I’ve spent years working from random coffee shops, questionable Airbnbs, and a desk that still wobbles no matter how many napkins I stuff under it.
Motivation? Comes and goes. Mostly goes.
Sometimes I wake up ready to conquer my entire to-do list. Other times, I Google “jobs that allow sleeping as a task.”
But through all the chaos, I’ve stumbled into a strange collection of tricks that actually get me moving. Not the usual advice.
Not some perfect routine. Just weird little habits that somehow push the needle.
I’m not claiming these will turn you into a productivity superhero. Honestly, some of them are barely logical.
But every tip here has pulled me out of a slump at least once—and that’s good enough for me.
So if your energy is stuck in neutral, scroll through this list. One of these might give you just enough of a nudge to start again.
1. Put on shoes—even if you’re not going anywhere
It sounds dumb, but it flips a mental switch. Walking around your home barefoot or in socks says “chill mode.” Shoes say “stuff is happening.”
Even if you’re just working at the kitchen table, wearing shoes gives your brain a signal that you’re no longer lounging.
That small difference matters more than it should. I’ve had days where the only productive thing I did was tie my shoes; then, somehow, I kept going.
It tricks your system into showing up, one shoelace at a time.
2. Say your plan out loud—even if it’s to no one
There’s something powerful about putting your plans into sound. Not typing. Not thinking. Just speaking.
You could say it to your wall, your cat, or your coffee cup. The point isn’t accountability—it’s clarity. Saying, “I’m going to write for 30 minutes,” out loud makes it real.
Thoughts swirl around. Spoken words anchor them. It gives you a kind of verbal contract with yourself.
And once it’s out there in the air, it feels harder to ignore. You don’t need an audience. You just need a voice—your own.
3. Keep one small promise to yourself every day
It doesn’t have to be impressive. It just has to happen. Something simple, like finishing your coffee before it gets cold, doing five pushups, or watering your plants.
The goal is to prove to yourself daily that you follow through—no matter how tiny the commitment. That small win becomes a building block.
You start trusting yourself more. When bigger tasks come along, they feel less like a gamble. Momentum grows from follow-through, not grand gestures. And honestly?
It feels surprisingly good to be your own reliable person.
4. Use a timer but set it ridiculously low
Set it for five minutes. Not thirty. Not an hour. Five. The brain resists big chunks of effort, but five minutes?
That feels safe. You can do almost anything for five minutes. It makes starting way easier.
Sometimes, you only do those five minutes and stop. And that’s still progress. Most of the time, once you’re in motion, you keep going. It’s the act of starting that’s hardest.
A tiny timer skips the overthinking and tricks you into action. It’s not about time; it’s about traction.
5. Change your ringtone to something ridiculous
Don’t underestimate the power of sound. Pick a ringtone that makes you smile or even laugh. It could be cartoon music, an old game soundtrack, or something absurd like a goat scream.
Why? Because your environment feeds your mood, and small interruptions become part of that. Every time your phone rings, it becomes a reminder not to take things too seriously.
That energy carries into whatever you’re doing. It breaks tension. And weirdly, it helps you reset.
Sounds silly, but goofy noises can pull you out of mental ruts.
6. Make a to-do list that starts with “Wake up”
This trick is pure psychology. The first checkmark is the hardest, and “wake up” is basically guaranteed. So you begin your day with a win.
That simple act of checking something off—no matter how basic—sends a quick hit of progress. It sets the tone.
Your brain shifts into action mode, and suddenly the rest of the list looks a little less scary. It’s not about what’s on the list; it’s about creating momentum.
Fake the first win, and real ones tend to follow.
7. Rearrange part of your room—even a little
You don’t need to redecorate. Just shift something. Turn your chair. Swap your lamp with your plant. Stack your books in a new shape.
It shakes up the mental dust. Your surroundings influence your mood more than you notice. A small visual change reminds your brain that things are flexible, not stuck.
That’s surprisingly energizing. I’ve rearranged my shelves before starting a project and felt like I’d just walked into a new space.
Same room, different feeling. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to reset your head.
8. Give your task a dumb nickname
Calling something “important” can weigh it down. Try renaming your to-dos with ridiculous titles. Instead of “budget planning,” call it “Money Wizardry.”
Instead of “job application,” try “Bureaucratic Battle Quest.” It doesn’t make the task easier, but it makes it lighter. Humor cuts tension.
You start to approach the task like a character instead of a stressed-out human. And that tiny distance helps.
You don’t feel trapped. You feel like you’re playing a part. Play gets you moving faster than pressure ever could.
9. Ask yourself: “What if I do this badly on purpose?”
Perfection is a massive roadblock. It tells you not to start until you can guarantee success. But ask yourself: what happens if you do this badly?
