Some parts of the workday are honestly just, dull. Not stressful, not exciting, just a long stretch of “okay, now what?” And I’ve noticed that my motivation doesn’t disappear because I’m lazy, it usually disappears because I’m avoiding something.
When I catch myself procrastinating, I try to pause and ask a simple question: Why don’t I want to do this task? A lot of the time, the answer is uncomfortable, I’m not confident. If I need to deliver something for a client and I barely understand “ABC,” my brain jumps straight to anxiety, and anxiety loves to disguise itself as scrolling, reorganizing files, or doing easier tasks first.
What helps is forcing myself to start anyway, even if the first attempt is messy. I struggle through the basics, gather what I can figure out, and then reach out for help. I’m not naturally good at asking, but I’m trying to get better at it, because you really don’t have to struggle on your own.
I also keep a to-do list, and I make it cute on purpose. Checking things off gives me a small win, and small wins add up.
And of course, music. I’m convinced a good playlist can rescue a boring hour. I rotate between upbeat instrumentals (Rodrigo y Gabriela is a go-to), soundtracks, 90s/2000s hip hop and R&B when I need confidence, and even non-English pop like Yelle when lyrics would distract me; because the energy matters more than the words.
As Marcus Aurelius said, “The impediment to action advances action.” Sometimes the block is the path.
Have a great day!
Link to the source of the image.