It can be so simple, yet so hard. You know exactly what you should be doing, whether it's washing the living room windows, getting in some exercise or returning your aunt's call. But you just can't rouse yourself.
It's normal to feel lazy and unmotivated at times. Why?
"Simply knowing what you ought to do isn't motivation enough, because feelings are what drive us," explains Dr Christina Jochim, federal chairwoman of the German Psychotherapists Association (DPtV). People underestimate how strongly emotions determine our actions, she says.
You'll be particularly motivated when the action delivers an immediate emotional reward, according to health psychologist Verena Klusmann-Weisskopf. But if it makes you leave your comfort zone and put more agreeable things aside for the sake of eventual benefits, your interest is more likely to be lukewarm at best.
"Laziness" isn't a defined psychological term. Often it's an expression of what Jochim calls a "social package" marked by psychological exhaustion or overload. Excessive demands or fear of failure lead to a mental standstill: Your brain shifts into self-protection mode and you withdraw instead of act.
Finding the motivation to set action goals depends primarily on three factors, says Klusmann-Weisskopf: personal relevance, self-efficacy, ie. belief in your ability to succeed, and the expectation that your effort will be worth it. If any of them is absent, you'll lack motivation and energy.
Inaction isn't the result of laziness, she says, but can have various other causes, including a lack of motivation or suitable strategies for implementing the goal or recovering from possible setbacks.
If an action that you perform fails and you blame yourself, your self-esteem takes a hit. Inaction, too, can cause self-condemnation, according to Jochim, mainly because "we live in a performance culture in which an inability is seen as a personal shortcoming."
A feeling of shame arises from fear of not meeting expectations. It's a learned social behaviour, Jochim says, and exacerbates the problem, stifling motivation and inhibiting you from accepting help or support.
Being kind to yourself, she says, will get you more motivated in the long term. Although tough self-criticism can be a short-term driving force, over time it will wear you out.
"Self-compassion isn't a brake, but a turbocharger for motivation," she remarks. Acknowledging minor progress that you've made triggers the brain's reward system and bolsters your willingness to stick with a task or start over.
Especially important, according to Klusmann-Weisskopf, is self-efficacy, the belief that you can achieve your goal. This requires not only the courage to act, but above all careful planning and the ability to handle setbacks.
Known as coping self-efficacy, it arises when you know yourself well, recognize your successes, don't see setbacks as personal failures, and develop your own coping mechanisms, Klusmann-Weisskopf says.
In short, if you're kind to yourself and able to absorb setbacks, you'll be capable of acting and more durably motivated than someone who constantly pushes or devalues themself, she says.
Who isn't familiar with this? You feel unmotivated and hope that motivation will turn up by itself at some point. Don't count on it, says Jochim. "Motivation often follows action, not the other way around." If you wait for the perfect moment, chances are you'll wait in vain.
Taking small, immediate steps can help. Perform an action for three minutes - set an alarm - and then stop. This mini-start can enable you to overcome your weaker self, Jochim says. The next step then often follows automatically.
It's also important to take typical stumbling blocks such as fatigue, doubt or motivation slumps into account. "You've got to build yourself a bridge to get over them," Klusmann-Weisskopf says, suggesting, for example, that you pack your gym bag the evening before a workout or arrange to go to the gym with a friend.
The main thing, she says, is not to wait for motivation, but rather to configure the situation in a way that makes action easier than procrastination.
How can you stay motivated in the long term? Klusmann-Weisskopf's answer: "What's attainable must ultimately be worth it." Setting small, realistic goals ensures success and prevents frustration.
Jochim adds that motivation is boosted by consciously coupling tasks with your personal values: "Meaningfulness arises when actions and values are aligned." Respecting your values when you take actions will bring you greater satisfaction.
She likens motivation to a muscle: It grows through exercise, routines and senses of achievement, small though they may be.
No matter how well you're able to motivate yourself, it's only natural to feel unmotivated at times. But be aware of the warning signals. If disinterest, withdrawal, concentration or sleeping problems persist, Jochim says it might be a good idea to seek professional help. Act before your low becomes a load.
