How do you motivate yourself to do something that you're not in the mood to do?

Oh, I know the feeling! Just get up and do it! I usually clear my mind and clear the area I have to work in and just do it! Keep telling yourself “It’s not going to get done unless YOU do it.” Works for me.

I have 3 really important finals tomorrow…. And havent studied at all! I’m enjoying time with the family, and mom… But I know I need to study! So you’re not the only one!! Think I’ll force myself to start in an hour. Or else I’ll regret it!!
Good luck, girl.

Oh boy, I am so there with you. I have two business plans that have to be written in the next few days. Yesterday, I successfully procrastinated all day, putting even more pressure on today.

Since this is an ongoing problem for me, I have some techniques that work sometimes. I tell myself I am just going to do an outline or work on it five minutes and then quit. Often, that will draw me in to the process.

I refuse to let myself check email or look at Fluther until after I have done some writing.

This is one problem I would like to chuck forever, but it persists.

I find it practically impossible to do anything creative without motivation. And if I try, I won’t like the result. So it’s the motivation that needs fixing, you can’t force yourself. One way to do that might be to just go to the painting area/space, put on some good music and sit back and think about what you’d like the result to be. No pressure, when motivation kicks in, you’ll get it done :)

I’m not sure about motivation with something creative like painting, sculpting, writing, etc.. Though with other things I just throw myself into it. Soon enough it will be done and off of my back.

@wildflower: Hahaha, the problem with the waiting-for-inspiration gig is that the person won’t want it by the time i’m inspired!!

I completely understand the urge to put off starting a project that I’m dreading or just don’t know where to start. I paint too, and at times have been asked to do a scene that isn’t what I’m in the mood to do. Try painting something fun for awhile first, get creative and let those juices flow. Soon you’ll be thinking about the necessary project and the creativity will just seem to navigate towards it.

Just something to try. Good luck

@delirium
Hehe, I can see how that’d be a slight issue. How about tapping in to why you took in the job in the first place? What were your initial thought, etc.

Will you be happy with the result if you force it? And would the client prefer to have something that was half-assed or have nothing at all?

If your are cool with me doing it let me know the concept. I mostly draw stick figures. I can bang something out in five or ten minutes. And Photoshop is already open.

Edit to add :: And I was joking last night. Jesus doesn’t hate you.

Hahaha, the client just wants a sketch. its a prince of persia type chick with a turban who is all pin up girl sexified.

Its getting there. My brain just doesn’t have it yet.

And jp: I’ll let you know if I get to a point where I need that. I might need you to do something just to inspire me. ;)

edit: To note, a sketch from me is not just… a sketch. Its a completed piece without anything having been 100% refined. Its cg and she wants to color it. Our deal was that she’d also have to clean up my linework, because I didn’t feel like it.

That’s not what he told me this morning at church.

Since you didn’t respond..

You’re Welcome

<3<3 **swoon**
I have a tower!!

That was supposed to be a really big candle.

Wow… big candle. O.O Its bigger than the tree!

Or is it just a really skinny lion?

Reverse psychology! You need an even less appealing project so you can procrastinate that by finishing this one ;)

This is going to sound a bit OCD, but I pick a time, usually exactly on the hour or half hour, to start doing something I have to do (usually a writing assignment). Obviously getting started is the hardest part, so having a rule about a beginning time does help.

Another thing that helps is having all the tools you’re going to need at your immediate disposal. In other words, prepare to start. In my case, that often only means opening up certain excel docs or pdf files on the desktop.

Finally, I like to break big projects into small pieces, so during each day or sitting I only think about the small piece and get less overwhelmed ahead of time. Good luck.

Done!

atta girl D!

:D! I’m all chipper about it now. I paraded it around in chat for ten minutes before I calmed down enough to send it to the client. Haha

btw did you draw your avatar? It’s really cute!

Hahaha, no, but that’s pretty much exactly what my style is.

If approaching the entire task is overwhelming, try breaking it down into smaller, achievable steps.
Don’t focus on your anxiety about not finishing; do the first thing. Then, do the next.

aderol.

I wait until the last minute when I no longer have a choice but to do it….quickly.

I do the undesired task for an hour and than reward myself w/15 minutes of me time good discipline tool

i’m looking for motivation, but to do what? i don’t know.
i have all the inspiration i need, but not the slightest idea what to do with it, or how to start it.

meh.

willpower!!