Monday, March 28, 2016

DISCUSSION: Lack of Motivation

Have you ever just not been in the mood to do anything?

Lately, it feels like I have been going through the motions on my blog. I take too long to respond to comments, I procrastinate with writing discussion posts and reviews and I haven't been reading as many blogs in the last week. I am trying really hard to drum up some enthusiasm, but I just can't.
Don't get me wrong. I still love blogging and I love you guys and I still get a thrill whenever someone comments on one of my posts. So I do want to apologize if I have seemed lackluster in my responses. I just feel like maybe I have writer's block or maybe I just have other stuff that I would rather be doing.

I can't even blame it on the time change because time changed for us in Italy just yesterday. Of course, you can expect things to get a bit worse now because this time change is already kicking my ass.
I don't really know why I haven't had any motivation. Maybe I just feel a pressure to post so many blog posts every week and sometimes feeling like I have to do something makes me want to do anything but. I know this whole "must post five times a week" thing is all in my head and I am sure it will pass eventually.

Right now, these are the things I have been doing instead of blogging:

Reading

Reading

Reading

Reading

Reading

Other random stuff

Okay, so you guys get the idea. I have so many books on my TBR pile and way too many ARCs and I have been reading some pretty freaking amazing books. And I have been having a hard time tearing myself away from great books to write a blog post.
This is pretty much me at 1:00am and 8:00 am and 12:35pm and 5:15 pm and . . . yeah, I could go on and on.

Speaking of great (and heartbreaking) books, I just finished one, which is the only reason I stopped to write this post. (P.S. Bright Side by Kim Holden will break your heart and leave you in a pile of tears).
I know this post has been kind of rambling, but that is pretty much how my brain has been lately. Now I will leave you with a really stupid joke that makes me laugh for really no reason. But I need the laugh and maybe it's just stupid enough for you to chuckle as well.

Question: What is blue and smells like red paint?

Answer: Blue paint!

Hahahahahaha

And with that, I feel super accomplished that I finished a post today and now I deserve chocolate.

Do you ever feel unmotivated? Do you have any other super cheesy jokes to entertain me? Since I was sobbing over a book fifteen minutes ago, laughter is good.

20 comments :

  1. Gah that is why I took a blogging break! I needed to read more and there were too many comments to respond to and too many bolgs to visit (which I enjoy don't get me wrong) I just needed some time. So I hear you! By the way - super happy you read Bright Side!!

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    1. Grace, I may need to do that if this feeling keeps up. But I put so much pressure on myself!! And I really have to thank you for suggesting Bright Side. I NEVER would have read that if not for your post on it. That book should include a warning label: do not read without tissues!

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  2. Taking a hiatus is okay too, just sayin'!! :D I am actually feeling VERy burnt out myself. Not unmotivated...just tired?!? Like I think we bloggers put so much time and energy (especially with emotional book!) into our blogging and reading and forget that sometimes we need to just drop everything and take a break. That is awesome that you're reading so much though. WOOO. I hope you get on top of your TBR. ;D

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    1. Thanks Cait! I think you are right. I may just need a break from everything blog related. But I feel guilty for it. Crazy, huh? And the good thing about only wanting to read is that I have been able to make a sizable dent in my TBR. Yay!

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  3. Le sigh. I'm in the same boat as you right now. I've been lazy. Although I've been reading a lot, but my blogging is severely lacking.

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    1. Joy, yeah maybe it's the time of year or something. Maybe we both need a break. :)

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  4. I hear you, Cynthia! For me I'm dealing with the struggle of blogging being so time consuming that I'm reading less. How's that for ironic? Between my own blog posts, responding to comments, visiting other blogs and commenting... yeah, when am I supposed to read exactly? I don't know if scaling back is the answer or just taking a break for a bit... ? But I do now that blogging (and all that it entails) is a major time suck!

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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    1. Tanya, I know exactly what you mean! There are times when I have so much to do regarding my blog that I don't have time to read. It can be so frustrating and it's hard to find that balance.

