How do you motivate yourself when you're feeling lazy?

@TheHorse (218931)
Walnut Creek, California
December 10, 2015 12:43pm CST
I'm supposed to be turning in a progress note at work and taking my exam to be copied for Monday. I could also be gathering more disks and branches for my next round of little Christmas trees. Instead, I'm sitting here sipping coffee, responding to emails, and leaving a few comments on MyLot. How do you get yourself motivated when you're feeling like a lump? What I did was started small. I forced myself to put my dishes in the dishwasher, got them started, and then put an extra coat of polyurethane on some Jacobean coasters I'm working on. Hopefully that will get the "get stuff done" part of my brain activated and get me out of the house to get my work done.
27 people like this
28 responses
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Dec 15
Well being retired I usually just go with the whole feeling like a lump thing.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I wonder if I'll carry my "must get stuff done" attitude into retirement.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Dec 15
@TheHorse My husband did, I didn't
3 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
@fishtiger58 A re enjoying your laziness? I think I'd get stir crazy.
3 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
10 Dec 15
You have described my whole day. I am a lump. In fact, in a few minutes, I am going to make coffee and then sit on the couch like a lump for a few more hours.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I just got permission to be a semi-lump for the afternoon. My kid client got cancelled by his mom because he acted out in school this week. So I'm going to lump here at my computer for a bit, and then head out cycling.
3 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
10 Dec 15
When I am in that mode it is hard to break out of. Good luck with your list of things to do.
3 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
16 Dec 15
@TheHorse Good to hear this!
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
Thanks--I got 'em done! Now it's time to get some lunch!
2 people like this
• Valdosta, Georgia
10 Dec 15
Ugh, I am having a motivation problem today too. I knew I would because yesterday I was so productive! Go figure. Lol. I haven't had much sleep last night which is not helping anything either.
4 people like this
• Valdosta, Georgia
10 Dec 15
@TheHorse That's good! I never did get much motivation today...Lol. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Dec 15
@TheHorse your little trees are quite cute
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I hope you find that "motivating task." After I polied my coasters, I went outside and made three new little Christmas trees. So I'm on a roll now.
4 people like this
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Dec 15
I have things I need to do today as well. I'll probably do it when I need to shut down the computer for a couple hours as always seems to be the way it is in order for it to keep working properly. I did get the groceries taken care of, so that's a plus.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
Groceries is a good start. I DID get my morning tasks done. Exams copied and ready for Monay. Progress notes turned in. More disks for my littlel Christmas trees obtained. Now I have to catch some lunch and then see a kid client.
2 people like this
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Dec 15
@TheHorse As usual what I needed doing got done an hour before the man from the furnace company showed this morning. It seems I get more done on short notice than I do when I have a lot of time to do it. I'm glad you got everything done you needed to do.
@JudyEv (340247)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Dec 15
I have chores I should be tackling too but I'd rather be here.
3 people like this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
11 Dec 15
yes @JudyEv , @TheHorse me too ... but when in rome... Or spain... the saying is ... Manana ... . which works for me.... Lol's
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
I use being here as a reward for getting stuff done sometimes.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (340247)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Dec 15
@sueznewz2 I think I'll pretend I'm in Spain then, or Rome!
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Dec 15
My approach used to be simply to force myself to react on the grounds that it has to be done. Nowadays I am retired so my attitude is different and I would simply remain lazy.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I do that sometimes. Last nght I really did NOT feel like editing an exam. But I did it anyway. It simply HAD to be done.
1 person likes this
• Tel Aviv, Israel
11 Dec 15
@Asylum sounds like being retired is great! We can be lazy all day everyday :)
@Angelee_27 (3460)
• United States
10 Dec 15
For me, I try to think what good will come from whatever it is that I am putting off due to laziness. For example: If I am feeling lazy, but I need to clean the living room, then I think of how good it will look once I am done.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
If I'm "in the zone," I actually ENJOY mundane tasks, especially vacuuming.
