{"id":49028,"date":"2017-12-05T11:04:54","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T11:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=49028"},"modified":"2022-05-16T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T11:00:00","slug":"no-motivation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/no-motivation.htm","title":{"rendered":"No Motivation? When It\u2019s time to Be Concerned"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By: Jennifer Boyer<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

We all lose steam now and then.<\/p>\n

But when does having no motivation go from a mental time-out<\/a>, to a serious issue that needs your attention?<\/em><\/p>\n

What is low motivation?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Motivation is when you feel driven to do things. In a very basic way, we are<\/strong> motivated to get out of bed. But we are also motivated to go to work<\/a>, to see our friends<\/span><\/a>, and to have goals<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Low motivation means we feel uninterested in doing things. We start to<\/strong> cancel social events, perhaps call in sick to work when we aren\u2019t, don\u2019t make that gym class.<\/p>\n

No motivation happens when we just don\u2019t want to do anything<\/em>. We avoid our friends, stop going to the<\/strong> gym at all, go to work only if we have to, and possibly start to self-sabotage<\/span><\/a>. We mess up the work presentation, end relationships<\/span><\/a>, miss important meetings.<\/p>\n

When having no motivation is normal<\/span><\/h2>\n

Lounging around the house in a tracksuit is actually normal behaviour post <\/strong>a big life change<\/span><\/a> like a redundancy<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>breakup<\/span><\/a>, or bereavement<\/span><\/a>. It\u2019s as if our mind needs a timeout to recuperate.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also normal during teenage years. The teenage brain<\/span> <\/a>and body are in<\/strong> flux during adolescence. And it and it can mean teenagers can feel spaced out, moody, and uninterested in such things as thinking about their future or cleaning their rooms.<\/p>\n

Low motivation evidently happens when we agree to do something we don\u2019t like<\/em>, or<\/strong> don\u2019t say<\/span><\/a> no<\/span> when we want to.<\/p>\n

If you took on a project at work you hate, or you agreed to plan a friend\u2019s wedding<\/span><\/a> but really didn\u2019t want to, low motivation is your mind\u2019s way of protesting. Your energy often returns when you get honest<\/a> and ask for help<\/a>, or quit the project.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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By: Kevin Hutchinson<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

And finally, having no motivation can also be a symptom of a physical health condition.<\/strong> This includes chronic fatigue syndrome<\/a>, hyperthyroidism, epilepsy, and brain tumours.<\/p>\n

When low motivation is a GOOD thing\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Low motivation can be a wakeup call. If you listen to what it\u2019s trying to tell you, it can mean you make decisions<\/span><\/a> that leave you in a better place.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For example, if you suddenly find you have<\/strong> lost all motivation at work<\/span><\/a>, it could be a sign that you need to take a good look at whether you are living from your own values.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0It might be time to assess what your career goals really are<\/a>, and how you can reach them.<\/p>\n

Going for a few sessions with a coach or counsellor<\/span><\/a> might mean your life turns around in a way you could never have imagined before.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When the blahs are a mental health concern<\/span><\/h2>\n

So when does low motivation go from a normal stage you are going through, to a mental health issue? When it has gone on for too long, and when it is jeopardising your day-to-day coping.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Look for things like the following:<\/p>\n