Help How do I stop wasting my days?

[paperbaghat]

I feel like I'm wasting my life doing nothing, my parents have told me this as well. It takes so much energy for me to eat regularly, shower and wake up at an appropriate time... how can I have a productive day despite this?
I write to-do lists, but I often don't follow through. Is there any way I can improve when everything feels pointless? I feel like I'm rotting

 

[ghostgirl899]

I struggle with the same thing. Try to do at least 1 thing everyday. Just one, it can be so small. Like showering, eating, or brushing your hair. Just try to leave bed, that can be one thing. Changing clothes. Anything.

 

[InversedShadow]

I feel you on that. Sadly, when your situation looks like this, you have to focus on doing anything at all.
I'd suggest finding something that you can become very passionate about. This should give you a purpose.

 

[Jadeith]

I write to-do lists, but I often don't follow through

Look, that's already shitton of work done. You made a list, you actually knew what to put on such list which is, believe me, an achievement in and of itself and, cherry on top, you had some of these things done. Bravo my friend. That's good. That's very good. Might not mean much to you but i'm proud of you.
Now, you might try to improve things gradually. Don't push yourself too hard because that will only lead to exhaustion and regrets.
Try to update your list and set a rule that you will perform no less than let's say 4 tasks from it. After a week or so, try to rise that number a little. Even by one is fine.
Also remember to keep those task compliant with SMART rules: Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound as you must be able to see that task has been completed in definite period of time so no ending world's hunger within a week, ok?

 

[paperbaghat]

I struggle with the same thing. Try to do at least 1 thing everyday. Just one, it can be so small. Like showering, eating, or brushing your hair. Just try to leave bed, that can be one thing. Changing clothes. Anything.

The one thing I do everyday is make my bed. It stops me from going back to sleep and makes my space feel cleaner. I'm sorry you also struggle with this

I feel you on that. Sadly, when your situation looks like this, you have to focus on doing anything at all.
I'd suggest finding something that you can become very passionate about. This should give you a purpose.

I like cooking and baking (more so watching people enjoy the food I made). I used to cook dinner for my family 3-4x a week... I should work my way up to doing that again.
I'm curious to know what others here are passionate about...

Look, that's already shitton of work done. You made a list, you actually knew what to put on such list which is, believe me, an achievement in and of itself and, cherry on top, you had some of these things done. Bravo my friend. That's good. That's very good. Might not mean much to you but i'm proud of you.
Now, you might try to improve things gradually. Don't push yourself too hard because that will only lead to exhaustion and regrets.
Try to update your list and set a rule that you will perform no less than let's say 4 tasks from it. After a week or so, try to rise that number a little. Even by one is fine.
Also remember to keep those task compliant with SMART rules: Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound as you must be able to see that task has been completed in definite period of time so no ending world's hunger within a week, ok?

This is very useful thank you! A important goal of mine is to start studying again, but this is pretty heavy for me right now so I'll try and finish the book I started reading ages ago by Wednesday. I don't have much left to read so this seems pretty achievable.
Your words of encouragement and kindness mean so, so much to me, thank you :-)

 

[sadsillygoose]

I feel like I'm wasting my life doing nothing, my parents have told me this as well. It takes so much energy for me to eat regularly, shower and wake up at an appropriate time... how can I have a productive day despite this?
I write to-do lists, but I often don't follow through. Is there any way I can improve when everything feels pointless? I feel like I'm rotting

So proud that you are already getting a lot of important things done. I struggle with this and it has helped me to just start doing a task as soon as it pops up in my brain, because the more I think I either get tired to even think anymore or convince myself to just do it later.
You can also apply this principle of not thinking and just moving on quickly while making to-do list because the more you stare at a task despite doing it, you will just convince yourself that it wasnt a big deal, add huge tasks and then feel so out of control that you wont feel like doing anything for the rest of the day.

 

[Unlucky777]

As Jadeith said the list is a very good start.

Try just setting the book at your desk. Don't worry about reading it. Then maybe when you are ready you can open it up to the page. Then maybe read on sentence. Then one paragraph. Whatever works for you.

