Breaking the Inertia Loop
Breaking the Inertia Loop
Ever find yourself trapped in a rut? This read is your lifeline out of the procrastination whirlpool—no more excuses.
Hi everyone!
I hope you had a productive week so far.
Everyday fatigue and procrastination is the topic for this week. Are you in a negative spiral of inertia? This happens to everyone nowadays due to short videos and social media even very often.
I'll show you how to get out of it.
Let's get started👇
🌀 The inertia spiral
💪 Not only inspiration leads to action
✅ Do something
☕ Sleep & targeted caffeine use
🤝 Closing words
🌀 The inertia spiral
Imagine sitting on your bed and starting a new series because you need one. If it's not good, you stop after 10 minutes and look for another one.
If it's good and not boring, you're hooked. You watch the second episode, the third, and the whole season simultaneously.
Be honest with yourself. How many times have you done this?
It's the same as on TikTok, for example. It's a negative spiral, provided you want to be productive.
If you say that you are always tired, others often answer:
"Yes, you have iron deficiency or don't get enough fresh air."
But for 80-90%, it's just an excuse to say why you're not doing anything now or today.
As soon as you get into a rut, it follows through. If you are tired one day, and the next day you are tired, and so on, it can be the whole week.
Sluggishness and tiredness are also routines. Just as there are positive routines, there are also negative ones.
For example:
Spending two hours on TikTok every afternoon
Every evening, you watch three episodes of a current series.
You look directly at your phone after waking up.
In 2009, a study found that it takes 18-250 days to establish a new habit and 66 days for the behavior to become a routine.
The question is:
How long have you been procrastinating?
It could be a habit or even a routine already.
But without inspiration, how do I get anything productive and stop procrastinating?
💪 Not only inspiration leads to action
"Do something principal."
You need some action to get out of it. Most people think that inspiration leads to motivation and effort. But this is wrong.
This is not a linear principle. You can start anywhere, even with action.
It's about getting out of the sluggish, tired mode.
I've found a great video that goes into this topic very well:
The problem is also a huge problem of mine.
I often sit there for almost hours watching videos or "I just wanted to get to the phone for a second." If I want to relax, okay. But in my head is always the thought, "Actually, I still want to work on the PC something or do a task."
Do you know this, too?
Therefore, either consciously sit down and watch two series episodes and relax. Or consciously do a task or work without distractions for a specific time.
But without inspiration, how do I get anything productive done at all?
What happens after that?
✅ Do something
Start instead with a small action, and while you are at the movement, let yourself be inspired and motivated to get something out. Or decide to relax today.
The principle takes the linearity out because we often use that as an excuse.
"I am somehow not so motivated right now."
Well, go out and move, do something, just do something.
Of course, you also need a goal. Take a goal and break it down. Only then do you have the chance to reach it.
Often, you need to figure out what steps you need to get to your goal, especially what you can do every day.
What do you think the best way is to do that?
I have already gone into this in my last post:
It's the same with breaking bad habits.
For example:
Instead of 1h swiping, do half an hour and the other something productive.
And at some point, only do 20 minutes.
Then do not do it at all
That way, you won't get a yo-yo effect, and you'll replace your bad habit with a new good one that will keep you going.
Also, remember to reward yourself when you reach a goal or subgoal. Buy yourself something nice or treat yourself to something else.
If it works out that way:
Take time for yourself each week and reflect on your progress and goals.
For example, You can walk without your cell phone or headphones.
Ask yourself:
“Is what you have going on right now what you really need? The puzzle you are currently missing?”
By breaking it down, you also have the advantage of always having a goal after you've achieved another one, and you don't get stuck in a rut.
That is already a big step.
☕ Sleep & targeted caffeine use
The rest comes from a healthy sleep rhythm and a good evening and morning routine. Find out how much sleep your body needs.
Of course, you can deviate from this but keep roughly to the rhythm.
A few words about your caffeine consumption:
When you wake up in the morning, your body produces cortisol, a stress hormone, to wake up. This takes about 30-45 minutes.
During this time, the body has not yet started to excrete or develop adenosine. This substance makes us tired, which happens during the day when we become tired again.
This is how your brain protects itself from lack of energy during long periods of wakefulness. You can take caffeine when it gets triggered after 60-90 minutes of waking up.
This way, you block the adenosine and don't get tired again immediately.
Drink your coffee 90 minutes after you get up.
It takes effect after about 30 minutes.
Only 50% degraded after five hours.
After 5-7 hours, the rest is broken down.
When you get up at 7 o'clock, you should not drink coffee after 13-14 o'clock.
This will improve the quality of your sleep because there is no more caffeine in your body, or only a little. You also avoid the down you surely know in the afternoon.
There are many ways to track your sleep quality with watches or other gadgets.
Honestly, I don't have one yet, but many people have recommended me the Oura Ring.
Let us now summarize it in a few steps👇
🤝 Closing words
Do the reality check:
If you realize you are stuck in such a routine of inertia, you want to escape it.
You get into action and do little things. Just do it. You'll notice it's coming along. You get dopamine, keep going, and realize it feels good.
Now, you can set concrete goals and break them down.
Ask you these two questions:
What do I want to have?
Where do I want to go?
Reward yourself for small successes.
Find your rhythm and pay attention to small things, like when you drink your coffee.
If you don't own the first hour in the morning and the last hour in the evening, how will you ever build up anything?
You decide. You are the master of yourself.
Seize the day and stop finding excuses anymore.
Thanks for reading.
Feel free to share your personal experiences about this topic, give any feedback, comment, or DM me.
I wish you a productive week.
See you next time!