This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by koshirok096
Introduction
I try to make it a routine to write one blog post each week as a personal challenge.
Today, I sat down to write one as usual, but no good ideas came to mind, and I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated.
After thinking it over for a while, I decided to take a slightly unconventional route and write about a more fundamental question: What is motivation, really?
So this time, I’d like to share a short reflection on how I personally think about motivation—and what I do when I don’t feel any.
The Nature of Motivation
When you’re not feeling motivated, nothing seems to move forward.
You sit down at your desk thinking, “Alright, let’s do this,” only to find yourself watching YouTube a few minutes later… I think most people have had this experience at some point.
When motivation is high, it feels like it’s just naturally there.
But when it’s lacking and you want it to show up—need it to show up—it often doesn’t.
It’s like a contrarian force that refuses to appear when summoned.
Of course, some people are good at generating motivation or switching gears easily.
So perhaps there isn’t one universal answer to what motivation really is.
Still, I think it’s worthwhile to reflect on how we personally relate to motivation—and how we handle those times when it simply won’t come.
When You Lack Motivation, Do Something You “Shouldn’t Be Doing”
This is just my personal experience, but I haven’t found a reliable way to summon the exact amount of motivation I need, exactly when I need it.
However, based on many instances in my own life, I’ve noticed one consistent pattern:
When I lack motivation, doing something I shouldn’t be doing often helps me get that motivation back—oddly enough.
So in this post, I’d like to dig into why this counterintuitive strategy—intentionally doing something unrelated to your actual task—can sometimes work as a method to get back on track.
Why It Works: Two Key Reasons
- The “Cognitive Deframing” Effect When we focus too hard on what we should be doing, our minds can lock up. This phenomenon is known in psychology as “cognitive fixation” or “framing.”
In such moments, doing something totally unrelated—like cleaning, cooking, or organizing—can break us out of that mental trap.
By shifting our perspective, we “reset” our brains, and that alone can help us regain the drive to return to the original task.
- Sliding the Brain into a Sense of Accomplishment This point takes a slightly different angle. Instead of thinking in terms of “doing something you shouldn’t,” think of it as “doing something easy and achievable.”
When we complete a task—any task—our brain releases dopamine, a reward chemical that contributes to motivation.
But if our goals are too ambitious or idealistic, we risk hitting a wall.
We may end up feeling like we failed:
“I tried, but couldn’t do it,” or “I gave it a shot, but it didn’t go well.”
In those moments, it helps to focus on something light and simple:
- Tidying up a drawer
- Washing just one dish
- Clearing all notifications on your phone
Even these tiny tasks can give us a quick win—a sense of “I did something”—and that small success often becomes the spark for taking the next step.
Personally, when I feel my task completion rate dropping or my motivation slipping, I’ll sometimes add “super easy wins” to my daily to-do list.
(For reference, I manage my daily tasks using Logseq, which I’ve written about in past posts.)
Checking off those simple tasks at the end of the day gives me a psychological sense of success, and helps me feel like I did show up and get things done.
Examples
Here are a few “things I shouldn’t be doing” that I’ve actually tried—and surprisingly, they worked well to reset my motivation.
Finishing work early in the evening and having a drink, even if there’s still more to do
I’m not someone who usually sees much benefit in drinking alcohol, but once in a while, having a drink helps me reset my physical rhythm—whether for better or worse.
It gives me a sense of hitting refresh on my body and mind.Taking time to cook something elaborate, like meal prep (as a form of stress relief)
When deadlines are near or I feel overwhelmed by tasks, I sometimes intentionally take on something time-consuming like cooking.
It helps break my mental frame for a while, and when the food is done, I get to enjoy the reward of a nice meal.Organizing messy digital notes on my computer (deleting, rewriting, or moving them to Notion)
Cleaning up rough notes is a low-effort task I can do even when I’m tired.
It doesn’t require much focus and works well as a reset activity.Taking a walk to the supermarket—but going way out of my way
Just choosing a slightly different route than usual adds a small sense of adventure and changes my scenery.
It often clears my head and helps me feel refreshed.
None of these activities are directly related to the tasks I should be doing, but afterwards, I often find myself thinking,
“That actually felt kind of good.”
And that feeling can be just enough to help me naturally get back into my work.
Conclusion
“When I’m not feeling motivated, I end up doing something completely unrelated.”
Some people might see this as avoidance or laziness—and that can lead to feelings of guilt, creating a negative loop.
But I’ve come to believe that these seemingly unproductive actions often hold hidden clues for regaining motivation.
Sometimes, the best way to deal with low motivation is to not try to force it at all.
By deliberately doing something you shouldn’t be doing, you may find yourself naturally returning to a state where you can move forward again.
Of course, if you spend too long indulging in those distractions, it can become counterproductive.
But just a little break—a small intentional detour—can be surprisingly effective.
It’s something I’ve experienced many times.
So if today feels like “one of those days” where nothing gets done,
try doing something completely trivial—on purpose, and with full attention.
You might be surprised at how that simple act becomes a stepping stone toward tomorrow.
Thank you for reading.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by koshirok096
koshirok096 | Sciencx (2025-06-27T18:33:39+00:00) When You Lack Motivation, Do Something You “Shouldn’t Be Doing” Instead (Bite-size Article). Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/06/27/when-you-lack-motivation-do-something-you-shouldnt-be-doing-instead-bite-size-article/
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