The other night I sat at my desk, cup brimming with coffee—a.k.a. writing fuel—and stared at my to-do list like I was waiting for it to resolve itself.

Try as I might, I just couldn’t get motivated to write.

Nothing feels worse than having a long list of things you need to do… and zero motivation to do ’em. Maybe you can relate?

This kind of rut happens to everyone at some point. The cause can be anything from a messy room to IRL problems, but it’s hard to know how to snap out of it.

I’ve tried pretty much everything to bust out of ruts during my seven years as a freelance writer.

I also try to make a note when something works. This week I noticed that my list of fixes has gotten pretty big, so in light of my own recent rut, I decided it would be a good time to share.

Below you’ll find some unique ways to overcome that stubborn, don’t-want-to-do-anything feeling. If you’ve tried all the standard fixes, these might help.

From Clorox wipes to shifts in perspective, here are some ways to get motivated, harness your productivity, and feel good about working again.

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