Lack of drive Causes and tips to overcome it

Dear Readers, If you feel unmotivated, you often lack motivation. He has no desire to tackle everyday things, feels exhausted, and would like to spend the whole day in bed. In the following, you will find out exactly how listlessness manifests itself, what causes it, and what you can do about lack of drive Causes and tips.

Especially in the dark winter months, many people lack motivation. They only leave the house for mandatory appointments and spend much of their time in bed. Everyone knows such days.

However, if you feel unmotivated and listless over the long term, you should start looking for the causes. Here’s everything you need to know about listlessness.

What listlessness is

Everyone has had days in their life when they felt listless and unmotivated. Important errands are always postponed, you procrastinate and only manage a fraction of what you set out to do.

You are constantly tired and take every opportunity to take a nap. While mood swings are completely normal, especially in the dark season, permanent listlessness can be the symptom of a serious illness.

In order to counteract the lack of drive, the causes of this upset must first be clarified. If you postpone the search for the reasons for your listlessness, your condition can even worsen and your professional and private life suffers as a result.

If you lack the drive, you are not able to achieve higher mental achievements. Your work performance is declining and your hobbies and relationships are also neglected.

Although lethargy is often associated with fatigue, it is not the same. The two factors complement each other particularly well and pull you more and more into the abyss.

You can distinguish between a mild form of listlessness and a blocking of drive, in which people completely restrict themselves mentally and physically and sometimes even refuse to eat daily. If your listlessness lasts longer, you should definitely seek professional help.

Causes of lack of drive

Lack of drive can have a variety of causes, which can be of physical origin as well as psychosocial and relate to your living conditions. It is important that you recognize the causes early on and work on them before your listlessness turns into a chronic condition.

Metabolic diseases

Your body reacts to various diseases, infections, and nutrient deficiencies with listlessness, tiredness, and listlessness. Metabolic diseases such as hypothyroidism often affect your mood.

The thyroid affects various factors in the body. If you have an underactive thyroid, you often feel listless, and tired, and have a greater need for sleep. If you are persistently listless, you should definitely clarify the cause.

Iron deficiency

If there is a nutrient deficiency, the body can no longer carry out various processes satisfactorily. This often manifests itself in tiredness and listlessness, but also in listlessness. Iron deficiency in particular is associated with this symptom and is not uncommon, especially in women and older people.

Due to menstruation and childbirth, women are dependent on an increased supply of iron, which, among other things, promotes blood formation.

Older people often suffer from an iron deficiency due to the diminishing performance of the digestive tract. Nutrients can then no longer be sufficiently absorbed through the intestinal wall and a nutrient deficiency such as iron deficiency occurs.

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon, especially in the dark and cold winter months, because vitamin D is primarily formed when sunlight falls on your skin, which unfortunately is rarely the case in winter.

In addition to the basic physical symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency such as muscle weakness and bone pain, such a deficiency is often accompanied by tiredness and listlessness.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vegans and vegetarians in particular must pay attention to their vitamin B12 balance, as this vitamin is mainly found in animal products. In addition to the risk of anemia, there is also the risk of mental disorders such as depression as a symptom of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Lack of drive often goes hand in hand with these psychological changes.

Depressions

Listlessness is considered the main symptom of depression and can even make it worse. If you feel listless, you can hardly get out of bed. However, by doing less, the person concerned can also experience fewer and fewer pleasant moments.

Life is getting sadder and happier. Motivation is lost as positive events rarely happen. The person concerned finds himself in a spiral that plunges him deeper and deeper into depression. If you are depressed, you should seek professional help immediately.

Current living conditions

Your current living conditions have a major impact on your psyche. Any stress can manifest itself in various psychological symptoms, but also physically in the form of psychosomatic complaints. Stress, dissatisfaction at work, relationships, or family problems can affect your psyche in the form of listlessness.

When it all gets too much for you, your body shuts down and lets you know that you need a break. However, if the feeling of listlessness lasts longer, you should definitely seek professional help.

