How on EARTH do you make yourself do stuff?

[Fallulah]

I fully accept my mental health is not great at the moment which may be contributing here.

I have two weeks to complete a research project for my masters. I know what I need to do, I have everything I need to do it, I'm stressed about not doing it, but I just am not doing it!

I'm just sitting here faffing about on my laptop. I've disabled my Facebook but this has just meant I spend more time on Mumsnet and Twitter. I made myself a schedule for everything I wanted to do today but haven't stuck to it. I have lots of things I need to get done around the house but I'm telling myself not to do them because this project needs doing. Yet I'm not doing it and therefore accomplishing nothing. I even did yoga this morning!

I've always been a last minute Lara and I've always managed to get things done well... but I'd love to get it done without the stress!
Please tell me I'm not the only one and how you cope.

You’re suffering from performance anxiety.

Start writing your thesis as an email or a text on your phone. I write entire client presentations on my phone. Something about it as a impermanent medium overcomes the initial procrastination.

I can offer absolutely no help as I’m exactly the same, although I have an extension on my project so of course I’m using that time really effectively...

Basically try and remove distractions or take yourself away to a cafe that’s open so you are less inclined to stick the washing on etc. But honestly I’m also awful so also placemarking!

Pomodoro stuff is good - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

It basically splits things into 25 min slots of work. Really excellent at getting me going as my brain is tricked into thinking I "only" have to work for 25 mins . By the end of the 25 mins I'm always really into whatever it is I need to do! There are loads of apps/browser extensions out there for it . It's been the only thing that has worked for me..

I found a stop procrastinating Youtube hypnotism video really useful. I listen to it when I need to and I have the main messages written in a document that I read before I start work.

Write some text why you can't write about xwz ... then explain why xwz is so difficult.... that always got me thinking/ going when not motivated.

Once written is flowing, make sure you take berks and reward yourself when hitting milestones (big and small), like a cup of tea, tasty sandwiches for lunch ...

Oh, god I sympathise! When I was writing my master's thesis I could NOT motivate myself. I would write a sentence and then stop for a coffee-it was pathological.
I now work ad a teacher and have!/ 7th form tutor group and this is their major impediment to achieving. What I recommend to them (and to myself now) is to start in the middle, not at the beginning. It doesn't matter if you and your scrap stuff later just having SOMETHING there helps get over the hump of starting.
Also remember that everyone must be re-drafted lately -your first attempt is not your final attempt. Still have the anxiety every time -even today when I had to talk to a neighbour about a contentious issue that I have been procrastinating and fretting no about for several days. In the end I told myself that even though O would make a hash of it, at least it would be over. And inevitably, it went better than I could have imagined. The FEAR is worse that the thing!

Are you me??? I've been procrastinating all day!

Don't forget to back stuff up!!!
Come on you can do it
Good luck

Just do something. Don’t start at the beginning. Jump into the middle. Find a small task that is achievable and will provide actual progress (not a tenuously connected displacement activity!).

It will either lead on to something else or you can tie it off and be glad you have done something. Then take a break and pick another small task to do. Etc.

Thank you! Ironically I am a teacher and tell my year 11s about Pomodoro all the time!

Right, I’ve got a massive sheet of paper and I’ve added the headings. A book I ordered has just arrived (yes, I order all the books and don’t read them) so I can go through that with some pretty highlighters and stationery!

I think if I’m honest with myself, I’m productive in the evening, always have been. I need to somehow release myself to do other things in the morning/afternoon because otherwise I just feel bad all day until I start work around now!

You’re absolutely right about just starting writing too. That’s how I tied myself in knots on the last assignment - I wasn’t sure how to start. I need to just start writing what I know and move it all around later.

I fear I will be returning to this thread! Thank you!