How to Get Work Done When You Don’t Feel Motivated
Do you need some tips on how to get work done when you lack motivation?
Even the most productive people, and people who love their jobs struggle with periods of time when they don’t want to do work. If you’re struggling with motivation to get things done, you’re not alone!
When you hit a slump, what can you do about it? These tips will help you learn how to focus to get work done even when you just aren’t feeling it.
This post is all about how to get work done when you don’t feel motivated!
How To Get Work Done
1. Break your tasks down into tiny steps, and start with step 1.
When you’re not feeling motivated, sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. It can be super overwhelming to look at a long and daunting to-do list. To combat this feeling, break your tasks down into smaller chunks and just do step 1. Once you get one small part of the task done, you’ll build momentum to continue.
For example, sometimes I’m feeling really unmotivated to write a blog post! Instead of getting caught up in how much work the whole task is, I’ll start by listing out all the tasks I need to do like:
- Keyword research
- Background research
- Drafting post
- Creating header image
- Creating title & subtitles
- Shooting images
- Editing, uploading, and formatting images
- Formatting links
- Final proofreading
- Optimizing SEO
- Developing promotion
On days when I’m not motivated, this long to-do list seems like too much. So, I usually start with just one task like keyword research. As soon as I get started and have a “mini-win” (completed 1 task), I am usually able to power through the rest of it with a lot less resistance. Momentum is your best friend!
2. Share your timelines out loud
If you’re someone who needs accountability, I highly recommend stating your timelines out loud, to someone who will call you out if you’re slacking. It’s easy to break promises you make in your head, but once you share your goal with someone, you won’t want to let them down.
I use this tactic at my 9-5 job all the time, especially for tasks that don’t have a “hard deadline” but still need to get done. I will email my boss and say “I’m making great progress on project XX, you can expect the first draft in your inbox by end of day Friday”. Once I’ve sent that email, I’m far less likely to procrastinate the task. I don’t want to disappoint my boss!
3. Know the difference between motivation and discipline
Motivation is awesome, and can really fuel you when you’re feeling it! But ultimately, motivation is a feeling, and will fluctuate day-to-day. Relying on motivation alone will not lead to consistent results.
On days when you lack motivation, you need to rely on your discipline to get something done. Even if you love your job, there will still be tasks that you’re not thrilled about doing. I highly doubt that you will feel motivated to submit your year-end financial statements. But these tasks still need to get done, which is why you need the self-discipline to accomplish things you don’t necessarily want to do.
4. Put everything in your schedule
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know how much I rely on my schedule. Especially when it comes to my side hustles (consulting and blogging), there’s not a lot I actually have to get done by certain dates. I create my own timelines, deadlines, and deliverables. The flexibility is wonderful, but if I don’t plan out the days, they can just slip by without much direction.
Scheduling out tasks in your calendar is a great way to hold you accountable when you don’t feel like working. If you schedule “editing blog post” from 9am-10am on Wednesday, treat that like an appointment that you wouldn’t miss.
Read my post on How to Schedule Your Time Wisely for more in-depth tips about scheduling!
5. Eliminate your common obstacles
Often it’s really small obstacles that get in the way of completing work. This can really vary from person to person, and nobody knows you better than you. So, reflect on the last time you struggled with getting something done.
Ask yourself: What were your greatest obstacles? If you tried writing a paper but ended up distracted on social media, remove that obstacle by blocking social media on your phone or putting your phone in a different room. If your obstacle was that you didn’t feel motivated because you were tired, go to sleep 30 minutes earlier.
6. Focus on the upsides of the task
When you don’t want to do a task, it’s easy to focus on all the downsides and reasons you to avoid it. But, try flipping that around to focus on the upsides. Even tasks that aren’t fun have upsides!
For example, maybe putting together a presentation isn’t your favourite task, but the upsides could include potential to gain new clients, expand your business, improve your speaking skills, etc.
In my “day job”, sometimes I’m working on a task where the only upside I can think of is that completing helps me pay my bills. That’s OK! Even though I love my job, it’s easy to let 1 or 2 less exciting tasks derail my motivation and progress. Avoiding a task will not make it go away, so try to find the positive and power through.
Overall, “zooming out” to look at the bigger picture of the purpose of tour tasks can help get you back on track.
7. Use Incentives
Sometimes, an extrinsic motivator like a reward will give you the extra push to complete a task.
I’m not saying you should treat yourself to a 3-course luxury meal every time you complete a task. But, having something to look forward to is often all I need to encourage me to keep going!
I love incorporating little things that bring me joy like a walk in the sunshine, or making a nice at-home latte, or a FaceTime catch up with a friend.
This post was all about how to get work done when you’re lacking motivation!
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