not finishing tasks until i really have to

[OrdinaryCitizen]

Cannot motivate myself to finish tasks, i start things and i drop them next day.

Example set a goal to write an article, started was full of energy then next day i dont want to touch it, text editor was open on my computer for a week every day i wake up and look at this article that needs to be finished and dont do it.

Another example needed to fix leaking bicycle tubes, took them out broad home and glued and they still hanging in my kitchen for 5 days i don't feel a need to finish it.

Problem is that both this tasks are optional in their nature and not finishing them does not affect my life in any way.

I only finish things if really HAVE TO e.g. if needed my bike to travel to work - would HAVE TO fix it otherwise i GET PUNISHED by walking or paying for bus.

Could this be a part of upraising where my mother get me to do things by threathening me with consequences not properly motivating me to WANT to do anything?

How do i break free from this thinking?

 

[Streetwise]

Cannot motivate myself to finish tasks, i start things and i drop them next day.

Example set a goal to write an article, started was full of energy then next day i dont want to touch it, text editor was open on my computer for a week every day i wake up and look at this article that needs to be finished and dont do it.

Another example needed to fix leaking bicycle tubes, took them out broad home and glued and they still hanging in my kitchen for 5 days i don't feel a need to finish it.

Problem is that both this tasks are optional in their nature and not finishing them does not affect my life in any way.

I only finish things if really HAVE TO e.g. if needed my bike to travel to work - would HAVE TO fix it otherwise i GET PUNISHED by walking or paying for bus.

Could this be a part of upraising where my mother get me to do things by threathening me with consequences not properly motivating me to WANT to do anything?

How do i break free from this thinking?

Only reason I finished most of them is so I can lie down and not feel worried

 

[onlything]

Ah, starting and finishing tasks... I struggle with motivation myself, some days due to laziness, other due to depression. Since I have little motivation overall, I just make myself do something, doesn't matter how I feel about it. You can learn to make your brain start and finish tasks with enough willpower.

Start with one task or a few minutes per day. Every day. No stop. No excuse. You always have five minutes for something. Five minutes on the article or on the bike every day. Read through it or change one sentence, anything. Just do something. After a week bring it up to ten. Then to twenty or half hour. Then more.

This way allows you to train your brain into working condition despite lack of motivation. To be honest, sometimes it feels like motivation doesn't even exist.

 

[LucyPurrs]

When I lack motivation to do something but I do want to do it (that sounds contradictory doesn't it?) I switch off my thought process about it and just go through the motions. For example- I need to exercise but I don't like it or have the motivation to do it. If I let myself think about it I will never do it. Example: Thought process : Do I want to go to the pool and swim today? No, rather do my diamond painting. Takes too much energy I don't have to go swim." So I can't let myself think about it. I only think about what it takes to put one step in front of another like, ok take a shower. Ok put on my swim clothes. Ok get in the car and drive to the gym. I switch off all feeling until I'm engaged in the task and then I often find, as with swimming, that I'm enjoying it and don't want to stop. It's the only way I can make myself do some things.

 

[OrdinaryCitizen]

Only reason I finished most of them is so I can lie down and not feel worried

They dont trouble me much because i tell myself okay i'll do it later then either forget about it or dont feel like doing it until i really have to.

Only time it troubles me is when all unfinished things laying down creating clutter in my house or computer.



I only seeks to do things that bring instant joy (at moment when i am doing them).


Used to be a pretty lazy kid play lots of video games for years and seek immediate joy like junkie, guess trained myself this way and all my life is about seeking fun things to do.

What is not fun at moment is precieve as "boring chores" and put aside for as long as it can wait.


Also not able to motivate myself to do something that is multi-step or time consuming process that would not provide me with any instant joy, no matter what i say to myself i lose motivation.

I feel sense of accomplishment or pride after i did something that i enjoyed in the process, but this feelings along with any other reasoning i say to myself are not enough to motivate me do thigns that i dont enjoy doing.


Even things that were fun when i started them, next day turns into a "chore" if i find something more fun to do.

I just make myself do something, doesn't matter how I feel about it. You can learn to make your brain start and finish tasks with enough willpower.

I don't have problem keeping myself busy, my problem is that i have too many unfinished projects every other day i start some new project or hobby that hardly ever finish.

 

[Streetwise]

They dont trouble me much because i tell myself okay i'll do it later then either forget about it or dont feel like doing it until i really have to.

Only time it troubles me is when all unfinished things laying down creating clutter in my house or computer.



I only seeks to do things that bring instant joy (at moment when i am doing them).


Used to be a pretty lazy kid play lots of video games for years and seek immediate joy like junkie, guess trained myself this way and all my life is about seeking fun things to do.

