Life Among the Loons

Defeating Apathy September 9, 2013

It has become clear that over the past few months I have been sinking deeper and deeper into a state of overwhelming apathy. I know what I should being doing, I know what I could be doing, I know what I want to be doing….and I’m doing nothing. I have made zero progress in any area of my life for months. I think constantly about all the things I want to change and all the ways I can improve my life, but when it comes time to actually *do* any of those things, I just grab a book, flop on the couch, and read for a few hours then go to bed. This is becoming dangerously close to depression and that is a oh-so-slippery slope that I do not want to slide down. So….

Starting today, I am setting ONE weekly goal for myself and focusing on achieving that one task by week’s end. I am (desperately) hoping that accomplishing several small goals will kick start my motivation to get back on track with my “normal” life.

Weekly Goal #1: Grade each day’s assignments before I leave work.
I am drowning in school work and this is undoubtedly contributing to my problems.  It’s only week 3 and I’m already way behind in my grading.  I leave school mentally wiped out every day, yet I also feel as if I never get anything accomplished.  My to do list gets longer and longer and longer with no end in sight.  I’ve come to the realization that I can’t do everything overnight, but I need to be able to pat myself on the back for accomplishing at least 1 or 2 things every day.  I need to walk out of my classroom every day with the knowledge that I *did* something.   If this means I have to stay longer than be regular duty hours, I will do it — I need to take the time to catch up, get refocused, and get back on track.

**Just a note: I stayed after school in order to grade today’s assignment from my economics class.  Whoo hoo for baby step #1 🙂