Sometimes getting things done is hard. The dishes. The laundry. The floors. The essay you need to hand in the next day. Piles and piles of paperwork for work. Groceries. Walking the dog. Bathing your child. Cooking breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The list goes on and on, and sometimes it seems endless. When this happens, we can lose our motivation to get things done and enter into a moment when we feel stuck. Luckily, there are things we can do to get unstuck.
Why is it that we get stuck?
There are a couple of different reasons that people get stuck. Sometimes it’s simply a lack of time. Things take work, and there are only so many hours in a day, therefore we need to be efficient.
And without excellent time management skills, getting everything you need to be done can be tricky.
But people can also get stuck due to a lack of motivation. When we have too much to do, we can sometimes become overwhelmed. And when we become overwhelmed, we can lose motivation to push forward.
Are there more reasons we get stuck? Yes, fear. Fear of failure, or maybe even fear of success!
But whatever reason you are stuck, there are things that you can do to get unstuck.
How to get things done:
- Create lists. Lists are such a simple thing that so many of us pass up. But the reality is, they help us get stuff done! Lists create motivation. Every time you check something off of your list, that’s motivation! Start every morning with a list of things that you need to accomplish and check them off as you go.
- Prioritize your lists. Put the most important things that you need to do at the top of your list and the least important things at the bottom.
- Break down larger tasks. Large tasks can be overwhelming and can lead to the fear of failure, which ultimately leads to a loss of motivation. But breaking down large tasks into a series of smaller ones can make them feel less overwhelming and help you better accomplish your goals.
- Wake up earlier. Adding an hour to your day will give you extra time to get things done before everyone else in the house wakes up.
5. Do the worst thing first. Have a task that makes you cringe when you think about it? Get that out of the way first. This will boost your morale throughout the day and leave the more pleasant tasks when you start to wind down.
6. Just do it. If you have a task you don’t want to do, just go at it. Don’t procrastinate because the longer you leave it, the more stressful it will be. Handle those unpleasant tasks first and tackle them head-on.
7. Create habits. Create a routine and force yourself to stick with it for the next month. Eventually, your routine will become second nature, and getting things done will just come naturally.
And finally, don’t forget to make time for yourself. Without you-time, you can quickly become drained, and being productive from that point on can be difficult.
So make time each day to do something you love – take a bike ride, soak in a hot bubble bath, read a book, or just do nothing – whatever makes you happy (and don’t forget to add it to your to-do list!)
Are there any apps that can help?
Yes! Check out these apps for getting things done:
- Todoist – for organizing ideas and prioritizing tasks.
- TickTick – to organize all aspects of your life.
- Trello – a portal to organize your work.
Let yourself be inspired by this inspiring and super funny Ted Talk from Tim Urban.
Read more:
Respecting yourself will boost your Happiness.
Self-empowerment and how you can achieve it!
How to forgive yourself for living a better, happier life.
Learning from mistakes and why they are a gift!
