When You Just Don’t Feel Like It: Understanding Low Motivation and Finding Your Way Out of the Slump

Have you ever had a dream, goal, project, or even a simple task sitting right in front of you and thought:

“I know I need to do it. I just…don’t feel like it.”

Often in life, we are faced with periods of low motivation. We find it hard to pursue our dreams and goals, complete everyday responsibilities, or sometimes even do the basic things we know would make us feel better.

Then comes the guilt.

Why can’t I just get up?

Why am I procrastinating?

Why can’t I get this done?

I know what I need to do, so why am I not doing it?

Before you label yourself lazy, unproductive, or undisciplined, I want you to do something different.

Get curious.

Because sometimes low motivation is telling us something.

What Is Low Motivation?

Low motivation is that feeling of knowing something needs to happen but struggling to find the energy, desire, focus, or drive to make it happen.

Sometimes it looks like procrastination. Sometimes it's scrolling on your phone for two hours when you told yourself you were going to clean the kitchen.

Sometimes it's having a great business idea but never opening the laptop.

Sometimes it's knowing you want to exercise but continuing to say, “I'll start Monday.”

And sometimes it's deeper.

It can look like struggling to get out of bed, shower, answer messages, cook, clean, go to work, or participate in things you once enjoyed.

That's when I want you to ask yourself:

What is underneath my lack of motivation?

What Causes Low Motivation?

There isn't one answer.

Low motivation can be connected to physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, stress, burnout, fear, perfectionism, depression, grief, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, medical issues, or simply feeling disconnected from the goal you're trying to accomplish.

Sometimes what we call a lack of motivation is actually our mind or body saying:

Something needs attention.

Burnout

Sometimes you aren't unmotivated.

You are tired.

If you've been working, parenting, caregiving, studying, maintaining relationships, managing a household, solving everybody else's problems, or constantly being the person everyone depends on, eventually your body may say:

Girl, we're done.

Burnout can make even simple responsibilities feel overwhelming.

Sometimes the answer isn't another planner, another productivity app, or another motivational speech.

Sometimes you need to sit down somewhere.

And rest.

Feeling Overwhelmed

Have you ever had so much to do that you ended up doing absolutely nothing?

You need to clean the kitchen, wash clothes, answer emails, work out, pay bills, make dinner, schedule appointments, return phone calls, and somehow you're supposed to practice self-care too.

Your brain says:

Absolutely not.

When everything feels equally important, getting started can feel impossible.

Instead of looking at the entire list, ask:

“What is the next thing?”

Not the next ten things.

The next one thing.

Fear

Fear can disguise itself as procrastination.

What if I fail?

What if they reject me?

What if I start and discover I'm not good enough?

But there is another side of fear that we don't always talk about.

What if I succeed?

What if people start expecting more from me?

What if my life actually changes?

Sometimes we tell ourselves we're waiting until we're motivated when we're really waiting until we're no longer afraid.

Sometimes you have to do it scared.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism will have you spending three weeks preparing to do something that could have been completed in three hours.

We tell ourselves we need the perfect plan, perfect timing, perfect website, perfect body, perfect résumé, perfect circumstances.

And while we're waiting for everything to become perfect, we're not moving.

Sometimes:

Done is better than perfect.

Stress, Grief, and Emotional Exhaustion

Emotional experiences require energy too.

Grief, relationship problems, financial stress, workplace conflict, caregiving, trauma, family problems, and major life transitions can consume an enormous amount of emotional and mental energy.

You might look at yourself and think:

I haven't even done anything today. Why am I so tired?

But your mind has been working all day.

You've been worrying.

Processing.

Planning.

Remembering.

Overthinking.

Surviving.

That requires energy.

Give yourself permission to recognize emotional exhaustion as exhaustion too.

Could It Be Depression?

Sometimes low motivation isn't simply a slump.

Sometimes it's depression.

Depression doesn't always look like crying every day.

Sometimes depression feels like nothing.

It can feel like numbness, emptiness, exhaustion, irritability, hopelessness, disconnection, or simply not caring anymore.

You might notice:

• Things you once enjoyed don't feel enjoyable anymore.

• You're withdrawing from friends or family.

• You stop answering calls and messages.

• Your sleep changes.

• Your appetite changes.

• Concentrating becomes difficult.

• Your hygiene or daily routines begin slipping.

• Household responsibilities pile up.

• You feel exhausted even after resting.

• Getting out of bed feels like a major accomplishment.

• You feel hopeless about things getting better.

Depression can also contribute to a difficult cycle:

I feel depressed → I don't feel like doing anything → I become less active and connected → I feel worse → I become even less motivated.

When depression is present, telling yourself to “just get motivated” may not be enough.

Sometimes you need support.

If low motivation has become persistent, is interfering with your ability to function, or is accompanied by ongoing sadness, hopelessness, withdrawal, or significant changes in your sleep, appetite, concentration, or ability to enjoy life, consider speaking with a mental health professional or medical provider.

Check On Your Physical Health Too

Your mental health and physical health are connected.

If you're experiencing ongoing fatigue, low energy, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, or unexplained changes in your mood or motivation, make an appointment with your doctor.

Ask whether a medical evaluation or laboratory testing is appropriate based on your symptoms and medical history.

A healthcare provider may consider things such as vitamin D, thyroid function, anemia or iron levels, vitamin B12, hormonal changes, sleep problems, medication side effects, or other medical conditions that can contribute to fatigue, low energy, or changes in mood.

Don't automatically assume everything you're experiencing is psychological.

Check on your body too.

Sometimes making that doctor's appointment you've been putting off is part of moving forward.

