VIDEO RECOMMENDATION: How to Do Laundry When You’re Depressed

Title: How To Do Laundry When You’re Depressed

Author: KC Davis (via TEDx Talks Series)

Year: 2022

Tags: Depression, ADHD, Burnout, Postpartum, Behavioural Activation, Tackling Daily Tasks

What’s It About?

In this TEDx Talk series, KC Davis (self proclaimed “therapist with ADHD”) asks if a new philosophy on cleaning can teach us better approaches to mental health.

The video starts with KC setting the scene: it’s February 2020, she has recently given birth to her second child and the COVID lockdowns are just beginning. KC goes on to describe a fairly dark period where she is stuck at home and struggling to keep up with everyday “care tasks” (things like cooking, cleaning, laundry, and so forth). Now, here it’s important to recognize that while KC’s experience is rooted in specific mental health conditions (such as ADHD and postpartum depression) the story itself is universal and widely relatable for anyone who has struggled to stay on top of the demands of day-to-day life.

 KC’s central theory is that, while it’s tempting to view daily care tasks as “signals” of inherent worth… at the end of the day, care tasks are actually “morally neutral”. In other words, “having an organized closet doesn’t make you a success, and living out of a pile of laundry on the floor doesn’t make you a failure. It’s not about morality – it’s about functionality!” (6:10-6:35m).

This video is chalk full of little wisdoms that will help you reframe your approach to behavioral activation, self-compassion, and the value we place on everyday life tasks.   

Highlights: 

“When we liberate ourselves from the idea that we are a good person or bad person with care tasks, we can stop thinking about the ‘right’ way to do things – about the way things ‘should’ be done – and instead start thinking about what we can do, with our current barriers, to improve our quality of life today.” (7:30–7:50m)

“What am I trying to achieve and how can I achieve it my way? Customize a life that works for you.” (8:45m)

“My new motto is: good enough is perfect.” (10:12m)

“You have to give yourself permission to do a little.” (10:28m)

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