No motivation? Start with one tiny win

What to do when you're unmotivated to do anything

Start before you feel ready. Motivation often turns up after you begin, not before.

This approach, known as behavioural activation, is used in NHS guidance: choose a small activity, do it even if you don't feel like it, and notice how you feel after. The key is size. Not 'clean the room', but 'put five things away'. Not 'write the essay', but 'write one messy sentence'. Progress Painter is that idea in game form: one tap, one tile, and a picture slowly appears.

It also helps to lower the bar for 'done'. A five-minute version of a task still counts. Very often, once those five minutes are up, you'll find you want to keep going, and if not, you've still made a start.

Why tiny wins work: the progress principle

Seeing progress, even small progress, is one of the strongest motivators there is.

Harvard's Teresa Amabile studied about 12,000 daily diary entries from people at work and found that making progress on meaningful work was the top driver of their best days. A round of Progress Painter takes one to two minutes and gives you a visible 'done'. Use that little lift as a run-up to your own first step.

You can use the same principle on anything: tick off tiny things, keep a 'done' list next to your to-do list, and look back at it at the end of the day. Progress you can see is far more motivating than progress you just hope is happening.

How to get motivated to study or work: make an if-then plan

Link the task to a specific moment, so starting isn't a decision you have to make from scratch.

If-then plans look like this: 'If I sit down after lunch, then I'll open my notes and read one page.' 'If I finish this game, then I'll send that one email.' Across 94 studies reviewed by Peter Gollwitzer and colleagues, if-then plans gave a clear boost to reaching goals. They work just as well for motivation to study as for work.

Games to play when lazy (without losing the afternoon)

A short game can be a launchpad or a trap. Choose games with a natural end, and decide what comes next before you start.

Procrastination games online tend to be endless on purpose. Ours aren't. One sheet in Pop Sheet is a ready-made break timer, and Progress Painter ends when the picture is complete. Pop, reveal, then do the tiny first step you planned. Snail speed is still forward.

And if today is simply a low-energy day, that's allowed too. Rest that you choose on purpose is different from drifting, and tomorrow's first tiny step will still be there.

What should I do when I'm unmotivated to do anything?

Pick one very small action, like putting five things away or writing one sentence, and start before you feel ready. Many people find motivation shows up once they've begun. If low motivation lasts for weeks, talking to a doctor or someone you trust can help.

How do I get motivated to do anything?

Make the first step tiny, tie it to a specific moment with an if-then plan, and notice each small bit of progress. Research on workplace diaries found that small wins on meaningful work were the biggest driver of good days.

How can I get motivated at work or to study?

Break the task into the smallest possible first step, set an if-then plan for when you'll do it, and use a short game with a clear end as a warm-up rather than an escape.

Are these games free, and do they work on my phone?

Yes. Progress Painter and Pop Sheet are free, run in your browser with no download or sign-up, and work on phones, tablets and computers.