UGH! I don't want to do it!

There are days when you may feel completely unmotivated. And that’s  ok.

I remember days I would skip school because I felt completely overwhelmed. I wouldn’t sleep well at night because I was so worried about my school work and upcoming tests. That lack of sleep would lead to me being unable to concentrate in class. I would have these random moments when I felt like giving up on all my academics and extracurriculars. Sometimes, I wish I didn’t care that much about getting good grades. I wish that I could just focus on having a social life and having fun.

As all my elders say “These are the best years of your life. Enjoy them!” Right? But no, my obsession over my grades led to those horrible days where I felt completely unmotivated.

I remember an instance during sophomore year of high school when I got really sick, preventing me from going to school that day. The next day, I felt completely recovered and physically able to return to school.. However, my mental state was completely in shambles and I had no motivation to go back to school. So, I lied to my parents and told them I still felt too sick to go back. I remember laying on the carpet in my room all day and staring at the ceiling, wishing I could surrender all my responsibilities.

More frequently, there are days where I just feel no motivation to even start my school work. I’ll procrastinate by taking long naps or getting distracted by social media. I’ll hold off responsibilities I have by claiming “I’ll do it later,” but never get around to them. Don’t get me wrong, I do work incredibly hard especially regarding academics. But that hard work also leads to burn out. It can be so draining.

It’s not even the studying or working that can be draining, but also the emotional baggage that comes with it. The pressure, worry, and stress of improving and trying to be as productive as possible. And also the disappointment and anger when the realization that you could’ve done more hits.

Within the last year I’ve discovered that the root of my unmotivated mindset is because of a lack of structure and focus. However, lack of motivation can be triggered  by countless other reasons:  unrealistic goals, self-doubt, one’s environment, a negative attitude, boredom, etc.

The most notable change I made to overcome my lack of motivation was by creating a schedule to carefully organize all the tasks I want to conquer. For example, I would set time frames dedicated to studying, doing homework, going to the gym, etc. Of course, it’s important to be realistic with this scheduling plan. One must also account for time dedicated to destressing or relaxing like watching TV or reading a book. Once you get into a fixed schedule, it’s more difficult to get into an unmotivated period for long because it messes with the habitual routine you established.

More obviously, a huge factor contributing to my unmotivation were the distractions from Tiktok, Netflix, other social media platforms and even from my friends and family. It’s nearly impossible to make sufficient progress when you’re being distracted every so often. Personally, I’ve learned the best way to deal with this problem is by finding a work space like a public library or cafe. When I’m around other people who are working hard, I also feel inclined to focus and get all my work done. Although public spaces may not be accessible to everybody, I believe it’s important in general for everyone to find the optimal environment that will encourage productivity whether it’s having a clean space, good lighting or no distracting sounds. 

Although it is important to focus on being productive, it’s equally, if not more, important to prioritize your own health. It’s important to set time aside to decompress and relax whether it’s just a 5 minute break or 30 minute break. Having a balance between your work and personal life is a vital strategy to fight the feeling of unmotivation.

Feeling unmotivated sometimes is completely normal, it’s just another part of life. Unmotivation stems from a variety of different reasons, so it’s important to identify those reasons and develop strategies for yourself to combat them.

We're in this together,

Lauren