Managing Motivation & Procrastination
While doing everything from the comfort of home.
Not just during times of change and transition does
procrastination seem to be constantly lurking around the corner.
“ I have to write this paper, but my bed is so comfy!”
“I’m not procrastinating, I’m just too depressed to focus, mom!” “I need to do chores around the house – but it’s so much easier to just keep
letting Netflix run through the next season of Scandal!” “ I just don’t care.”
One of many things that might run through your mind when you think about what you HAVE to do – which is usually very different than what
you WANT to do.
You might even be thinking – at the same time – “but if I want to feel better, or learn how to “adult” I need to learn how to make myself do these things.
This is where you may experience some SHAME or GUILT that you are either:
1. Falling behind in life 2. Not keeping up with people your age
3. Are too sick or depressed to do anything 4. May have to rely on someone the rest of your life
5. Can’t do “simple” things on your own.
Living with mental illness, a learning difficulty,
attention or executive functions issues means you
have to work a bit harder to find what works for
you – how to adapt the “usual way” of doing
things to something that fits your lifestyle, mood
patterns and focus strategies.
A little bit of work now, for long-‐term success!
Before we get to the HOW-‐TO’s, it’s important for you to figure out what you’re working with…
START with what is most URGENT à time sensitive/deadlines, tasks where others are counting on you, tasks in which the consequences for
not doing this will affect your short and long-‐term goals.
v Job Responsibilities – Showing up on time, responding to urgent e-‐mails, scheduling, etc.
v Academic Work – Assignments with due dates, group project work, small steps of long-‐term papers.
v Home Life – Paying bills, taking your dog out, feeding pets.
Then, go on to IMPORTANT à Maintaining healthy mind & body by creating a healthy space and engaging in healthy habits.
v Job Responsibilities – Showing up dressed and presentable, learning protocols and content.
v Academic Work – Assignments that are more than 1-‐week out OR have 1-‐weekend before they are due.
v Home Life – Chores (grocery shopping, cleaning, picking up around house) exercise, self-‐care activities
Lastly, the most enjoyable ones, the TIME-‐WASTERS AND MOOD-‐BASED ACTIVITIES àthese are the ones that often promote a sense of self-‐soothing but when over-‐indulged contribute to avoidance and
procrastination.
v Job Responsibilities – Scrolling through social media at work, calling in sick unnecessarily, avoiding URGENT and IMPORTANT tasks at work.
v Academic Work – Asking for extensions unnecessarily, perfectionism-‐based behaviors, skipping classes to avoid professor because don’t have homework assignments or skipped class last week.
v Home Life – Starting to watch a show for self-‐soothe and end up binging seasons without getting URGENT and IMPORTANT items done, scrolling on social media as a form of avoidance,
“But color-coding my clothes IS productive!”
Introducing….Productive Procrastination You may have a big paper, project or urgent deadline but can’t seem to find the
mental space to sit and do it. So, you decide to re-organize your pantry by expiration date AND color, clean-out your e-mail inbox or post clothing on
Poshmark.
1. Recognize that you are procrastinating.
2. ASK yourself WHY you’re avoiding or procrastinating
v Do you not know where to start with it?
o Break-it Down § Start by writing down what the finished product looks
like § Either from beginning-to-end or end to beginning, write
out each step required for the task to look like that finished product.
§ Do step 1. § Re-evaluate.
o Ask for help § From family, friends or peers § YouTube offers many how-to’s and tips
v Are you having a hard time motivating to get it done?
o WIIFM mindset for change à see following page. o Create a reward system for yourself o Ask a friend or family member to sit with you while you do
the task. They can work on their own tasks.
“WIIFM?” When you can’t peel yourself away from Netflix or your bed to do 1 task for
15-‐20 minutes, ask yourself:
What’s in it for me? Maybe it gets you closer to your goals. Maybe it relieves some guilt or anxiety knowing that you are at least working on something goal-‐oriented. Or maybe
it provides some PURPOSE in your day.
Steps to follow when not motivated:
1. Identify the task 2. Ask yourself, can it be broken down?
(Even if you haven’t committed to doing it yet.) 3. If so, how? à write each little chunk out.
4. On your list of “chunked-‐out” steps, cover all of the steps up except the first one.
5. Ask YOURSELF – What’s in it for Me to do this NOW? 6. Write out all of your responses
7. Having done this exercise and oriented yourself to your plan, what will you choose to do?
Example: WIIFM if I do NOW
WIIFM if I do LATER
I will finish the whole thing sooner and then do what I want without this hanging over me
I might feel _____that I haven’t done it yet which could lead to worsening anxiety
It could jumpstart me to gain momentum on the whole task à finish sooner, back to my nap sooner!
I get to nap first and then HAVE to make sure I do the whole task or follow these steps – more pressure to get it done.
Remember that Opposite Action (engaging in an activity that is the
opposite of your current emotion) has the ability to shift your emotion and mood
and contribute to momentum and motivation!
Finding ways to make “adulting” work for you IS possible. Get Creative and Stay flexible!
-‐ Change Over Constant –
For additional information or extra support during this time, reach us at
[email protected] Our experienced coach is available for virtual consultations to help find ways to get motivated
and identify strategies to get things done!