Do you ever wake up in the morning and find yourself in a funk? And you just lay there thinking that you don’t even want to get out of bed?

Like most humans, you’re bound to have days when you don’t feel like getting out of bed let alone getting up and doing something. You lay there in bed, just staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything you have to do and that you want to do and yet, inertia keeps you right where you are.

Those feelings could be some mild form of depression or it could also be an emotional drain caused by stress at work or in your personal life. It could be that you’re simply just not feeling motivated.

Whatever the reason that your motivation has seemingly up and walked out the door, it’s important to remember that what you’re thinking doesn’t necessarily define who you are. At least not in any given moment.

So, if you’re feeling down, it doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It just means you’re feeling a little down. It just means you’re human.

Since you don’t want to go through your day feeling miserable, simply jumpstart yourself by escaping into a good book or watching a television show that makes you laugh. Take up a hobby that you’re passionate about and devote some time and energy to that.

You’ll soon find yourself feeling excited about life again and ready to take on any challenges that come your way.

So what else can you do when you don’t feel like doing anything? Try these strategies:

1. Remember your why. It’s tempting to wallow in self-pity when you don’t feel like doing anything, but if you remind yourself of why you do what you do, or what you should be doing, you’ll have more incentive to get going and keep going.

● Perhaps you want to buy a piece of property, or you need to save more money for a big trip, or you’re in a job you hate. Whatever it is, your “why” will help to keep your mind focused on your most important goal.

2. Take a shower. A shower can’t likely solve all of your troubles, and it doesn’t just make you feel clean, it also makes you feel refreshed and renewed. So, if you’re feeling down, take a quick shower. It’ll make you feel better, and it’ll be the first step in getting out of your funk.

● When you’re feeling low, a shower can make you feel better in just a few minutes.

3. Just like a shower, try flossing your teeth. Flossing, brushing teeth, and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash isn’t going to solve all of your problems, but they can certainly make you feel a little bit better.

● The goal with flossing and brushing is that it gives you the good feeling that at least you did one productive activity that day.

4. Chop it down into manageable tasks. Whatever “it” is. When you’re feeling totally unmotivated, you have two options. You can curl up into a ball and give up, or you can force yourself to do something.

● So, what is your big goal? It might be to save $10,000, go to Paris, write a novel, or help someone in your family feel better. Write whatever it is down and then break it into smaller goals. What is one — maybe very tiny thing — you can do today that will move you closer to your goal(s)?

● For example, you might have set a goal to write 1,000 words each day or spend 30 minutes exercising per day. Most people can stick with goals like these on a typical day, but if you ain’t feelin’ it, what is the minimum amount you can do that will make you feel like you still did something toward reaching your goal(s)..

● Keep in mind that the reason why breaking down tasks into manageable pieces is efficient is this: when you don’t feel like doing anything, you could feel intimidated by the sheer size of the goal. Breaking large tasks down makes it easier in your mind and in execution.

5. Speak to your doctor. If nothing is helping, if you find yourself still in that funk, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Perhaps they can give you a referral to a specialist who can help. Speaking with a therapist can also help you get to the bottom of your funk.

It’s important not to let the little things (and even the big things) in life get you down. Life can be difficult at times, but you can make it a little better by changing your attitude and your approach to those things.

Realizing first that something is amiss, is the first step in moving forward and keeping moving forward. Be honest with yourself. Get help if you need it and more happiness will be just around the corner.