Tips against listlessness

While persistent listlessness can often only be treated by a doctor or psychologist, you can turn a temporary listlessness for the better with a few changes. This way you can motivate yourself and increase your drive.

Get enough daylight

Especially with a vitamin D deficiency in the cold season, it can already help to spend a little time in the fresh air every day to give your body a little sunlight. This not only fills up your vitamin D stores but also brightens your mood. If you move in the fresh air, this increases your serotonin level and you are immediately in a better mood.

If it is extremely dark for a few weeks in winter, you can use a daylight lamp as a good substitute for daylight. The light from a daylight lamp is similar to the light intensity of normal daylight and can therefore produce similar effects on your body as normal daylight.

Movement in nature

In general, exercise in nature is extremely good for you. It relaxes and also helps to manage stress. If you move enough, this can help you to find new motivation. It helps to make a few small changes.

For example, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator or take the bike instead of the car. Try to exercise regularly, but don’t overdo it. It’s important not to take on too much to avoid possible setbacks. Going for a short jog once a week is sufficient at first.

Ensure sufficient relaxation

It is very important that you allow yourself daily downtime and ensure that you have sufficient relaxation. Not only exercise and sunlight can help you but also relaxation techniques such as autogenic training and breathing exercises as well as relaxation exercises.

In order for these to develop their effects, you should do them regularly. This is how you create time-outs that you can use entirely for yourself.

Express fears

It can also help to be specific about your fears and worries and to talk about them with friends, family, or even a therapist. Although you may feel that you are alone with your problems and have no motivation to reach out to family and friends, this can still be helpful to you.

Under no circumstances should you pretend to be fine in front of your family and friends. They can only help you if they know your true condition.

Not only can you get your worries off your chest, you can also find support and socialize with people. Maybe that will help you to find new motivation.

Set goals

Anyone who goes through life without goals feels listless. Goals are important to stay motivated. They make you work towards something.

Without goals, you have no footing and you don’t recognize what is important to you personally. You don’t see the meaning of what you’re doing. This quickly leads to listlessness and even depression.

So try to set goals that give you a new meaning. You should set yourself small milestones as well as work towards a big goal. If you only work on one big goal, you can quickly lose motivation because it takes a long time to achieve it. Small goals, on the other hand, help you to stay constantly motivated.

Eat healthy

Since lack of drive often results from a lack of nutrients, healthy nutrition plays a very special role, especially in the case of lack of drive. A balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables helps to cover your nutrient balance.

In order to get enough vitamin B12, you should rely on dairy products and lean meat or fish. Eating meat or fish once a week is enough for a balanced diet. Vegans should supplement vitamin B12.

Minerals such as iron are also mainly found in animal foods. You can also find iron in chanterelles and kale, for example. Also, remember to drink enough water and avoid sugar as much as possible without restricting yourself.

Think positive

Think positive while this is easier said than done, a few positive thoughts can already lift your spirits. For example, think about what you are thankful for every day.

This already highlights the positive aspects of your life. In addition, daily affirmations can help to develop more self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-love. Try to focus on the good, no matter how difficult it is.

However, don’t put your worries aside, instead try to treat them by looking for their cause. This way you can address them specifically and work on them.

Do without smartphones and the like

Anyone who spends a lot of time on their smartphone, mobile phone, or tablet feels unhappier and less motivated. You have less motivation to go out the door, meet people and do errands.

If you already have to spend a lot of time on your laptop or smartphone at work, you should keep your distance from the digital world after work and detach yourself from the screen.

Instead, you can read a book, exercise, meet friends, or unwind with relaxation techniques or a soothing bath. So you have a new drive the next day to start the day.

Walking among people

In general, getting out of the house and among people can help you tremendously. Hang out with friends, visit family, and attend events. Find something to do so you don’t have time to be gloomy at home.

However, you should not avoid your worries and fears either. A psychologist or someone close to you can sometimes help you solve your problems.

However, do not plan any experiences that you do not feel like having in the first place. This can even lower your drive. Keep in touch with people who are important to you and who care about you. Leave your home every day, but don’t force yourself into activities that you don’t actually enjoy.