I really don't! I am feeling so overwhelmed with a to-do list that is a mile long, I feel like this is not something I have time for today! My schedule has been absolutely over-busy for the past week, so even thinking "I should have written that post earlier..." isn't fair because I literally haven't had time. And now, here it is, after 4pm on Thursday and I'm completely unmotivated to write!
If this sounds familiar, let's review some information that may help us. Committments are important to keep (I promised to publish a blog entry every Thursday, and unless I am physically unable to do it, I intend to be true to my word--even though its a committment I only made to myself. )
I try not to make promises or committments unless I am certain that I will be able to keep them. To me, I am only as good as my word so when my kids ask me "can we get another dog?" or "can I go to my friend's house tomorrow?" I hesitate to answer in the affirmative unless I am certain of the answer. I don't want to say "We'll see..." I usually say something like: "I would like to have that happen but I can't make any promises that it will at this point." That way, they know that I am seriously considering their request and they know when I say "Yes!" it really means "yes" and, conversely, when I say "no" it really means "no." It usually also prevents them coming back with "but you PROMISED!"
But why should I write this post when I'm possibly the only person that will actually read it? I think its good practice to do hard things--in DBT, this is called "Building Mastery"--and "hard things" include, for me, doing not-so-difficult things that you just don't want to do! Additionally, the benefits of writing, journaling, and labeling your emotions (I feel overwhelmed, I feel unmotivated...) are healthy coping skills and doing them help to overcome the feelings.
When I am focusing on the one thing I have to do (write this blog) I am engaging in it mindfully. My attention is on writing, typing, reading my words, considering my language, grammar... so I'm less focused on that long list of to-do's--for the time being anyway. Once I'm done writing, I can resume the to-do list (and I wrote "write blog" on my to-do list so I get to cross it off!) While I'm writing this, though, I feel slightly less overwhelmed because I am able to "forget" about my list for a few minutes and when I'm done, and have crossed it off, my to-do list will be one item shorter!
So what do you need to do today that you just don't wanna do? Pay bills? Clean out the closet? Wash the car? Pull weeds in the yard? Set yourself a mini goal: "I'll do this thing for 10 minutes." Then do something you want to do for another 10 minutes before resuming the unpleasant activity. If you're like me, you'll start your 10 minute goal and after 10 minutes you're likely to say "Oh, I'm almost done, I'll just finish it up!" and it won't seem that bad on the other (completed) side! Or, if its a task that really will take a long time to complete, at least at the end of 10 minutes you can stop for a bit as a reward for following through on your committment. Of course, hopefully you'll set a limit with the rewarding, too, so that the unpleasant activity doesn't get completely forgotten! Although, if it does, you can rejoice in the fact that at least you spent 10 minutes working on it and perhaps that's all you can tolerate for today--you can do another 10 minutes tomorrow...
Now I've written for about 10 minutes and will have to spend a little more time editing and posting it up on my blog but, I'm almost done so I'll stick it out! Give it a try! I feel better already!