Like, laughably badly. Worst-case-scenario badly. Suddenly, the fear shrinks. You’re giving yourself permission to be imperfect, which means you’ll actually begin.
And more often than not, once you start, things go fine—or even better than expected. It’s not about lowering the bar; it’s about removing the boulder sitting on top of it.
Done badly is still done.
10. Watch a motivational video but mute the sound
Seriously, mute it. Most of those videos rely on swelling music and fast cuts to get you hyped. Turn the sound off, and you’re left with subtitles or body language.
It changes how you absorb it. You stop getting swept up and start paying attention. You might even find the message hits harder without the dramatic background.
It’s less emotional, more direct. Weirdly enough, that makes it easier to carry the message into real life without it fizzling the moment the video ends.
11. Keep a notebook that’s only for complaints
Write down your annoyances. Nothing productive—just rants. Annoyed by slow Wi-Fi? Write it. Tired of folding laundry? Scribble it.
The point isn’t solving anything. It’s clearing mental static. Instead of stewing in frustration, you’re dumping it somewhere harmless.
And often, once it’s on the page, it stops looping in your head. Later, those pages become a strange little time capsule.
Sometimes, reading your own drama from three weeks ago is the best reminder that you don’t need to take every bad mood seriously.
12. Save one snack as your “work snack” only
Pick a snack you actually enjoy but only allow yourself to eat it while doing productive stuff. It becomes a tiny reward loop.
You start associating that snack with focus, and soon enough, the brain links the two. It doesn’t have to be fancy—pretzels, trail mix, whatever works.
The key is making it special. It’s your personal productivity treat, not an everyday boredom munch. This little trick wires your routine with a touch of Pavlov.
And sometimes, snacks can move mountains.
13. Clean just one square foot of space
Don’t try to tackle the whole room. Just one spot. A corner of your desk. One drawer. The top of your dresser.
The idea is to lower the bar so far, it’s laughable. And once you finish that tiny space, momentum shows up.
You might stop, or you might keep going. Either way, you made progress. The impact of one clean spot—especially if it’s in your line of sight—can ripple out.
It reminds you that change is possible, even when everything feels stuck.
14. Give your tasks playlists like they’re movie scenes
Music sets the scene, even if nothing dramatic is happening. Try making a playlist for each type of work.
One for email. One for writing. One for cleaning. Doesn’t matter what’s on it—it’s the act of setting a soundstage.
When you hear a specific track, your brain goes, “Ah, time to do X.” That Pavlovian response is oddly reliable.
Over time, those playlists stop being background noise. They become mental cues.
Like flipping a switch, except you’re doing it with beats instead of pressure.
15. Write your goals as if they’re awful advice
Reverse it. Instead of “Get organized,” write, “Keep losing everything until you scream.” Instead of “Work out,” go with,
“Sit in the same chair for 12 hours and wonder why your back hurts.” It makes you laugh, sure. But it also pulls the logic of your choices into daylight.
Sarcastic goals work because they reveal the absurdity of doing nothing. You’re not guilting yourself into action—you’re mocking the alternative.
And that’s often more effective than forcing yourself to “be better.”
16. Ask a friend to fake-celebrate your tiniest win
Send a text: “I did two emails.” Get back a confetti emoji or a fake Oscar speech. It feels good—ridiculous but good.
Having someone cheer for your micro-wins turns boring effort into a party. Even if it’s just a sarcastic “WOW AMAZING,” that tiny acknowledgment makes your brain light up.
And you’ll want to earn the next round. Motivation thrives on recognition, even fake recognition. It works better than you’d think.
Bonus: your friendships include spontaneous celebration. That’s a win, too.
17. Imagine your to-do list as a side quest
Main quests come with pressure. Side quests are weird little errands that still move the story forward. Reframe your boring tasks as bonus missions.
Watering plants? That’s “keeping the green allies alive.” Doing laundry? That’s “fabric armor restoration.”
It might feel silly, but it takes the emotional weight off. Suddenly, the stakes aren’t world-ending—they’re mildly amusing.
That small shift helps you move forward. You don’t need to save the world. Just complete a quirky little mission and collect imaginary XP. Weirdly enough, it helps.
Final Thought
Here’s the truth: motivation isn’t a switch. It’s more like a badly-behaved pet—sometimes it shows up, sometimes it runs under the couch for three days.
That’s why I stopped chasing motivation and started stacking up small, strange tricks instead. They don’t look like much, but they add up.
You don’t need to overhaul your life. You don’t need a color-coded system or a vision board lit by Himalayan salt lamps. You just need one moment where you say, “Okay, I’ll try this one weird thing.”
Try enough weird things, and something works. Then you keep going.
And honestly, that’s all motivation ever is.