For example, I want to get better at playing piano, but it's both hard to set aside time, and hard to get myself to sit down for a set amount of time and Do Piano. I tried putting the keyboard in a few places, including directly behind my computer desk (literally 2 feet away from me), but there was too much friction involved in moving my chair and changing the lighting etc--it really wasn't much, probably 15 seconds of effort, but it required deliberate intention.
I discovered, though, that if the keyboard is on the landing outside my office with a dedicated chair, then I'll see the setup on my way to/from the kitchen, and it will sometimes feel inviting--often a nice distraction while waiting 10 minutes for a meeting, or while procrastinating on something else I'm trying to get motivated on. And sometimes 10 minutes turns into 30 or who knows how long, and my taxes may be stalled out but I sure am making progress on the fugue I'm learning.
Source: diagnosed ADD for 20+ years.
- multiboot: one OS install for work, another OS install for games/other
- get a PiHole or modify /etc/hosts to blackhole certain known terrible sites
- leave a minor compile error for yourself just before you leave work, so that in the morning you type 'make' and get suckered into fixing the small thing, which gets you into the flow of work the next day (this has worked for me too)
Don't give up before you've tried or of course you won't find something that works. You never know whatIt took months to find that the placement for my keyboard works for me. Treat yourself like you would a child that you love, and be patient and persistent as you try to figure out how to set up your/their environment to allow you/them to function better in this weird life you/they have been given.
I get that motivation is a fleeting feeling, but what about when discipline and willpower are too?
I have succumbed to the idea that I basically just each day of my life like a game of roulette. Am I going to be productive today? Better spin the wheel to find out.