What is not fun at moment is precieve as "boring chores" and put aside for as long as it can wait.


Also not able to motivate myself to do something that is multi-step or time consuming process that would not provide me with any instant joy, no matter what i say to myself i lose motivation.

I feel sense of accomplishment or pride after i did something that i enjoyed in the process, but this feelings along with any other reasoning i say to myself are not enough to motivate me do thigns that i dont enjoy doing.


Even things that were fun when i started them, next day turns into a "chore" if i find something more fun to do.


I don't have problem keeping myself busy, my problem is that i have too many unfinished projects every other day i start some new project or hobby that hardly ever finish.

If I am not in pain I get a kick from tidying things ,it may be OCD but I don’t have it all the time and OCD usually happens all the time, I also like the detail in tidying things and cleaning ,a common trait of autism liking detail .
if your health is like mine or ever becomes like mine you will care about being able to clean your house, it is depressing to not be about the do it ,because you are so unwell

 

[Mary Terry]

They dont trouble me much because i tell myself okay i'll do it later then either forget about it or dont feel like doing it until i really have to.

Only time it troubles me is when all unfinished things laying down creating clutter in my house or computer.



I only seeks to do things that bring instant joy (at moment when i am doing them).


Used to be a pretty lazy kid play lots of video games for years and seek immediate joy like junkie, guess trained myself this way and all my life is about seeking fun things to do.

What is not fun at moment is precieve as "boring chores" and put aside for as long as it can wait.


Also not able to motivate myself to do something that is multi-step or time consuming process that would not provide me with any instant joy, no matter what i say to myself i lose motivation.

I feel sense of accomplishment or pride after i did something that i enjoyed in the process, but this feelings along with any other reasoning i say to myself are not enough to motivate me do thigns that i dont enjoy doing.


Even things that were fun when i started them, next day turns into a "chore" if i find something more fun to do.


I don't have problem keeping myself busy, my problem is that i have too many unfinished projects every other day i start some new project or hobby that hardly ever finish.

You are aware of the problem and you want to change your ambivalence toward non-essential tasks so you are well on your way to dealing with it. Try to do just one thing today that you have been postponing.

 

[Streetwise]

When I lack motivation to do something but I do want to do it (that sounds contradictory doesn't it?) I switch off my thought process about it and just go through the motions. For example- I need to exercise but I don't like it or have the motivation to do it. If I let myself think about it I will never do it. Example: Thought process : Do I want to go to the pool and swim today? No, rather do my diamond painting. Takes too much energy I don't have to go swim." So I can't let myself think about it. I only think about what it takes to put one step in front of another like, ok take a shower. Ok put on my swim clothes. Ok get in the car and drive to the gym. I switch off all feeling until I'm engaged in the task and then I often find, as with swimming, that I'm enjoying it and don't want to stop. It's the only way I can make myself do some things.

Try not to block out why you don’t want to do things ,if for instance you don’t like the thought of going to the pool ,try to think of why not !,it might help make it more interesting the next time ,I used to block out a lot of things ,it didn’t help ,like why I ate too much . not saying you will walk along the street on a blissful cloud but it might get slightly easier .

 

[onlything]

They dont trouble me much because i tell myself okay i'll do it later then either forget about it or dont feel like doing it until i really have to.

Only time it troubles me is when all unfinished things laying down creating clutter in my house or computer.



I only seeks to do things that bring instant joy (at moment when i am doing them).


Used to be a pretty lazy kid play lots of video games for years and seek immediate joy like junkie, guess trained myself this way and all my life is about seeking fun things to do.

What is not fun at moment is precieve as "boring chores" and put aside for as long as it can wait.


Also not able to motivate myself to do something that is multi-step or time consuming process that would not provide me with any instant joy, no matter what i say to myself i lose motivation.

I feel sense of accomplishment or pride after i did something that i enjoyed in the process, but this feelings along with any other reasoning i say to myself are not enough to motivate me do thigns that i dont enjoy doing.


Even things that were fun when i started them, next day turns into a "chore" if i find something more fun to do.


I don't have problem keeping myself busy, my problem is that i have too many unfinished projects every other day i start some new project or hobby that hardly ever finish.

I meant to do something for one of these projects every day, not to do anything. Apologies for the misunderstanding, I didn't state it too clearly. Stick with one thing every day until you finish it. Even a few minutes are enough.

 

[Progster]

I struggle with this, too. I deal with it by scheduling when I do tasks, and making myself do them. Motivation for finishing them is extra time spent on something I enjoy doing without the the stress and anxiety that I still have unfinished or other tasks I have to do. With optional tasks though, It's harder to find the motivation, but optional tasks are just that, optional, so I'm less likely to get stressed over them, or start them at all.