You Might Not Be Unmotivated — You Might Be Overstimulated

There are days when we look at everything we “should” be doing and wonder why we cannot seem to get ourselves moving.

We call ourselves lazy. Unfocused. Unmotivated. We tell ourselves we need more discipline, a better routine, more willpower, or maybe just another coffee.

But sometimes the problem is not motivation at all.

Sometimes we are simply overstimulated.

Our nervous systems are constantly taking in information — conversations, notifications, responsibilities, noise, decisions, work, family needs, social media, world events, other people’s emotions, and the never-ending pressure to keep up. Even when we are technically resting, our minds may still be processing everything that happened before we sat down.

That can make simple things feel strangely difficult.

Answering a message can feel like work. Making a decision can feel exhausting. Starting something we actually want to do can feel impossible.

This does not necessarily mean something is wrong with us. It may simply mean our system has been asked to hold too much for too long.

One of the most helpful things we can do in those moments is stop asking, “What is wrong with me?” and start asking, “What am I taking in right now?”

Is there too much noise? Too much information? Too many decisions? Too much emotional responsibility? Too little quiet? Too little time where nobody needs anything from us?

Regulation does not always mean doing more. Sometimes it means reducing input.

That may look like putting the phone down for an hour, going for a walk without listening to anything, sitting somewhere quiet, receiving bodywork, taking a slow shower, spending time outside, booking a Reiki or reflexology session, meditating, crying, sleeping, or simply giving yourself permission to stop performing productivity for a little while.

For some people, nervous system regulation begins with learning how to create enough quiet to actually notice what their body has been trying to say.

At Ki’smet Co in Saskatoon, much of the work we offer is built around that idea — creating space for the body and mind to soften enough that clarity can return. Reiki, reflexology, nervous system-focused sessions, meditation, intuitive work and other supportive practices are not about forcing a particular outcome. They are ways of creating the conditions where the system may begin to settle.

You do not always need to push harder.

Sometimes you need less coming at you.

So if you have been calling yourself unmotivated lately, consider asking a different question:

Am I actually unmotivated — or have I simply had too much to process?

That answer may change what you need next.

— Kiernan @ Ki’smet Co.