Feelings Are Indicators, Not Instructions

One thing I want you to remember is this:

Feelings are indicators. They are not necessarily instructions.

Your feelings give you information.

I'm uncomfortable.

I'm afraid.

I'm tired.

I'm overwhelmed.

I'm disappointed.

I'm anxious.

But you do not have to wait for every uncomfortable feeling to disappear before you make a decision.

You can feel anxious and still show up.

You can feel discouraged and still send the application.

You can feel afraid and still have the conversation.

You can feel tired and decide you're only going to accomplish one thing today.

And yes, you can feel unmotivated and still make one small choice that moves you forward.

That doesn't make it easy.

Sometimes choosing productive behaviors despite what we're feeling is something we have to practice every single day.

Stop Waiting Until You Feel Motivated

We often think the process looks like:

Motivation → Action → Progress

But sometimes it's actually:

Action → Momentum → Motivation

Sometimes the motivation doesn't come until after you start.

So instead of asking:

“Do I feel like doing this?”

Ask yourself:

“What can I realistically do right now?”

Can't clean the whole house?

Clean one room.

Can't work out for an hour?

Move for ten minutes.

Can't finish the project?

Open the document.

Can't write the entire paper?

Write one paragraph.

Can't tackle the entire pile of laundry?

Start one load.

Sometimes the goal isn't to finish.

Sometimes the goal is simply to begin.

Get Up and Shake It Out

Sometimes, you have to get up and move that body!

Seriously.

When you've been sitting in a slump for too long, sometimes movement can help shift the energy.

Shake your arms.

Shake your legs.

Put on your favorite song and dance around your living room.

And y’all should not be afraid to twerk it out!

Listen, sometimes you need a good song, a little movement, and a reminder that you are still in there.

Or maybe twerking isn't your ministry today.

That's okay too!

Get down on your mat and do some yoga.

Stretch.

Breathe.

Roll your shoulders.

Move your hips.

Try a gentle hip-opening pose and notice what sensations come up in your body.

We often hear people say that we “store trauma in our hips.” While trauma isn't literally stored in one particular body part, stressful and traumatic experiences can influence how we hold tension, breathe, move, and experience sensations throughout the body.

For some of us, the hips, shoulders, jaw, neck, or back can feel especially tight when we've been stressed for a long time.

So, open those hips up by any means necessary!

Okay—within reason, because I don't need anybody hurting themselves trying to heal.

The point is to move.

You don't need a 60-minute workout.

You don't need the perfect yoga routine.

You don't need matching workout clothes, a fancy mat, or a beautifully curated playlist.

Just get up.

Give yourself one song.

Stretch for five minutes.

Walk around the block.

Dance in the kitchen.

Do a little yoga before bed.

Shake your body and breathe.

Sometimes, when our minds feel stuck, giving our bodies permission to move can be a beautiful place to begin.

Create a Minimum Day

On low-motivation days, sometimes we need to stop expecting ourselves to operate at 100%.

Ask yourself:

“What does the minimum look like for me today?”

Maybe your minimum day is:

• Get out of bed.

• Open the blinds.

• Brush your teeth.

• Take a shower.

• Drink water.

• Eat something nourishing.

• Take prescribed medications.

• Step outside for a few minutes.

• Complete one necessary task.

• Connect with someone.

• Get some rest.

That's enough.

A minimum day isn't your forever routine.

It's a bridge between where you are and where you're trying to go.

Watch How You Talk to Yourself

Low motivation can quickly turn into self-criticism.

“I'm lazy.”

“I'm wasting my life.”

“Everyone else is accomplishing things except me.”

“I should be further along.”

“Why can't I just get it together?”

But beating yourself up doesn't necessarily make you more productive.

Instead of asking:

“What's wrong with me?”

Ask:

“What is making this difficult for me right now?”

Instead of:

“Why am I so lazy?”

Ask:

“What do I need in order to take the next step?”

You can hold yourself accountable without bullying yourself.

Rest or Avoidance?

Here's another question I want you to ask yourself:

Do I need rest, or am I avoiding something?

Because there is a difference.

Rest is necessary.

You don't have to earn rest by running yourself into the ground.

But there is also a difference between intentional rest that restores us and avoidance that leaves us feeling more overwhelmed afterward.

Sometimes you really do need to lie down.

And sometimes you've been lying down for three hours scrolling on your phone because you don't want to send that email.

Be honest with yourself.

Not judgmental.

Honest.

You Don't Have to Feel Ready

Maybe one of the most important things we can learn about motivation is that we don't always have to feel ready before we begin.

You don't have to feel motivated.

You don't have to feel confident.

You don't have to stop being afraid.

You don't have to have everything figured out.

Sometimes you simply say:

“I don't feel like doing this, but I'm going to give it five minutes.”

Or:

“I'm overwhelmed, so I'm only doing one thing today.”

Or:

“I'm scared, but I'm going to try anyway.”

And sometimes:

“Today, I actually need to rest, and I'm going to allow myself to do that without feeling guilty.”

Low motivation isn't always something that needs to be defeated.

Sometimes it needs to be understood.

Maybe you need rest.

Maybe you need structure.

Maybe you need movement.

Maybe you need to reconnect with your purpose.

Maybe you need to change the goal.

Maybe you need therapy.

Maybe you need to call your doctor and get some labs checked.

And maybe you need to put on your favorite song and twerk around the living room for a few minutes.

Whatever it is, start by listening to yourself.

Your feelings are information.

Get curious about them.

Honor what they're telling you.

But remember: you still get to decide what happens next.

So breathe.

Check in with yourself.

Make the task smaller.

Move your body.

And when you can—

Get up.

You don't have to conquer the whole mountain today.

Just take the next step.