Getting Past Getting Started: Tips for Motivation and Starting Tasks

When facing a task, whether it’s new to us or been a part of our life prior, it can be hard to begin. The “what-if’s”, our other responsibilities, and other roadblocks can get in the way of us starting, even when we want to. This can be a frustrating experience, but there are still ways to make progress to our goals. 

Break it down

When breaking down a larger list, it can be hard to keep sight of what needs to be done and when. One of the ways that we can prioritize what we have to do is through the Eisenhower Box, shown below. This focuses on organizing tasks on what is/isn’t important, and what tasks are/aren’t urgent. 

	Urgent	Non-Urgent
Important	Do as soon as possible Ex: School assignments or work tasks with a close deadline	Things with no clear deadline, but are important to personal/professional goals.  Ex: Exercise, cleaning your space, medical appointments, etc.
Un-important	Things that need to be done, but others could do or can be set aside for other things, or don’t contribute to longer-term goals.  Ex: Getting back to a non-critical work email, doing readings for future classes, etc	Things that can be completed as a bonus or as treat for yourself Ex: Catching up on a TV series, playing video games, reading, etc.

You can also break down responsibilities based on tasks. . For bigger goals, try breaking down the goals into smaller, clear, achievable steps. If you have a goal to complete a 10 page essay in the 5 days before the deadline, setting a goal of 2-3 pages a day can make the larger task seem less daunting. When breaking these tasks down, make sure you keep note of what you’ve done, and celebrate what you have accomplished, regardless of size or importance.

Breaks can also be helpful when breaking down tasks and determining what to do. If we are focused on pushing ourselves when our bodies are giving us signs to slow down, like when we’re tired or having trouble focusing, it can be a good time to take some time away. When looking at longer tasks, try giving yourself chunks of time to work and to take breaks.  For example, schedule yourself 50 minutes of work, distraction free, and 10 minutes of break to follow. The specific times can be adjusted but ensuring both work time and breaks are implemented is important. 

Ride the Wave

Motivation can vary depending on the day. Adaptability can be helpful when approaching different situations. Having tasks organized in a way that focuses on priority or energy needed to complete them, through the Eisenhower Box method or otherwise, can help facing different levels of motivation. If you are feeling more motivated on a certain day, it can be a good time to start on a more complex or multi-step task. Similarly, if motivation is a bit lower on other days, getting to some of the non-urgent or non-important tasks can be helpful. 

Even though our day-to-day motivation changes, there are some things that we can do to help raise our baseline. When facing barriers to completing a larger task, find smaller, quick ones to do prior. The feeling of relief and accomplishment that comes with finishing something can help motivate us to finish more things.

When trying to start a task, or keeping up with our routines, having the right motivation and momentum to start and follow through can be difficult to find. Our bodies and minds can tell us a lot about how we are facing and feeling about a certain task. It is important to honor those feelings and do so in a way that centers our ability. It can be easy for us to focus on what is left to be done, but it’s just as important to celebrate what we’ve already done.