre-existing combination of general anxiety disorder and major depression.
I would suggest talking to a professional just in case, it doesn’t hurt to know what you’re dealing with and learn how to work around it - at the very least they may be able to prescribe something to ease the stress and help you get better quality sleep. I mention this because a common symptom of depression is oversleeping or not sleeping enough. There’s a difference between getting enough sleep and getting enough rest.
Also, as others mentioned, you may want to look into gradual lifestyle changes like adjusting your diet or exercise routine; and (if applicable) try not to stay at work later than necessary - if you absolutely have to work outside normal hours (not recommended), see if it’s possible to do so from home - work environment makes all the difference for many.
Another thing: unhealthy workplace competition. Makes it way too easy to be self-critical and can quickly get out of hand. Think about your relationships with your colleagues and bosses, whether or not they make work better or worse for you and how you feel about working with them.
Apologies for the wall of text, hope this helps at least a little bit.
Give yourself permission to be “lazy”. You work hard, what you do in your off time is entirely up to you. If you veg out on the weekend, that’s fine, you’re allowed to and you need to.
If you don’t want to be like this, that’s something you could talk to a professional about. But don’t give yourself a hard time for just relaxing on the weekend.