We all have those days. The duvet feels like a sanctuary, the outside world a bit too sharp. Motivation? Not today, thanks. The to-do list gathers dust, the kettle never quite boils fast enough, and the weight of everything feels just a little heavier than usual.
I still have those days – hopefully fewer now – but when they do come knocking, I’ve found a few small things that help me stay steady. They’re not cure-alls. Just gentle nudges in the right direction. Maybe they’ll do the same for you. Or perhaps they’ll spark something entirely your own.
1. Start the day with stillness
Before I reach for my phone or plunge into the day, I take ten minutes to just be. I’ve been using the Calm app for a while now – body scans, mostly. Nothing fancy. Just sitting, noticing. How my back feels. Whether my jaw is clenched. Where the tension has curled up overnight and made a home in my shoulders.
It’s not about clearing my mind or reaching enlightenment. It’s about checking in. Asking, gently: How are you, really? No judgement, no fixing. Just a soft hello to myself.
Some mornings, the answer is “tired” or “tight” or “not ready yet.” And that’s okay. The act of listening itself is the magic. After that, I’ll scribble out some thoughts in my morning pages. A brain-dump, a rant, a soft reset before the noise begins.
2. Make a gentle plan
Most mornings, you’ll find me with a mug of coffee in one hand and my bullet journal in the other. I glance at Trello too, but my paper brain still wins. There’s something about pen on page that grounds me, like planting little intention-seeds for the day.
I like to keep things simple:
• One big task
• Two medium
• Three small
Even the tiniest tick moves me forward. And honestly, that’s enough. There are days when the big task becomes “do the laundry” and the small task is “drink water” – and that’s still a win. Progress isn’t always flashy.
Sometimes, I rewrite the same task three days in a row before I finally get it done. I try not to shame myself for that any more. Things get done when the energy is ready. Planning, for me, is about presence more than pressure.
3. Actually take lunch
Not a desk sandwich. Not scrolling in between emails. A proper break. The kind that reminds you’re a human being, not just a productivity machine.
I dock my phone, leave the screen behind, and eat something nourishing. Sometimes I listen to a podcast. Sometimes I wander outside, poke at a few garden things. Often, I just sit with Jono. We share about our day so far or don’t talk at all.
There’s a peace in that pause—a moment to stretch, to notice the way the sunlight falls across the table, to remember that this too is part of the work.
Lunch used to feel optional. Now it feels sacred.
4. Clear space, clear head
Minimalism came into my life like a wrecking ball, and honestly? I welcomed it. I’ve let go of a lot—clothes, papers, half-baked projects—and in doing so, I’ve made space for focus. Not just physical focus, but mental clarity too.
Every evening, I clear my desk. Wipe it down. Make sure I can see the wood. It’s a ritual now. A line drawn between work and rest. A signal to my brain that the day is done.
I also keep a small box nearby for what I call “floating clutter” – those little bits that don’t have a home yet. At the end of the week, I go through it. It’s helped stop the slow slide back into chaos.
Clearing space isn’t just about neatness. It’s about respect. For your time, your energy, your attention.
5. Group your tasks, don’t scatter them
I used to think I could multitask. Turns out I was just doing several things badly at once.
Now, I group similar tasks together—emails, writing, admin—and block time to tackle them in one go. Fewer tabs open (literally and metaphorically), fewer half-finished thoughts.
My brain’s a bit magpie, a bit moth-to-flame. So the more I can build soft boundaries around my focus, the better I feel. Even a 20-minute timer can make a world of difference.
Sometimes I put on lo-fi music and set up a little coworking session with myself. Just me, a playlist, and one clear goal. It’s like a promise I make: this is the thing I’m doing right now. Nothing else.
None of this is revolutionary. But that’s the thing—motivation isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes it’s about stringing together a few kind moments and seeing where they lead.
A good cup of tea. A small, honest list. A clear desk. A few deep breaths. They matter.
What helps you feel more grounded on the off-days? I’d love to know.