What do you do when you have zero motivation?

[Lavender14]

I need to move house quickly but I'm also burnt out and exhausted and have absolutely zero motivation. Will be housesharing with family for a while which I'm not really looking forward to and I'm really struggling to make myself pack. When ds goes to nursery I keep saying I'll do things but instead I'm doom scrolling on my phone or falling asleep or doing the housework. When you're really lacking in motivation how do you get yourself going?

Power through. Fine, doomscroll, but it’s going to get done eventually. Moving day will come and you’ll move out. Either make it harder for yourself by trying to pack up in one go, or get started earlier and be more organised. Things always seem impossible until they’re done. Everyone around you is doing stuff despite not being motivated to do so. Either do it; or don’t do it and then do it eventually.

Simple. What could you reward yourself with? Small rewards for parts completed (posh coffees, long soak in bath) or bigger reward for getting it completely finished (meal out, couple of new books.)

And always, always, a list of things than can be ticked off.

Don’t expect to enjoy it, it just needs to get done (story of my life, really…)

Podcast, headphones in.
Phone out of arms reach if you have a Bluetooth set.
Open all the windows.
Deep breaths
Start getting shit done

Agree with making a list.
Break it down into small tasks so its rewarding to cross them off and not too daunting to get started.

List of 3 things at a time. So big long list of what you need to do but then break it down to 3 tasks at a time. Small reward when completed.

then write down another 3, tick them off an so on.

open windows and if you can go for a small walk, once you start it softens snowballs nd then you keep going.

i get it’s I struggle like this everyday but the small goals at a time do help

Lists are a great idea. If I've got a lot on and feel overwhelmed, then I sit down with a coffee and make a list of everything that needs doing that particular day. I even set a timescale for the day of what time to start and finish each job and allowing myself set breaks in between to eat, drink, go on my phone etc. It's the only way I can cope. If there's only you to do it, then it has to be done, you've no choice and it sounds like you have dc depending on you to get things moving. You can do it!

@LoveKay that’s exactly what I did this morning.

8.00. Strip 3 beds
8.10. Take kids to school
8.35-9.00. Clean the kitchen, unload dishwasher, clean downstairs loo and mop downstairs floor
9.00-10.00 Everything shower - all the jobs I’ve been putting off all week. Deep condition hair/exfoliate/shave/shave face!/ face mask/depilate/dye eyebrows/gradual tan/nails
10.00-10.30 Make birthday cake
10.30-11.00. Fold and out away 6 loads of washinf and make 3 beds - this was a push!!
Then go to work.

@JMAngel1 Wow, you are amazing! This sounds like my mornings when dc were young and I also worked. Now I'm retired I look back and wonder how I did it all!

Is there someone real (or if not on here) that you can be accountable. So you can say, I need help being motivated, by 12 I need to have done x jobs then I can relax then text them when you get started and when you're done.

It's also good to start with little achievable job and build up, so maybe get all the boxes and packing materials and tape etc ready before you leave for the school run and intend to do a cupboard. Then when you get back it's all ready for you.

I break it down to tiny tasks.
Get the box, put it where I'm going to be packing
Reward myself somehow - usually with something time banded (so not scrolling) a TV episode or a chapter of a book, and when it's done I do the thing and don't pick my phone up until it's done
Pack the box
Reward myself
Get another box
And so on.
Usually at some point my brain catches up and realises that I can do this, but even if it doesn't, I've got something done.

Thanks all, I got myself some wireless headphones and I managed to get a few bags and boxes filled. I've now come down with a whopping migraine so I'm guessing that was causing part of the lethargy, I always find my energy is in my boots before I get one but never know what it is until it happens.

"Usually at some point my brain catches up and realises that I can do this, but even if it doesn't, I've got something done."

This is me all over, I get overwhelmed by the look of something but once I'm started I'm actually OK it's just the getting started. I have some help coming tomorrow so that will keep me accountable at least.