Team, let’s be clear about something…
When you are undertaking a long term project, especially one where it may take a while to see your progress, you are going to have days when you just don’t wanna do the thing.
You probably have time and capacity to do it but you just feel so meh about it that you can’t be bothered.
For starters, this is a normal part of the process of making change and trying to complete a long project, so please don’t automatically take this feeling as a sign that the project isn’t for you. Also, please don’t take it as a sign that you aren’t up for the challenge.
And, while you’re at it, don’t assume that your temporary lack of enthusiasm is permanent. You don’t have to feel excited about your tasks or projects every day. Most of us have a mix of enthusiasm, boredom, determination, apathy, and focus over the course of any project.
So, now that you have cleared the worry that today’s lack of enthusiasm is an omen, what can you do about the fact that you just don’t wanna do the thing?
1) You can decide not to do the thing today
It’s true! There’s probably no one forcing you to do the thing and, in the big picture, this one day probably will not make or break your plans.
Maybe you need a rest. Maybe you need to feel like you are ‘breaking’ the rules today, like you are getting away with something.
Maybe you just need to assert your authority over your schedule to remind yourself that this stuff is your choice and that these tasks are supposed to serve you, not the other way around.
No matter what your reason or your need, you do indeed have the power to say ‘Nah!’ today.
2) You can do the thing anyway
It’s a bizarre truth that you don’t actually need to be enthusiastic in order to get something done. In fact, you can be completely apathetic and do something in the most rote and routine way and it can still get done.
It might be a little harder to get started but you can decide to just forge ahead with the damn thing and get it over with.
It might not be the best iteration of the task, it might not be fun, but it will be done.
Like saying goes ‘Done beats perfect every time.’
3) You can change the thing you have to do
Maybe you don’t actually feel meh about your project overall, maybe just feel meh about today’s task.
Maybe the walk that seemed like a good plan when you made your list now feels like the worst idea ever.
Maybe when your hopeful Monday scheduled a 10 minute meditation today, they imagined a much more relaxed week. However, the you of today, the one who has been through the tasks of the week, can’t face the idea of sitting for 10 minutes right now.
The you of today can override the you of the past.
Past you was planning based on ideas, present you is working with information.
Present you can use that information to make a different plan.
Present you can decide to dance or bike or swim instead of going for a walk.
The you of today can choose to do some meditative movement or to colour or draw or fold laundry or sort legos – anything that gives *you* that same sort of focused calm.
(Laundry or sorting doesn’t do that for me, personally, but lots of my clients have reported that tasks like that feel mindful and helpful. You do what works for you.)
Like I said in the section above, enthusiasm isn’t required to complete a task. However, if you lack enthusiasm about your planned task but a different task that serves the same purpose *is* appealing, then go ahead and do the other task.
You don’t have to stick with the original plan that past you made. Present you knows more about your situation than past you did.
Keep aiming for self-kindness
Obviously, your ideal situation is to keep working steadily toward developing the habit you want to develop.
However, working steadily does not have to mean working constantly on a rigid plan.
Instead, using a self-kindness lens, you can interpret ‘working steadily’ to mean giving yourself what you need each day to move toward your habit.
On any given day, the kindest choice might be to take a break, it might be to change the task, or it might be to forge ahead anyway, despite a lack of enthusiasm.
Only you can decide which is the kindest one for your present self.
I wish you ease and I offer you this gold star for your efforts – your efforts toward your habit, your efforts to change your plans, your efforts to rest, and, as always, for your efforts to be kind to yourself either way.
Your efforts matter. 💚
