5 Things To Do When You Have Zero Motivation To Get Things Done
The main thing is not to give up.
It is Monday. A new week is starting. You've had a great weekend with your loved ones, and this morning you're struggling to find your motivation to move forward. You have many tasks to accomplish, but your lack of motivation prevents you from starting the week on the right foot.
I'm sure you've experienced this type of situation before.
Maybe it wasn't Monday, but another day of the week. In any case, you have already experienced these situations where your motivation level is at its lowest. Don't worry, it happens to everyone.
Everyone experiences these moments of low motivation several times in their lives.
The difference will be in how you react to these moments. People who are struggling to achieve their goals endure these bad times without trying to move forward. Others will take action to find solutions to accomplish their tasks despite this total lack of motivation.
In what follows, I will give you the 5 things to do for being part of those people who get things done when they have zero motivation:
1. Take the time to understand why you have zero motivation
A total lack of motivation is never insignificant. You must therefore take the time to understand why you have no motivation to move forward.
Several factors frequently come to light:
You feel overwhelmed.
You are demoralized after comparing yourself to other people.
You're just tired.
The attitude you need to take will vary depending on what is affecting you.
If you feel overwhelmed, you need to scale back your goals for that day, and maybe even for that week. Refocus on the essentials. You're probably doing too many things, and getting lost along the way.
A good solution may be to turn to the Pomodoro technique to reduce your work blocks to 20-minute increments. This is one of the top 5 anti-procrastination tips I frequently recommend.
You may be demoralized after making the mistake of comparing yourself to others.
If this is your case, remember this quote from Bill Gates:
“Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself.”
You must stop insulting yourself by comparing yourself to others. Everyone moves at their own pace towards their own goals in life. Focus only on you and you alone.
Finally, if you feel tired, you may want to look at your sleep or your diet. Those who neglect these essential aspects of life frequently pay the price. Adopt a lifestyle that is more in line with your professional goals in order to have enough energy to carry out your projects.
2. Be smart about which solution is best for you
If you're interested in productivity, you've probably already read "Eat That Frog: Get More of the Important Things Done" by Brian Tracy. In this bestseller, the author advises you to always start with the hardest task that motivates you the least.
Once you've eaten your frog, everything will seem easier afterward.
This productivity trick will work for some people, but it may not work for you. So you have to be smart about which solution is best for you. In your case, it could be doing an easier task that will help you get a quick win to get motivated again.
Never forget that you are not a robot. Pragmatism is the key. Dare to vary the strategies to solve these problems of lack of motivation.
3. Take the time to go for a 30-minute walk to clear your head
You have diagnosed your lack of motivation. Then, you have decided on the strategy best suited to your needs. You know in which direction you will have to start again.
You can therefore take the time to go and change your mind for 30 minutes. Ideally, you should go for a walk in nature.
When you come back, you'll be ready to tackle the task you've already chosen before going out. You'll be surprised at how much extra energy you'll have from your walk in the great outdoors.
Nature helps to re-energize you to move forward. Take advantage of it.
4. Attack your task by applying the 5-minute rule
Anyone who has never put off until tomorrow a task that seemed too complex and time-consuming to accomplish, raise your finger. If you say that in a room full of entrepreneurs, chances are no one will raise a finger.
We are all humans with good days and bad days.
On bad days, some complex tasks will seem like an insurmountable mountain. Your first instinct is to put them off until tomorrow. This is where procrastination begins.
The solution to this major problem lies in the 5-minute rule.
This rule of thumb states that no matter what happens, you must start a task for at least 5 minutes before deciding whether you want to put it off until later. It will give you psychological comfort to know that you are not stuck and that you have a way out.
Generally, the hardest part is the first step.
Once the 5 minutes are up, you won’t want to put it off until tomorrow. You will then continue to work on it because everything will have become clearer after the first 5 minutes of initial work.
5. Reward yourself for taking action
You took action by following the 5-minute rule. I'm pretty sure you went beyond those initial 5 minutes to complete the task you chose.
This task was the one that best suited your motivation at the time.
Completing it will boost your morale. You need to give yourself a reward. This can be a little time on social media to share with your friends. Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes for this.
You can also give yourself a little chocolate treat. It's up to you to decide what will boost your morale the most.
You will then be back in a virtuous circle. You can move on to a new task. Of course, you won't get as much done as usual on this day, but the important thing is that you're back on track. You can end your day by updating your ToDo list and lightening it up for the next few days until your motivation returns to a level more in line with your habits.
Final Thoughts
Everyone has days without any motivation. Don't panic and take it easy on yourself. The worst thing you can do is be too hard on yourself, which will only sink you further.
Take the time to understand the reasons for your lack of motivation. Then take action by preparing the tasks that will help you get back on track.
Walk to clear your head for 30 minutes, then come back and take action.
Once you've completed that first task, you'll give yourself a reward - after all, it never hurts. Then you can continue in this positive spiral again. As you can see, the key is to never give up the fight even on those difficult days.
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