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We all have times when our motivation is sapped and we don't do what we need to do because of stressors.

But if it is an ongoing pattern, it's time to look at underlying problems.

Common ones are feeling overwhelmed, have underlying mental health issues, or feeling it is not our problem.

The key is sorting out the underlying drivers and taking action to put them to rest.

We’ve all had those days when we didn’t sleep well, are just tired, burned out, or a bit down, and don’t have the energy or motivation to do what we need to do. But if it’s more persistent—you routinely haven’t kept up with paying your bills or even filing your taxes, you're always way behind on your mileage report for work, and you keep putting off cleaning out the garage—maybe it’s time to put it to rest.

You’re not alone—I see many clients with the same complaints: They’re not getting done what they know they need to do. The consequences vary: scolding emails from HR about the mileage report, notices about late payments, the garage is a mess, almost unusable, and your partner is getting fed up. But like most problems, the not-doing isn’t the real problem; it’s the outcome of another problem lurking beneath. Here are the most common culprits and their antidotes:

1. You simply don’t want to do it

Your partner wants the garage cleaned, but if you were alone, you wouldn’t give it a second thought. Ditto for the mileage statement, since it has low impact on your work. What motivates us are our own problems, not someone else’s. Being pushed to solve someone else’s problems can lead to passive-aggressive........

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