How do you motivate yourself?

I get out of bed , do what needs to be done and then have the rest of the day to do what I like doing. No motivation required for me.

I am an all or nothing person. I can work constantly for days on a project in order to get it done and then have a couple of days doing very little. At the start of the lock down I spent weeks spring cleaning and in the garden. Lots of sewing and knitting projects. Then a couple of days reading. A couple of days writing letters and emails. Then I made lots of food for the freezer.

Now I am rather fed up and lonely. I miss having people to stay and being able to pop out to the shops to have a browse around. But I know I am lucky to be alive and healthy and not alone. My husband is great and there is Houseparty and the phone, but somehow those are not as satisfying.

Sorry, I missed the point about motivation. I like to get things done now rather than put them off, even things like cleaning the oven, since you never know when an opportunity will arise to do something nice or unexpected visitors will arrive!

I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to do housework so I pretend we are going to have visitors.

My concentration is not so good after being in lockdown for about three months. I knit for a while, become bored and pick up my Kindle and then get bored with that.

Gma 29, I am a list maker too.
My lists are lengthy because like you I break the jobs into bite sized pieces.
They are numbered.
I also cheat .
If I have already done something before writing the list I wrote it down just so that I can cross it off!

Find all your tips for getting things done very inspiring, especially realising and remembering there are always people worse off than you. But it isn't so easy when the arthritis is so very painful and the tasks are piling up!

I am a "list" person, I cant relax until the job is done.This morning, changed beds, hung washing out, its dried and will not be ironed.
Now for a cup of tea and a cake, job done.

I have a list of what I’m going to do each day but sometimes I’m not motivated at all and just have a lazy day.

I’ve just realised that somewhere during lockdown I’ve stopped making lists, after a lifetime of compulsively adding to them and crossing stuff off. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or bad, but might explain why I never seem to get anything done these days.

I too make lists of ‘to dos’. It is great to tick things off. Also I put the least rewarding or palatable jobs first. Get them done and the rest is a doddle

Well, although I consider myself to be quite motivated I'm certainly going to use a few of the tips on these comments! Thank you GNetters ?

I'm advised by my son to make a list. So I've put that on a list.

If you mean mundane, repetitive tasks like housework, I break them up into small (more manageable) tasks and then I can also do things I like doing, such as an art project or just taking a break to check on Facebook or Gransnet.

I'll work on my art for awhile, then go back and finish doing the kitchen or cleaning a bathroom etc. It's more interesting to work that way and by alternating with more pleasant activities you end up in a better mood which in and of itself is motivating ...you get the gist.

Lancslass1 I must admit I’ve done that too ?

I'm nor a woe is mine girl, I think Im very lucky and have what I need but I do have psychiatric illnesses, and my motivation has died for everything except eating. It must be 6 weeks since I had a bath (or shower), I don't smell & the house and garden are very messy.I was having therapy before Covid, but it's stopped, and no idea when it will start up again!

Daftbag1....I'm not qualified to give you the help you need, but please reach out to someone today! .....a hotline, your therapist, a relative, a friend, or even your neighbor. What you describe is severe depression. For your own sake, please pick up the phone and make that call!

I suppose I'm lucky I actually enjoy cleaning and wish I had the energy to clear out my cupboards more than I do.