Motivation
 

I am struggling to get anything done. Well dogs are looked after and I am eating well and keeping the place clean. But I need to be job hunting. I was volunteering at a shop but not been in ages. I have some stuff I need to sell to get out of a bit of debt extra drinkies got me in but not got round to listing it anywhere (not that I have much stuff I left most behind last time I moved), and I want to be getting back to writing.

For some reason though I keep hitting a brick wall and just not seeming to be able to motivate myself. I don't feel depressed or anything like that. Just can't seem to focus or move forward.

Perhaps I am putting too much pressure on myself to get everything done at once. It is only day 6 and that may be why my concentration and motivation are a bit squiffy. I am far too all or nothing so if I want to turn my life around I feel like I have to do everything NOW, which leads too argh its too much.

Way to go on day 6

I think you are on to something there. Many of us want it all and we want it NOW...just like we did with alcohol...instant gratification ( but then of course delayed pain and suffering ).

You can't do it all at once....maybe you could make some lists? Write down what you need to do and just do one thing at a time. Breaking things down into smaller chunks always helped me, and you also have the benefit of achieving many smaller goals in a row...which can improve your confidence and motivation when you look back at it.

Could it be you're not meant to do anything about those things yet? I used to beat myself up constantly for not getting done what I thought should be done. Now I'm trying to do things when I do feel motivated to do them, rather than just because I think I "should".
Of course there are things we do need to do, like paying bills, so I try to decide whether or not something really needs to be done right now or is it something that can wait. It's taken a lot of pressure off.
At day six, (which is great, BTW) of course your concentration and motivation are not at their optimum. If it's things that can wait, let them go for now. Sometimes quiet time and non-busy-ness can be a good thing.

Six days is early :)

Yeah, you might be pushing things a little hard. Sounds like you are doing well overall. I like Scott's lists idea. They help me tons. I sometimes lose focus very easily and I'm at 2.5 years.

Also, there's a trick I sometimes do: 1 big thing each day. Focus on getting that one big thing done, so you're mostly off the hook the rest of the day. But keep rearranging your goals and tasks leading up to those "big goals" so that you are always moving toward them effectively.

It can be maddening to write out a long list only never to see the half of it getting crossed off. So maybe focus on the 1 biggie.

I think perhaps a list but take them an odd one at a time then do something relaxing. It just feels so indulgent. I had a list just over a week ago I was working through but rewarded myself for ticking stuff off with a bottle so it got set aside this week after I decided I really had to take this seriously.

I have always been a list person so it fits how my brain works.

I say always been a list person I sometimes spend more time planning than doing lol

Oh and I forgot one I need to start reading ahead for Uni stuff as it's going to be a big year on that with a lot of reading.

So much to do.

Hi DD. Six days is early days so try to be patient. I always wanted things to get done NOW. I always had a list to work off of but too many things on the list. I'd get frantic trying to do a little bit on each task on the list and end up exhausted and unhappy. Miserable, actually.

I agree with one major task per day. Even if it's just one thing, you can accomplish that and cross it off. Prioritize the list. What most needs doing? AA has a helpful slogan even if you never choose that path. First things first. Keep that in mind if you find yourself spinning in circles.

Stay relaxed. Stay here.

DD, you're on day 6, don't worry so much about that stuff. It's only going to drive you into a relapse. Do as much as your comfortable with, and first and foremost, concentrate on helping your body rejuvenate. Your body will do it on its own, but you can help it -- proper diet, exercise, laughter to relieve stress, good sleeping, etc.

Even try to sleep more than normal, because your body rejuvenates far faster asleep versus awake. The rest will come in time. Your body and mind are fighting right now, and doing their best to get you back on track. Help them out, instead of fighting against them. :)

If it helps, I'm in the same boat. My mind is currently complete mush right now. I've technically taken a 66% pay cut, because I bill hourly, and it's taking me three times as long to get anything done.

If you are still sober you are getting something done!

I can relate. I let stuff pile up then I take care of the stuff I feel like taking care of or not. or i take care of the stuff I HAVE to take care of or not. Sometimes I freak out about what I have to do and sometimes I do not.

I've working for work at a nice pace accomplishing things in at a speed thats keeping my sanity not to fast not to slow. I'm sure too slow for them but I dont care. well today things have reved up I've been bugged by people on all sides the pressures on again and i'm freaking out. I just want to get back to working on what i was working on and getting it done in my own time.

For me? getting things done in my own time frame works best with little input from the outside. This just doesnt work well for those around me it seems everyone wants everything right now. I dont prefer to operate like that it stresses me out too much.

Thank you all for the supportive words. I guess I should back down on myself a bit. Some great advice and I have read and taken it all on board so I can find what works best for me.

One step at a time as you say.

:You_Rock_:tyou

Dandelion, I try to be easy on myself these days, but I get stressed if I know I'm giving into my procrastinating tendencies too much. Just trying to strike a balance and take care of myself, too.

There's a trick I've used to kick start myself on a task or two and get some momentum going. I read it online somewhere (Final Version I think) and it's called "time burst." You work on a task for a time burst of so many minutes, take a break from it, and then do another time burst on the task. It suggests a sequence of time bursts of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 minutes. It's not recommended to go over 40 minutes. Like the first time burst could be making a list of actionable steps to work on one of the things you want to accomplish, and then taking on those steps one at a time with each subsequent time burst.

Another thing I do is the same sort of thing, but I "toggle" it with a household chore (or something that's mindless). So 5 minutes on the task I'm procrastinating on, then 5 minutes to start the laundry, 10 minutes on the task, 10 minutes to clean the kitchen, 15 minutes on the task, 15 more minutes in the kitchen, 20 minutes on the task, 20 minutes to organize a cupboard or closet, etc. I actually prefer this method over the previous one.

To be honest, I prefer the 2nd method with toggling two things that don't take much concentration.
What often happens is that the motivational drive to put my full attention to the task kicks in when I'm working on it for a 30 minute time slot and then I might just keep going with it. and abandon the time burst.

Hey DD..
I can so relate. I am also a list person.....always have been. Of course with drinking I never got to half of it.
When I am in a "good place" I keep my list ongoing and check off what's done each day, then adding new stuff. Sometimes big stuff sometimes little stuff. I usually rewrite it every day or so to prioritize.
I'm on day 5 as well and just rebooked at my list that I let slide last week..one step at a time...
We can do this

Thanks for the advice Kale. Nice to meet a kindred spirit lovehoops.

At Day 6 I was far from taking on the world, give it some time, after a while I got the spring back in my step, the body needs to repair but can only go at it's own pace!!

Great job and keep it going!! :scoregood

Volunteering really helped me get out of bed and oput of the hoiuse. It gave me a purpose.

Why not go back to the shop DD? :)

D