Motivation & Procrastination

What Might be Happening

Struggling with low motivation and procrastination can be heavy. You know there are tasks and goals you want to accomplish, but you just can't get yourself to start, or take the next step. You probably know what you should be doing - that word likely runs through your thoughts every day. You don't have the energy, the time, the motivation. It doesn't feel like the right moment, you tell yourself you'll do it later. Or you find something else that needs your attention. Procrastination and low motivation go hand-in-hand. Maybe you procrasti-clean. Or procrasti-plan. Anything but doing the actual task you know you need to do. You may beat yourself up, calling yourself lazy, undisciplined, even comparing yourself to others in your life or even people on social media who you see accomplishing their goals. You feel demotivated, discouraged, and upset with yourself. Which only makes it harder to reach for your goal, and easier to find yourself lost in distractions. You may feel anxious, judged by those around you, and maybe even depressed. You know you're not reaching your full potential.

How Therapy Can Help

Therapy isn't just talking about your childhood, or venting about your problems. Therapy can help you understand what is really going on behind the lack of motivation, behind the procrastination. We'll find out how much of it involves your environment, your self-talk, and your emotions. We'll figure out what role distractions (*cough* screens) really play for you - what are they helping you avoid? And we'll work on clarifying what your goals actually are - and why they are important to you.

Motivation is energy, and it doesn't come from nowhere. Therapy can help you understand what sparks that energy - is it internal, or external? Does the promise of a reward help you feel the energy of motivation? Do you struggle with starting, and once you have momentum you're good to go? There is no right or wrong answer - only the answer that works best for you.

Therapy can help you access the motivation and drive that you know is inside of you. It can help you identify when you might be on the verge of procrastination, so that you can refocus and turn toward your goal, rather than away from it. 

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