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  5. Love this! I think we all get those days or weeks when we just get meh. A few weeks a go I was 14 reviews behind and just kept reading. It took me all this past weekend to catch up. But then I was so busy writing reviews I didn't have time to read. Ugh.

    I also took a commenting/visiting other blogs break for about a month. I just needed time to focus on my stuff for a bit. Happens to everyone.

    You know why you never see elephants hiding up in trees?

    Because they’re really good at it.

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    1. Thanks Laura! I have been there too with all the reviews. I have been a good half dozen reviews behind before too. And then, I have a hard time remembering important parts. And of course, the more I get behind with my reviews, the longer I know it will take and the more I don't want to do it!

      Hahaha. And thanks for the joke!

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  6. I keep wanting the time to do a good reading binge. My TBR is so crazy it is actually almost stressful. So I need to give myself this soon. Luckily Dewey's Readathon is coming up! Earlier this month I hit a Meh mood on blogging and reading. Just pulling out of both!

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    1. Jay, good luck on the readathon! Those are always so much fun and they do allow you to make a huge dent in the TBR. Bonus points! And I get stressed out about my TBR ALL THE TIME. It's so crazy. I actually feel bad that there are so many books out there, just waiting to be read.

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  7. HAHAH what is with that joke! It's a good joke.

    Yeah I agree with you on blogging motivation, I seemed to be lacking it for the past two weeks. And especially when it comes to commenting, which is why I'm catching up on all of it today, haha. Also, someone must have sucked up the little creative juice that I had, because I have none at the moment. All I write are book reviews, and I'm a little tired of it.

    I think rambly posts are the best. Because you can actually say whatever is on your mind without having to organize it :) Also, I hope you get out of this little slump
    you have going on!

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    1. Thanks Valerie! I saw that on Facebook and I swear that it was way funnier than it probably should have been. I must have been in a silly mood to laugh that hard. It does seem like I have gradually come out of my slump. I am behind on my comments and posting, mainly because my Internet was down ALL LAST WEEK. Argh. It was bad and good at the same time. It forced me to take a break from blogging and feeling obligated to comment and respond and everything. The break has definitely helped!

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  8. BWHAH the joke made me chuckle. And I feel you. SO MUCH. For me it isn't even that I don't WANT to blog, it's that I feel so damn defeated. There is just no actual way for me to keep up with things so I want to say screw it and throw in the towel. And read, of course, yes. I shall have to read this book that made you cry, because I assume I will love it if you did! Good luck with the motivation. I have seriously zero answers for you, because I have none for myself either.

    Here's something funny: Val and I did an April Fool's event. And people entered the giveaway. It's a giveaway for loose packets of Equal and an infant rectal thermometer, which goes to show that people will literally take ANY free thing.

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    1. Thanks Shannon. When I saw that joke, I swear it was funnier than it probably should have been. It's just silly, but it makes me laugh. And man, your April Fool's joke post was HILARIOUS! I can't believe people fell for it. I read Val's post too and it was so funny. For a second, I thought I had fallen for your joke and entered the giveaway because I remembered entering another giveaway on your site. Luckily, I didn't fall for this one! Craziness.

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  9. This seems to be going around lately. I was right there with you right before my vacation. Luckily, I came back feeling a bit more refreshed, so hopefully it'll stick!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Thanks Nicole! My slump has gradually eased up so I am grateful for that!

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  10. HA! Yes! I just wrote a blog post about this! I can pinpoint my issue (extreme depression - both situational and biological) and it is taking a toll on my fun. Maybe it is time for a break or a project or to showcase another hobby? I wish I had the answer - I am looking for my own cure on this one. :( I hope something helps soon!

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    1. Lyn, yes I just read that post! I am so sorry about your struggles with depression. I can completely understand why you wouldn't have motivation to do much. My issue is more out of a combination of laziness and writer's block, but the struggle is real. :) I was forced to take a break last week because my Internet was out ALL WEEK. The break did help immensely. I always feel guilty for taking breaks with stuff, but this was different because there was literally nothing I could do about it. So I just watched TV and read, read, read. A break is not a bad thing at all!

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