Small bits. Really small bits

 

[etherealgoddess]

I feel like I'm wasting my life doing nothing, my parents have told me this as well. It takes so much energy for me to eat regularly, shower and wake up at an appropriate time... how can I have a productive day despite this?
I write to-do lists, but I often don't follow through. Is there any way I can improve when everything feels pointless? I feel like I'm rotting

For me, somatic experiencing was a major game changer. Before, I couldn't go more than 1-2 hours of being 50% productive. Then I was just possessed by insane anxiety for the rest of the day. Somatic experiencing made a huge difference in my mental health permanently. It makes your brain stop fighting you. 99.9% of the time, your body is not crazy and is having a very normal response to the horrible stuff that happened in your life. You need to go back and love yourself. Something is not wrong with you. You were abused, and your body kept score. Every time life got harder and more painful, your body numbed it out to survive. and then a new wave of hurt arrived. And you kept doing that until your body couldn't take it anymore. I am proud of you for surviving.

All those horrible moments of people treating you like garbage was like a -1 over and over again in your mental health. Now, you're probably in the negative 1000s. You need to love those old wounds to neutralize. It's a SHIT TON of work FYI. But it's worth it because it permanently heals you. In a few years, you won't have to fight every waking moment. I did it intensively for 3 months, and my severe suicidal thoughts went away. It was just depression after that point. I have done it now for 9 months. Life just gets easier and more beautiful.

I honestly wish others could see how beautiful the world is in my view. I wish I could show my old suicidal self. I'm honestly just on here because I had a heartbreak and feel down. Love dissolves old pain. When that pain dissolves, your consciousness will truly change on a physical level. Everything looks like it's in grey, but the world is so vibrant when there's love.

 

[paperbaghat]

For me, somatic experiencing was a major game changer. Before, I couldn't go more than 1-2 hours of being 50% productive. Then I was just possessed by insane anxiety for the rest of the day. Somatic experiencing made a huge difference in my mental health permanently. It makes your brain stop fighting you.

Somatic experiencing sounds interesting! Focusing on my body might help as I feel disconnected from it most of the time. I'll have to do more research, but it seems like it could be very useful for my anxiousness (CBT hasn't been very helpful me so far)

Do you have any resources?

You need to love those old wounds to neutralize. It's a SHIT TON of work FYI. But it's worth it because it permanently heals you. In a few years, you won't have to fight every waking moment. I did it intensively for 3 months, and my severe suicidal thoughts went away. It was just depression after that point. I have done it now for 9 months. Life just gets easier and more beautiful.

I honestly wish others could see how beautiful the world is in my view. I wish I could show my old suicidal self. I'm honestly just on here because I had a heartbreak and feel down. Love dissolves old pain. When that pain dissolves, your consciousness will truly change on a physical level. Everything looks like it's in grey, but the world is so vibrant when there's love.

This makes me feel hopeful. I want to be free from my stress and suicidal thoughts, I don't want my only way out to be suicide. I want to feel beauty, love and colour in the world again.

I am proud of you for surviving.

Thank you, that means so, so much to me... I'm proud of you also for overcoming your suicidal thoughts and depression

 

[Lemonite]

baby steps should help

 

[glad it’s night]

There's a technique called the two minute rule. Many feel less overwhelmed by compromising to just start working for two minutes on a project, rather than commit to the entire thing. Set a stopwatch, not a timer. If you only do two minutes that's perfectly fine, but sometimes you might look at the stopwatch later and see "oh, I actually did 5 minutes" or 15 or even 30 minutes or more. Starting is often the most difficult part and after momentum builds, even just a little, tasks sometimes feel easier.

 

[THEREALSLIMSHADY]

There's a technique called the two minute rule. Many feel less overwhelmed by compromising to just start working for two minutes on a project, rather than commit to the entire thing. Set a stopwatch, not a timer. If you only do two minutes that's perfectly fine, but sometimes you might look at the stopwatch later and see "oh, I actually did 5 minutes" or 15 or even 30 minutes or more. Starting is often the most difficult part and after momentum builds, even just a little, tasks sometimes feel easier.

Il research this a bit more, it might help, it seems interesting