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On your marks, get set, go? If motivation is lacking, every sprint, no matter how small, can feel like a marathon. Well-intentioned tips and advice such as “Just get started” are particularly ineffective when the lack of motivation is not a simple low mood, but rather a sign of depression. We’ll tell you how depression and motivation are related and what you can do to still motivate yourself.
Lack of motivation: depression or just a low?
You can’t pull yourself together, would you like to cancel all appointments and obligations and spend the whole day in bed? Most of us are familiar with such low levels of motivation. Feeling like this every now and then is also completely normal and nothing to worry about. However, if the listlessness persists and you also feel depressed, have less interest or joy in the things around you and have difficulty concentrating or sleeping, there may be more to it.
Lack of motivation alone is not enough to speak of depression. However, if additional symptoms are present and these persist for more than two weeks, a depressive episode may be present.
How can I increase motivation when I’m depressed?
If motivation is lacking in depression, the question arises as to whether and how it can be increased at all – every change also requires motivation. We have put together 6 tips for you that can help you regain your drive step by step.
1. See lack of motivation as part of the illness
If you suffer from depression and see your lack of drive as a normal lack of motivation, it can quickly become frustrating. Internal thoughts or external advice like “Oh come on, just pull yourself together” then quickly come to nothing and can even unsettle you even more. That’s when you notice that your lack of motivation just can’t be shaken off. Recognizing that the lack of motivation is part of the illness is therefore a good first step. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you are helpless to deal with depression or lack of motivation.
2. Understanding the negative spiral
When we feel unmotivated, it’s natural to think: “I’ll just wait until the motivation comes back and then I’ll get started.” Even if the thought is very understandable, it often doesn’t help with depression because motivation is not just missing for a short time and rarely comes back on its own.
Feeling unmotivated can lead to doing less. Fewer activities and positive experiences have a negative impact on your mood and it becomes even harder to pull yourself together. In psychology, one also speaks of a negative or downward spiral.
The way out of the negative spiral into a positive spiral is to do something – even if it is difficult and you have no motivation. This might mean going on a date when you don’t feel like it, or going for a walk when you’d rather stay in bed. This takes effort, but through these activities, your mood can improve little by little.
3. Depression and motivation: less is more
Maybe you know this: every task, no matter how small, sometimes seems too much and looking at your appointment calendar with upcoming obligations makes your motivation even more draining. When you look at the big picture, it’s hard to do anything at all. Here it can help to focus on the little things, not to look at the next days, weeks or months, but to concentrate on the moment. What is a task you could tackle now? What would be the first thing you would have to do?
It’s better to aim for less rather than more. Maybe it’s something seemingly banal at first, like showering, getting ready and eating breakfast in the morning, despite the depression and lack of motivation you have. Every step is a good start. If you find it difficult, you can also imagine your depression as an annoying little brother that you sometimes just have to tuck under your arm and force to the breakfast table.
4. Find support
Don’t hesitate to seek advice and help if you notice that your lack of motivation continues or you are unsure whether what you are feeling or experiencing could be signs of depression. Depression is easy to treat and in a medical or psychotherapeutic consultation you can describe your situation and find out what treatment options there are.
For a comprehensive collection of mental health resources, you can explore Aneeq where you’ll find a range of tools and insights to aid you on your path to emotional wellness.
5. Recognize small steps and efforts
People suffering from depression often find it difficult to see and acknowledge positive things. It’s a bit like a negative filter that automatically affects perception. For example, if you have managed to motivate yourself to go for a short walk or do a few tasks around the house, an “inner pat on the back” rarely follows. Thoughts like “I actually wanted to do a lot more” or “Others do it much better than me.” are far more common and leave a negative feeling behind. You can try to stop this thinking and recognize even small steps, partial successes and all your efforts for what they are: not self-evident and worth seeing.
6. Increase motivation in depression: involve others
Self-motivation is hard, especially if you suffer from depression. Involving others can help here. This can mean making fixed appointments with other people, for example, to play sports. This way, you’ll likely feel more committed and increase the chances that you’ll follow through on your plan to move.
But it can also mean confiding in someone, telling them about your depression, motivation and situation and asking them to help you. Also, discuss which words and behavior you would like from the other person and which you would not like. This way the other person can support you in the best possible way.
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