Many people wonder: “Why don’t I feel like doing anything?” Let’s look at the possible causes.
Why can’t be motivated to do anything, on many occasions, it is assumed that there is only one way to hit rock bottom psychologically: by feeling deeply sad and suffering intensely. However, this is not the case.
There is also another kind of psychological wear and tear based not on excess but on absence. Specifically, the absence of energy and motivation This feeling of emotional stagnation and lack of motivation is usually reflected in a very simple thought: “I don’t feel like anything.”
In this article, we will see what the characteristics of this mental state are and what can be done to put a brake on it.
I don’t feel like doing anything. the warning signs
The lack of desire to do anything is something totally different from laziness or tiredness. It is a psychological disposition in which the person feels that it makes no sense to set short- or long-term goals or objectives.
Among the most common signs that something is not going well in those who do not feel like doing anything, we find the following:
- maintaining a very sedentary life.
- Isolation and lack of social interaction
- Projects that have remained afloat have been abandoned, or I have spent far less time on them than anticipated.
- feeling that you live without exciting and aimless goals.
- You just want to sleep or try.
The abulia
In the most extreme cases of this phenomenon, this is called aulia, and it is one of the typical symptoms of depression. The aulia is the complete lack of desire to live or engage in any activity. The abulia, on the other hand, frequently appears alongside anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure, which it feeds back by encouraging an extremely sedentary lifestyle.
In these cases, it is very important to seek the help of mental health professionals as soon as possible, since the problem is serious enough to seriously degrade the quality of life and even increase the chances of suicidal thoughts appearing.
Possible causes
There are different possible causes that can cause a lack of desire to do any activity. It is, as is the case with virtually any psychological multicausal phenomenon, and part of what causes it is biological, while the other part has to do with our interactions with the outside world and with others.
What should I do to regain motivation?
Anyone who identifies with the idea of “I don’t feel like doing anything” can use these suggestions to improve and move past this stage.
1. Make commitments.
From the first moment a person decides to get down to work to get out of that state in which he has no desire to do anything, that is already great progress, given the nature of the problem to be solved. However, this will be ineffective unless it is reflected in actions and materialized.
Therefore, we must be clear from the first moment that what is coming is to do the opposite of what the body asks of us, since the problem in the first place is that the body requires us to stay still and do nothing. The logic to follow from here is to force yourself to participate in tasks.
2. Practicing physical exercise
Physical exercise is probably one of the things you least want to do when experiencing aulia or a similar psychological phenomenon. However, a large part of the solution is to literally activate: to devote themselves to moderately physically demanding tasks.
This is a simple solution for the good and the bad: it is easy to understand what needs to be done, but having the strength to act accordingly and investing time in striving for it is not pleasant.
Doing this helps to achieve a minimum activation state that will allow us to feel enthusiasm for a greater number of projects and experiences, so it is one of the most important tips at the beginning.
3. Relate to others.
Social relationships generate contexts in which it is easier to get in touch with new and exciting situations. Breaking the routine by expanding the circle of friends is something almost spontaneous that occurs without having to make an effort.
The situation already provides this kind of experience, in which other people bring us new life philosophies, new perspectives, and new sources of motivation, which, in general, give reasons to do something other than sleep or stay in bed.
4. Lead a healthy life.
He sleeps just enough—not too little, not too much. In addition, do not stay in bed for hours if it is not to sleep, and eat healthy so that you do not run out of energy easily.
5. Divide your projects into shorter objectives.
Initially, lack of motivation is an issue, but once anything is started, it becomes more enjoyable and makes up for the work.
Therefore, you have to try to make it easier to start performing the activities, and dividing them into small tasks and ordering them sequentially is the most effective way to achieve this. In this way, the prospect of getting there doesn’t seem so hard.
6. Go to therapy.
Enlisting the psychological help of a therapist is always a good way to bet heavily on the recovery of motivation. Having to feel like doing something other than sleeping again often happens in a psychologist’s office.
