Has anyone overcome problems with lack of energy/motivation?

[AlexaShutUp]

I find it so hard to motivate myself to do stuff, whether it's work, exercise, housework or whatever. I seem to persistently lack energy and/or motivation to get on with what I need/want to do. It's like I just can't be bothered to expend any more effort than I really have to in order to manage the basics. I do manage the basics, but I'd like to be so much more driven and proactive.

I really don't think it's a medical issue, I have been this way for as long as I can remember. Perhaps I'm just lazy. Somehow, I have achieved quite a lot in spite of myself, but deep down, I know I could do so much more. If only I could get off my arse and work for it.

I am fed up of living like this and I really want to make changes. However, I always say this with the best of intentions and then slide to my old ways.

Has anyone else felt like this and actually managed to turn things around? If so, please tell me how you did it!

i think it's about making things habit so you naturally do certain tasks. I work out 6 times a week and hate me rest day adore so normal in my routine to work out.

For motivation you should blitz you're house and get it perfect and you will want to keep it that way

Watching with interest. You're definitely not alone.

I struggle with the thought I might be lazy. I've three kids, work FT, do a bit of volunteering, single parent.

And yet I ALWAYS feel there is more I should be doing, more quickly and easily if that makes sense.

I started taking a multivitamin... Within a week a felt like a new person. I'm not sure what I was low on, but it's really helped.

It takes 30 days to form a habit. Tackle each thing one at a time and don't overwhelm yourself. you need to build each thing into a routine.

Similar to tinofbeans - I started taking a daily B/multivit for a slightly different reason, but I went for being dead on my feet and unrefreshed after a long sleep, to waking up with energy!

Its really worth a go - mine were 3 for 2 at tesco, so a 60 day supply only cost me £4.

Thanks. I'm sure that routine is really important. Maybe I try to do too much all at once and should try to focus on tackling one habit at a time.

I will try a multi vitamin. I'm also trying to eat more healthily and keep myself hydrated.

Blitzing the house would definitely help, but again, I keep saying it and not actually doing it. I just can't seem to see it through.

Apintof, we do sound similar. I also work FT, volunteer and have a teenage daughter. DH travels a lot, so much of the day to day stuff falls to me.

I just feel like I could do so much more if I really set my mind to it, but I don't seem to have any willpower.

Work full time, volunteer, have a teenager, all the house stuff falls to me

Maybe you're 'unmotivated' because you actually need some down time?

I spend a lot of time working with people who think they're 'lazy' because they appear to have some out of date Protestant work ethic - and when questioned they're up at 5.30am and get to sit down between 8pm-10pm before they drop exhausted into bed feeling that they've 'wasted an evening'.

Could you please really question yourself about how much down time you get?

I need about 4 hours down time a day - to muse, think, plan, take baths. I don't think I'm lazy - I think I'm mindful, engaged and relaxed.

I run my life around my needs.

If you really want to start somewhere try asking yourself what you need. It's unlikely to be a vast array of extra tasks.

I drink a coffee and set a timer for 10 mins, telling myself I can stop for a break after that. By the time the timer goes off I'm normally motivated to do more.

Thanks all. Laurie, I get what you're saying, and you're right that I need some down time, but I do get quite a bit. Maybe too much? I will think about it though, and try to be more mindful.

Setting a timer is a good idea to help me get started. I've tried this before but perhaps I need to try shorter time slots - 10 minutes sounds manageable whereas I usually try to do half hour stretches.

On a moment of despair i finally gave in and started taking a cocktail of vitamins and included st John's wart (I'm not depressed) and something to stabilise hormonal shifts. I haven't yet started doing more but i have started feeling less groggy!

Op are you sure you haven’t got an underactive thyroid? It would be worth having a blood test as I felt like you but once I was on thyroxine I felt like a completely new person.

Sorting out my thyroid meds helped enormously, as well as learning how to break things down into more manageable bite-size parts. Exercise also gives me more energy though it took a lot of false starts to get to this point. For different reasons I don't watch telly anymore, which has eliminated a big time suck and demotivator. I also need lots of down time on my own and I just accept that.

