Finding motivation can be difficult — sometimes it can be extraordinarily difficult. One strategy that can help is to make small tasks non-negotiable.
The Motivation Challenge
For treatment at Wells Medicine, we give patients a little bit of ‘homework’; for example, during the first ketamine treatment we typically ask patients to start taking some vitamins and supplements and to start, restart, or continue therapy. During their second appointment, we typically talk about exercise. During the third appointment, we often discuss mindfulness, meditation, or prayer.
Around this time, we often hear from patients that they just can’t do these things – that they don’t feel like doing these things. They don’t feel like going for a walk, meditating, doing the dishes, or even getting to the store.
When you struggle to get things done here’s a frame of thought that can be helpful: make the task non-negotiable.
Make it non-negotiable
We all have things that we have already decided are non-negotiable – things where there’s no thinking, ‘Is this the right time?’ ‘Is this the right place?’ ‘Are these the right people to do this with?’ ‘Am I going to do it today?’ ‘Do I think it’ll make me better?’ ‘Do I want to?’
There are some things that we already just do, even if they are uncomfortable. There are things we do without spending a lot of time thinking about if we want to do it. There’s none of that chatter, we just do it… Things like going to the dentist, or brushing our teeth.
This approach can be applied to other tasks – it can be the dishes, or the laundry, or answering the mail and paying the bills. Just do the task, whatever it is, the same way that you would take a shower, for instance.
You probably shouldn’t make everything all at once non-negotiable. Rather, it’s about getting rid of some of the chatter around some of the one-to-five minute long tasks and just doing them, whether you want to or not.
Why it matters – Little things Add Up
Another point that we stress is that it doesn’t matter if you enjoy the task right now. It also doesn’t matter if the task makes you feel better in this moment.
We don’t go to the dentist because it’s fun and enjoyable, or even because it makes us feel better in the moment. We go to the dentist because we still want to have good teeth when we’re eighty – we do it for the long-term benefit of having good teeth.
The point of going for a walk today isn’t because you’re going to enjoy it when you start. After all, for patients who haven’t been getting out of bed much, that first walk is likely to feel tiring. It’s about the long-term benefit of getting out and going for a walk every day, or of washing your face and brushing your teeth every day, or of waking up in the morning and not having dirty dishes in the sink.
When using this technique, start with five-minute tasks that will make you feel like you’ve checked something off and accomplished something. These tasks may not be enjoyable when you start, but it will get better. And even if they are still not enjoyable over time — they can still help make your mood better in the long run. The benefits add up over time.
About Us
Wells Medicine is a Houston-based practice designed to provide meaningful care for mental health. Providing targeted interventional treatments for Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD and other conditions, with Ketamine Treatments, Stellate Ganglion Blocks, TMS, and Nitrous-Oxide Treatments. Focused on comprehensive care and integration with Psychiatry, Psychology, and Support Services. We are evidence-based, patient-focused and mission-driven.
The content here is for informational purposes and should not be relied upon for medical decisions. For the details of your specific medical conditions and treatments consult your doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals.