@yukimori (10145)
• United States
10 Dec 15
Depends on what needs to be done. Going to work? I haul myself out of bed, take my meds, and shuffle out the door. By the time I'm through doing the morning price changes I'm usually awake enough to tackle other stuff. Cleaning house? I turn on Hoarders, and after about fifteen minutes of that I'm in "clean ALL the things!" mode.
2 people like this
@yukimori (10145)
• United States
11 Dec 15
@TheHorse I honestly find it depressing more than anything else, but it works to motivate me because looking at some of those messes makes my skin crawl.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I've never actually watched Hoarders. Is it interesting?
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
@yukimori I think it may be an Anxiety Disorder in the latest DSM. Not sure. I hope they don't turn people with mental disorders into a "Freak Show."
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
10 Dec 15
I'm a lazy slug and think I deserve to be a lazy slug. It will get done (the work) eventually...
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
I think Mark Twain would like your attitude.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 15
@PainsOnSlate And I'm sure there are some famous quotation AND misquotations that would support this!
2 people like this
• Canada
10 Dec 15
@TheHorse I know he would!
2 people like this
@shshiju (10342)
• Cochin, India
11 Dec 15
Mind controls and play with the situation changes. some times smart and some times lazy.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Dec 15
Right now I'm listening to Rubinstein playing Chopin on the "big stereo" and being quite lazy.
1 person likes this
@shshiju (10342)
• Cochin, India
14 Dec 15
@TheHorse little laziness before smartness is good ..... Lol
@DeborahDiane (40295)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Dec 15
Depending on the situation, sometimes I just give myself permission to be lazy for a certain period of time. Other times, I just have to force myself to get moving.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
Today, I was feeling lazy, then suddenly hit "the zone." Wound up getting a lot done.
1 person likes this
@totobasso (331)
• Canada
10 Dec 15
Now that I'm retired, I shut off the phone and go to sleep and the next day I can get a lot done.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
Sleep is good. Tomorrow morning, I can sleep in.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Dec 15
I have a habit of motivating myself into being lazy.
2 people like this
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
12 Dec 15
Sometimes a walk - even 10 minutes can be enough, can help to continue with some things that I need to do. Fresh air can do wonders!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Dec 15
I'm supposed to be cycling right now. It's not that cold out. But I'm still sitting here...
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
11 Dec 15
I should be in my kitchen finishing to wash all the glasses we used yesterday (I had guests). I am here reading and thinking "in ten minutes I go and finish the work".... still not motivated.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Dec 15
Ten minutes can easily turn into an hour or more!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
13 Dec 15
@TheHorse Today, I decided not to turn on the computer until I had finished those annoying tasks that I always procrastinate. I am finally here, at two thirty pm.
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
11 Dec 15
Your coasters look epic! I set myself calendar prompts which goes off 30minutes before I need to do a thing, so I can psychologically get used to that task first! Then I just force myself to finish all the tasks set in one day. If I finish early I log on myLot for a bit as a reward.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
11 Dec 15
@TheHorse Yep, it's good not to let the time I spend on here get outta hand though.
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
Heh. I use MyLot as a reward too.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 15
Sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and get on with it. Once you get started it just rolls. It is getting started that is the difficult thing!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
That's what happened to me yesterday. I was off to a slow start, then got on a roll.
11 Dec 15
i feel lazy today & i can't! my house is a wreck and i am behind, behind, behind!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
What are you going to "attack" first? I'm on my first cup of coffee. Just getting started.
@Plethos (13581)
• United States
11 Dec 15
maybe you were more motivated to sip coffee, read e-mails and comment on mylot.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Dec 15
Hmm. That's what I'm motivated to do right now. You're not spying on me, are you?
1 person likes this
@Plethos (13581)
• United States
11 Dec 15
@TheHorse - those jeans look tight and sexy on you. . . i mean noooo !!!! why would i ! ?