Lived Experience Forum

[Thaddeus77]

Hi all - I'm a newbie here and first time contributor.

Today I've got a mountain of things that need to be done - work, home, personal etc. It's not that I feel overwhelmed by the mountain of things I need to do; I don't. It's not that I'm anxious about them; I'm not.

I just have days where I just don't want to do anything. Work isn't motivating me today - even though I have deadlines to meet. I couldn't give a stuff about the loads of washing to be done. I still need to complete the census, but really don't care!

Am I the only one who has days like this?

How do people get themselves moving on days like this?

Thanks

[Milly143]

I can soooo relate to your mood....for the past 8 months I have been feeling like you.  The mere fact that I live alone, probably does not help.  I am on a disability pension as a result of my mental health, and some of the family members just don't care, and think I am lazy.  All my working life I have worked so hard, for part of that time I ran my own business, working at least 12 hour days, then there was the social life, family always came first.  Now that I need family support and understanding, it is just not there.  I have never felt more alone and down in my life.

You say there are days where you just don't want to do anything, I hide in bed, and for days do not leave the house, let alone do the housework, washing etc.   My dogs are my only reprieve, and they keep me from feeling sorry for myself.  They give me joy, love and understanding, they give so much more than I would ever expect from a dog.  

Meditation music keeps me calm, and keeps out the white noise that makes me feel like I have tipped over the edge.

Hang in there Thaddeus 77, we survive, we keep going....the steep mountains and deep crevices, reduce to speed bumps, and we get over them as best we can.

There are many many many of us who totally understand.

[NikNik]

Hi @Thaddeus77

As @Milly143 said, many feel like this.

@Cazchri started a great thread here for those of us who want a bit of an extra push and some encouragement. It's also a way to keep ourselves accountable. Maybe you'd find that helpful?

I sounds like this is something you experience every now & then - would that be right? Or is it quite frequent?

[Las]

I really identify

[Former-Member]

Hi @Thaddeus77

I'm also struggling with motivation and getting things done but i am feeling completely overwhelmed. Have you felt this sort of unmotivated feeling before? was there anything that helped in the past? 

I keep getting told by the people who help me that exercise is really important for giving us more energy and motivation. sometimes i think they're all bonkers and that it cant really help that much but im trying anyway! 

good luck

lj

[Thaddeus77]

Thanks for those replies. It's a tough struggle, isn't it? Whilst I have been blessed with a job where I can work from home regularly, that is sometimes also my downfall with motivation! As @Milly143 said - that whole being/living alone thing can be a problem sometimes.

@Former-Member - what has worked for me? Going to an office where I feel like I'm at work and not just slacking around at home helps, to an extent. Although after a few hours I just can't handle the "office buzz" any longer. I need to get into exercise again - my aim is just a 20 minutes walk every second day this week, so I'll see how I go to ease myself into it.

For me this is a semi-regular feeling or state of existence. I can usually count on feeling that way one or two days a week.

[SadShark]

Oh my goodness.
Completely relate.

The tasks list just gets bigger and bigger, anxiety creeps up steadily... and motivation and the care factor goes out the window. I will get down to my last, rattiest and most uncomfortable pair of underwear before i actually put washing on.. even then its at 11 oclock at night and its a struggle to empty the washing machine.

My dogs to are my reprieve. If i do one task a day..its walking them. A struggle more often than not and a chore sometimes, but makes me get out.
After a day of laying in bed feeling sorry for myself their cow eyes look at me and i feel bad so i get out and do it.

My give a crap mode definantly is on more often than not... parking the other day.. i was out of the lines.. rather than doing the right thing and straightening up.. i just left it...blah... i felt like a slob but i just couldnt be bothered.
I dont even care about my health and wellbeing.
Walk the dogs at 10pm on a dark street with no streetlights....oh well.....
I feel your pain and its a horrible place to be.

[HopefullyPink]

I can so relate to what everyone has said!!!  There are so many days when I just can;t be bothered doing ANYTHING and will just do the bare minimum, like getting the kids off to school, feeding them etc.. I HATE feeling like that. Sometimes just the thought of everything I have to do makes me feel like screaming. 

One thing I do to get myself going is put on some loud dance music and tell myself, ok, now just do the dishes or put on the washing and that will be good enough. Most times the music will lift my spirits and activate the feel good hormones and I keep going and do more, But sometimes the daily drudge of it all just gets to me and I have to get out of the house. It's comforting to know others feel the same.

[Thaddeus77]

Music works for me quite often too @HopefullyPink - although there are days when even that doesn't stir me!

[Thaddeus77]

@SadSharkThere's a great line in a song by The Whitlams that says "They wouldn't have a clue what it's like to be lazy when you've got too much to do". I know it's not laziness, but it's still very true. It's hard for others to understand.