How to get motivated

Why is my motivation low?

Low motivation is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Working out which of these is closest to your situation tells you where to start.

• You are tired. Poor sleep, a long stretch of stress or being run down can all make starting feel like effort. If that sounds like you, the guide to signs of burnout may help.
• The goal is unclear. If you cannot say what finished looks like, it is hard to feel pulled towards it.
• The task is too big. A huge task gives you no obvious first step, so you stay where you are.
• The task does not connect to anything you care about. You may be doing it only because you should.
• You are avoiding a feeling. Fear of getting it wrong or of being judged can look like a lack of drive. The guide to stopping procrastinating goes into this.
• Your mood is low. When everything feels flat or pointless, motivation is hard to find for reasons that willpower will not fix. See the section on when to get more support.

More than one can be true at once. To tell them apart, ask one question: what happens when you picture starting? Do you feel tired, unclear, overwhelmed by the size of it, afraid, low, or do you simply see no point? Pick the answer that feels most like you right now and start there.

How do I get motivated, step by step?

You do not need to do all of these. Try one or two on a single task you have been putting off, and see what changes.

1. 1Shrink the task. Cut it down to a first step so small it feels almost silly, such as opening the document, putting your trainers by the door or writing one sentence.
2. 2Set a start time. Decide exactly when and where you will begin: 'When I have finished my coffee, I will sit at the desk and open the file.' A time and a place give the moment a job to do, so you are not relying on a feeling.
3. 3Make it visible. Put the task where you will see it: the notebook open on the table, a note on the screen, the kit laid out the night before. A task you can see is harder to forget.
4. 4Remove one obstacle. Ask what makes starting harder than it needs to be, and take away one thing. Phone in another room, tabs closed, the right tool within reach.
5. 5Tie it to a value. Ask what this task serves. If it connects to something you care about, such as your health, a person or the kind of life you want, write that in one line and keep it near the task.
6. 6Ask someone to check in. Tell a friend what you plan to do and when, and ask them to message you afterwards. Having someone alongside you meets the need for connection that self-determination theory describes.
7. 7Reward the effort, not the result. Count showing up as the win. A cup of tea, a short walk or a tick on a chart after you have done the first step teaches your mind that starting feels good.

The start-time step has a research base. Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer studied plans of the form 'when X, I will Y'. His 1999 paper in American Psychologist set out the idea, and a 2006 review by Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran, which combined many studies, found that such plans helped people reach their goals. Those studies covered a range of goals rather than motivation alone, so treat it as a promising tool, not a guarantee.

Here is one task shrunk and scheduled. Say you keep putting off a tax return. 'Sort my tax return' gives you nowhere to begin. Shrink it to 'find the login details and open the tax website', then set a time: 'Tomorrow at 5pm, after I have eaten, I will sit at the desk and do that.' That is all you have to do, and once the page is open the next step often looks less vague.

If you want to set the goal itself more clearly first, the goal setting worksheet and the SMART goals worksheet help, and the guide to setting goals explains the thinking. To keep the habit going afterwards, try the habit tracker and the guide to building good habits.

What if I have no idea what I want to do?

Sometimes the problem is not getting started but not knowing what is worth starting. Motivation is easier to find when a task connects to what matters to you. The core values worksheet helps you name what matters, and the procrastination worksheet works through one task you are avoiding. If the bigger question is about direction in life, see the guide to finding your purpose.

When is low motivation a sign of something more?

Flat days happen. It becomes a health question when it lasts and spreads across your life. These may be signs worth taking seriously:

• Low mood, or feeling empty or numb, that lasts two weeks or more.
• Losing interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy.
• Changes in sleep or appetite, or feeling tired all the time without a clear reason.
• Finding it hard to concentrate or make simple decisions.
• Feeling worthless, guilty or hopeless.

These can be signs of depression, which can be treated, though only a qualified professional can tell you what is going on. If you feel hopeless or have thoughts of not wanting to be alive, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), 988 (US), findahelpline.com; more routes at selfgrowth.org/help. A GP is a good first step, and you do not need to be sure before you go. If your energy and interest are low, the Behavioural Activation Worksheet and the activity list offer a gentle way to plan small activities, alongside seeing a doctor rather than instead of it.

When to get more support

This guide is not a substitute for medical care. See a GP if low motivation has lasted two weeks or more, is affecting your work, your relationships or your health, or comes with low mood or loss of interest. If you feel hopeless or have thoughts of not wanting to be alive, get support now. Call or text Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), call or text 988 (US), use findahelpline.com elsewhere, or see selfgrowth.org/help. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 (UK) or 911 (US) or your local emergency number.