Tip - Just get started!

It’s easy to procrastinate. Just wait for motivation to kick in before you start on some difficult or dreaded task.

But that’s not really how things work. Action can actually initiate motivation.

This process is called behavioral activation (BA). It’s a therapy often used to deal with depression. Depression leads to inactivity, which causes or deepens depression’s viscous cycle. The purpose of behavioral activation is to break this cycle. 

First you identify patterns in your behavior and list activities you find positive. Then schedule a short, small, enjoyable activity and do it. Often that little serotonin boost will provide enough positivity to allow you to begin what you have been avoiding.

It also helps to consciously break overwhelming tasks into smaller pieces that can be accomplished in a short time frame. Once you have accomplished that first small step, even without motivation, you will often find yourself moving forward to the next step, and then one more.

Although behavioral activation is viewed as a therapeutic treatment for depression, the strategy works just fine for getting things done. You don’t need to be motivated to achieve your goals. You just need to take one small initial action, and often the motivation to complete the project will follow.

Some useful resources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/behavioral-activation#ideas

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/behavioral-activation