
Lack of motivation
How do people deal with having no motivation? Once I’m going I can be ok, but once I stop even for a minute I lose all ability to move.
How do people deal with having no motivation? Once I’m going I can be ok, but once I stop even for a minute I lose all ability to move.
When I hear the word habit or routine it feels wrong and boring; but they are the things that spark my drive. Music was mentioned a few times and that works for me too. I also find create an environment my brain recognizes as a, let’s get work done space, it helps me gain momentum. I put a scent in a diffuser, put an music and sometimes turn on a fan for white noise. This doesn’t always work for me, but setting time goals instead of completion goals can be helpful. Since my brain leans towards all or nothing, I won’t start something if I think I don’t have time to finish it. Also, if I start something I can get stuck in a, “just a bit more” loop, where I stay up till 3-4 in the morning. After a certain amount of time working I just start spinning my wheels.
Body doubling was a great suggestion, for me, it took a little bit of effort to drop the ego and be vulnerable to colleagues and even my direct team at work. To be honest, my life changed when I got diagnosed officially 2.5 months ago, and about 1 month ago prescribed medication. Previous to that I had been diagnosed with severe depression (executive dysfunction) and anxious (racing thoughts at the same time all day leading leading to panic attacks). When I got weaned off the anti anxiety and anti depressant and prescribed a stimulant I started feeling like the “me” I knew existed in there. Hope this helps.
It’s our executive disfunction (one of the many trademarks of adhd). I too use music motivators but my secret weapon is body doubling. Having a secondary person there, not necessarily to do anything, simply to spark that drive to move, gets me started AND im generally able to complete twice the tasks as I would on my own. Pressure, challenges, people-pleasing, turning it into a game, so miniature reward system, are all useful strategies to getting and staying motivated for me.
Tbh I struggle with that too sometimes If I got a event or something coming up I use that as motivation like if I don’t finish these Tasks I can’t go or something
Honestly, I’m really not one to talk. My motto would be “that’s a tomorrow problem” which never works. I try to think of how what I need to get will make me feel once it’s done. Sometimes it helps. Putting into smaller tasks, setting timers, and anything else you do. None of them matter if you can’t actually get motivated enough to do what need to get done. You just have to really want to get it done. If it bothers me I clean it and I feel better. So, if I don’t want to be annoyed with my house I try and keep it picked up as best as I can. Good luck!!