You know the scenario. You’ve got a list of things to do – or maybe just one big thing – and you can’t summon the motivation to get off the couch and just get it done.
We’ve all been there.
I don’t know about you, but I typically lose my motivation when it comes to projects I can’t finish in a single session and those I don’t have a deadline for. For example, when we decided to paint our kitchen cabinets I couldn’t finish it in one session, and it became an endless project because there was no deadline.
So what do I do when my get up and go has got up and went? Well, there are a number of tricks I use to get myself in the mood.
Look at what’s bugging you. Sometimes just seeing an unfinished project is enough to get you going again. For us, we’d been living in a kitchen with no cabinet doors for about a month and I HATED it. Our completely untidy cabinets were a constant reminder of the work to be done. Plus, all that stuff made our kitchen look even smaller.
Think about your why. Why did you want to do this to begin with? I have loathed our dated, wood kitchen cabinets since we moved in 7 years ago. They were drab and sad, and not at all my style. Blech. Imagining the finished product was a big push to get me going.
Give yourself a time limit. If there’s no outside deadline, give yourself one. If it’s a home improvement project, schedule a party for when you want it done. If it’s a business project, publicize the hell out of it so that you’re accountable to someone.
Sanction yourself. No TV until it’s done. No internet. No cell phone. Whatever you “can’t live without,” becomes your new motivation. Mr. O once went over a year without a doughnut, one of his favorite foods, as a personal sanction for a fitness goal. After a year, he reeeeally wanted that doughnut.
Just get started. Getting started is the hardest part, so once you put on your big girl pants and realize that sometimes you just have to get shit done, you’ll probably just keep going.
What’s on your to-do list that you’ve been putting off? What’s in your way? It’s time to get it done, my friend. Check it off the list!
