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[How to Get Stuff Done When You Don't Feel Like It]-[#403 - How I Get Stuff Done When I Don’t Feel Like It]

The Lazy Genius Podcast · B2 · 2025-02-03

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📋 Summary

How to Get Stuff Done When You Don't Feel Like It

In episode 403 of The Lazy Genius Podcast, Kendra Adachi addresses the universal struggle of needing to complete tasks despite a complete lack of motivation. Acknowledging that responsibility can often be an "energy suck," Adachi shares ten personal strategies she uses to bypass procrastination and reluctance, emphasizing that these methods are designed to help listeners build their own "toolkit" rather than prescribing a rigid set of rules.

1. The Fear of Urgency

Adachi identifies her intense dislike for "urgency" as her primary motivator. She explains that when tasks reach a deadline, she loses patience and becomes someone she doesn't enjoy being. By tackling tasks early to avoid the "feeling of urgency," she maintains her composure and mental well-being.

2. Maintaining Home Flow

Adachi prioritizes the "flow" of her home, comparing a well-functioning household to a song. She uses the example of dirty skillets: leaving them in the sink disrupts the flow of cooking dinner, eventually turning a "lazy river" of daily chores into "rapids." By tending to small tasks before they become obstacles, she preserves the harmony of her daily life.

3. Relying on Systems

While admitting that systems can sometimes be misused, Adachi argues that they are essential for managing tasks she truly hates, such as laundry and bathroom cleaning. She emphasizes that the reason behind using a system matters; when used to support mental health rather than to control others, systems are powerful tools for getting things done.

4. Filling Time with Enjoyment

When she chooses not to do a task immediately, Adachi advocates for filling that time with genuine enjoyment rather than guilty distraction. By engaging in creative activities like reading or playing guitar, she "fills her own cup," which provides the energy needed to tackle the avoided task later.

5. Starting Small

For overwhelming projects, such as updating a will or clearing a dining room, Adachi insists on "starting small." By breaking a massive, anxiety-inducing task into a single, manageable action—like emailing a financial planner—the barrier to entry is significantly lowered.

6. Pairing Tasks with Pleasure

Adachi highlights the efficacy of "stacking" a chore with something enjoyable, such as listening to a podcast or drinking tea. This makes the unpleasant task feel less like a burden and more like a part of a pleasant routine.

7. Working Around Children

Challenging the notion that chores require "undivided non-parenting attention," Adachi finds that doing tasks with her children around is often more efficient. It prevents her from being "precious" about the task and allows her to be productive without waiting for the elusive "complete solitude."

8. Setting Timers

When motivation is at an all-time low, Adachi uses timers to commit to just 10 minutes of work. This finite time frame makes the task feel less daunting, and often, once the timer goes off, she has enough momentum to finish.

9. Get-Up Countdowns

For moments of physical lethargy, Adachi uses a "get-up countdown" (e.g., 5-4-3-2-1). This simple mental trick provides the necessary transition to move from a state of rest to action.

10. Asking for Help or Solidarity

Finally, Adachi emphasizes the power of social connection. Whether it is asking for direct help or seeking "solidarity" from a friend who understands the struggle, being seen in a moment of frustration can be "galvanizing."

By implementing these ten strategies, Adachi encourages listeners to move past the paralysis of "not feeling like it" and instead focus on what truly matters, maintaining the balance between being a genius about the important things and staying lazy about the rest.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I quickly, very quickly fall into behaviors that I don't enjoy about myself.
2
I become really short with people.
3
It matters a great deal to me to not let things wait until the last minute.
4
I'm motivated to not let things fall off so that I can keep that flow going.
5
I don't have any like romantic feelings about washing dishes.
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📝Key Phrases

1
get behind
2
energy suck
3
it's kind of a drag
4
overarching help
5
personal take
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📖 Transcript

This episode is sponsored by Wayfair.
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