How To Get Things Done When You Have Zero Motivation

How often do you wish you had the motivation to get things done?

Maybe you keep putting off that work report, the test you need to study for, and even the goals on your bucket list that are supposed to be fun.

You tell yourself, “I just need to find the motivation to get stuff done.”

So you search on Pinterest for motivational quotes…and somehow find yourself even more unmotivated.

Something I’ve learned over the years is that motivation is like an unreliable friend. You know, that friend who’s there with you when things are fun and exciting but ghosts you as soon as life gets tough?

When we rely too much on motivation, procrastination shows up to join the party.

Procrastination sometimes feels like the easy way out, but it’s also the most stressful way to live your life.

Instead of trying to simply find motivation (it’s not hiding somewhere, unfortunately), we have to first ask ourselves WHY we’re feeling unmotivated.

When we get to the root of the problem, it’s much easier to figure out how to move forward. 

In this post, I’m sharing some sneaky reasons why you might be lacking motivation, as well as tangible action steps to take when you find yourself procrastinating.

5 Reasons You’re Lacking Motivation

Instead of blaming a lack of doing on a lack of motivation, try asking yourself why you’re feeling this way. When I’m at my lowest motivation, it’s often for one of these reasons:

1. You’re unsure where to start

You’re unclear on the instructions for a task, or you can’t decide which direction to go with a project.

2. You’re overwhelmed or tired

You already have a million things to do, and this is one more thing you need to work on. You’re exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.

3. You’re afraid of a negative outcome

You’re worried that something will go wrong, you’ll embarrass yourself, or the results won’t live up to your standards.

4. You’re dealing with something emotionally

You’ve had a crappy day or you’ve received bad news. You want to crawl into a ball and avoid responsibility.

5. It doesn’t feel important

You can’t find a clear reason for WHY you should do this thing, so it doesn’t feel important to get started.

How To Get Things Done

Step 1: Address The Problem

Here’s what to try when you find yourself dealing with a specific lack of motivation:

1. When you’re unsure where to start

Start by figuring out the first, tiny little step you need to take. A brain dump is a great way to get all of the potential steps out of your head.

If you need guidance before you can get started, don’t be afraid to ask others for help or clarification. 

2. When you’re tired or overwhelmed

When you’re tired, take a break to get your energy back (take a walk, sleep, eat, etc). Without proper rest, you run the risk of burning out. Remember that productivity is not a badge of honor, and you don’t need to be productive all the time.

If there’s no avoiding your to-do list, focus on the tasks that will take up the least amount of your energy and ask for help when you need it.

3. When you’re feeling afraid

Check-in with yourself and ask where your fears are coming from. If it’s perfectionism that’s holding you back, remind yourself:  “It’s better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing at all.”

4. When you’ve been knocked down

Give yourself time to process your emotions. You don’t have to feel guilty for taking time away if you need it. Focus on things that will bring you back to a centered place.

Note: If you’ve been lacking the motivation to take care of yourself for a prolonged period of time, consider talking to a professional who can help.

5. When it doesn’t feel important

Ask yourself why this doesn’t feel important or worth prioritizing. Revisit your vision list to see if the thing you’re avoiding serves a purpose for your bigger vision. 

If it doesn’t, let the task or project go. If you simply can’t get out of it, try making it a challenge or partnering up with a friend to make the task a little more enjoyable.

Step 2: Think of Your Future Self

One of the simplest ways I’ve learned how to deal with procrastination is to consider how my choices today will affect my future self.

Often when we hear the term ‘future self’, we imagine ourselves in five or ten years’ time. It’s hard to imagine what our lives will look like then, so it doesn’t serve as the best motivator.

Rather than thinking years ahead, think about yourself one week from now. Asking what you can do today to make your life easier next Tuesday is a pretty practical form of motivation.

Lately, I’ve been visualizing my future self whenever I don’t want to do something. I ask myself: Will future Catherine suffer if I don’t take action today? Most often, future Catherine will be pretty stressed if I leave it until later. Don’t I owe it to myself to make life less stressful?

After all, one of my values is to make life as chill and stress-free as possible (because life can actually be fun, weirdly enough).

That means I HAVE to take responsibility for my actions. I have to push aside any temporary moment of satisfaction (aka watching Friends) to create less stress for myself in the future.

What about living in the moment? Isn’t that important?

I could argue with myself that watching Friends is a good way to relax at that moment in time, but I have to be honest with myself and realize that a moment (or five episodes) of temporary relaxation will cause more stress later down the road.

How do you get yourself motivated?

No matter the reason for your lack of motivation, always come back to your future self. That person IS you. You can’t escape the future, so why not make it less stressful for yourself?