All of us have days when we really don’t feel like doing anything. It’s normal and ok to feel that way. But if you’re not enjoying this feeling, there is lots you can do to start feeling better right now! How do you start feeling more excited and motivated about things when you just don’t feel like doing anything? Here are a few ideas:
1.) Get ideas:
Visit a “stuff to do when you’re bored” or “what to do when you don’t know what to do” article for ideas. Maybe one of the ideas you read will grab your fancy, you never know!
2.) Reconnect with you goals and take a small step towards them:
Most of us have some long-term life goals, whether it’s a money-goal, relationship-goal, humanitarian-goal, personal-development goal or anything else. Even during the times when you don’t feel like doing anything, deep down, those goals are still something you want to do.
Depending on what you feel like doing most, here are two ideas to help you reconnect with feeling like doing something towards these goals again:
(a.) Take a piece of paper and start listing reasons why you want to reach your goal. Sometimes reminding yourself of why reaching a goal will be good can start getting the motivation and passion flowing.
(b.) Use your time to start doing something that works towards your long term or short term goals, even if you don’t feel like it. Choose a small, easy activity that will generally benefit your goal. Every journey starts with a single step no matter how small. Maybe once you start, you’ll start feeling like doing more of it – plus you get closer towards your goals.
3.) Use the opportunity to get practical stuff done:
Start doing something that works towards something you need to do at some point but you haven’t had the time to do it yet, eg picking out an early birthday present for a family member or friend, or choosing places in the world you’d like to visit and start planning a travel plan.
4.) Reconnect with fun and take small steps towards it:
Just start doing something that you know you’ve enjoyed in the past (e.g. a hobby, go for a walk in a beautiful place, meet or call a friend) even if it doesn’t particularly contribute towards any goals per se. Maybe once you start, you’ll find that soon you’re feeling better and enjoying yourself. Sometimes you just have to push beyond the resistance to find the fun.
5.) Connect with an uplifting person
Sometimes when you connect with another individual who *is* feeling motivated to do stuff, just spending time with them can help lift you into a similar vibration. This may be a family member you can talk to, a friend or even a stranger from the internet. All can be catalysts to help you feel better and more motivated to start doing something.
6.) Hang out in a new place
Sometimes changing up the routine and spending time in a new place can provide a different energy and vibe which can get ideas flowing and can get motivation going. This can mean taking a walk outside somewhere, or it can mean hanging out in a different room in the house than you normally do.
7.) Do nothing in style!
Sometimes the feeling of doing nothing is there because you may be overworked and genuinely need a break. So relax, and if you feel like doing nothing, make the most of it and enjoy it! Do nothing in a way that feels the best. For example, maybe you can do nothing whilst listening to some feel good songs, watch your favorite tv show or some feel good videos on youtube, or maybe you could relax in a cosy bubble bath, maybe with a magazine or something, and start enjoying the sensations of the warm bubbles around you to start feeling better. You may want to do nothing whilst spending time in a fresh environment, especially if it’s a nice day out – like in a pretty park – just absorb the sunshine, listen to the sound of the breeze rustling the leaves and enjoy the nature around you. Or maybe you can put on a relaxation CD or do progressive muscle relaxation to feel calm and accepting of the “doing nothing” situation. Another idea is to meditate. All these can feel great!