I am in a very similar set up to you OP. What worked for me was getting an exercise regime going.

I bought a bike, but found it difficult to find time to go out cycling, so we got a turbo trainer so I could use it in the garage, whatever the weather. Once I started doing a session in the morning, things changed drastically. It is so hard making yourself get out and do it, but once you do, you will find that it really does boost your energy and you feel much more able to get more stuff done.

Honest answer - change your diet. Cut out processed food, especially sugar and try to get 30 mins of exercise a day.

It's made a huge difference to me. Today I was up at 6am with the puppy, have blitzed the house, cleaned my car inside and out, and my DDs, been to my Dads to do his housework and check he's OK, been on 2 long dog walks, made tea and I've just sat down for the first time. I've got far more energy than my young adult DDs who eat non stop crap all the time

Thanks all for your suggestions.

Catniss, I'd love to have that sort of energy! Instinctively, I feel that you're right about sorting out diet and exercise. I do eat way too much sugar and processed crap. I've been making a real effort since the new year to change that though, so hopefully I'll start to feel the benefits soon. A couple of people have mentioned exercise, too - I hear you! It's so hard to get motivated but I know I just need to do it!

Breaking things down into smaller parts is another good tip too. I tend to get overwhelmed by how much there is to do, so it's good to try and break it down. I have already cut out a lot of telly time - I still watch it occasionally but not every night like I used to. Still spend too much time on MN though...

I guess it's possible that I have a thyroid problem, I hadn't considered that. I should probably go and get tested but I'm afraid I'm a bit phobic about doctors and tend to go only as a last resort. Stupid, I know.

Out of interest, dudsville, what did you take to stabilise the hormonal shifts? I definitely think that my monthly cycle doesn't help matters...

I've suffered from extreme tiredness for years and still do, pretty bad right now. But I dedicated 3 months to regular cardio and completely clean eating and it helped a LOT.

I'm bad again now because I've let myself go.

You might also be anemic, I find it gets worse in winter and often leaves me feeling really exhausted and the thing with anemia no lifestyle change is gonna make a difference, you will need supplaments for a while. I'd reccommed going to your GP and asking for a blood test and they'll search for things like thyriod problems and vitamin deficiencies.

I write lists and visualise how I'll feel once I get something done. The hardest part is starting, once you can tick off a couple of things on the list it's much easier to keep going.

Like a pp I usually have a coffee while i'm writing my list, imagine how good I'll feel once the list is complete, then I set a timer for 15 minutes get the music on and just blitz it. I find too that after the 15 minutes I feel much more motivated and will usually either finish the list or write down some more things to tick off.

I've recently taken up bullet journaling so I can have all my lists in one place. I also want to start drinking more water and taking vitamins so will use this as a tracker too. There is a thread on here running at the moment called bujo wankers you might want to give it a try

I find doing little bits at a time progresses into a 'the more you do'...start small and don't overface yourself -
I moved into my new house over a year ago and have slowly been leaving the jobs that needed doing to a point where it just felt like too much so just didn't! Have just had DD2 and (even tho should be taking it a little easy) done cupboard by cupboard, now shelves are up, DD1's room finally finished -
Still a lot to do but feel so much better now I've made a start!

I’m the same. My doctor suggested getting tested for ADHD, is that something you’ve considered?

Mine isn’t health related. I feel trapped by having to work (even though I like my job and work with friends). I hate routine and every day feels like Groundhog Day. I just live hour by hour and my bed is my favourite place.

Op, others have said it. Do some exercise
It has had a beneficial effect on both my mental and physical state

I'd start with a trip to the gp and ask for tests for vitamin d, b12, iron, thyroid etc. They are easy enough to rule out and you might be fighting a losing battle if one of them is low.

I got put on a high dose of vitamin d and it really helped.

Other than that exercise and diet are also worth a try. I've been doing yoga every day this week and I'm sleeping better than I have in years.

I feel like that.

I blame it on being overweight which is a difficult cycle to break.