Mentally & Emotionally Stagnant People Refuse To Do 9 Low-Effort Things That Could Improve Their Lives
bodnar.photo / ShutterstockThere are a surprising number of simple things anyone could implement pretty easily to make their lives better. The problem is that sometimes you feel so stuck that it doesn’t seem worth it.
This happens frequently to people who are mentally and emotionally stagnant. Between feeling unmotivated to form new habits and knowing they’ll beat themselves up when they inevitably make a mistake, they don’t even try to make small changes like these, no matter how much better they would feel if they did.
People who are mentally and emotionally stagnant won’t do these low-effort things that really could improve their lives
1. Making a to-do list from their random ideas
CasarsaGuru from Getty Images Signature via Canva
We all know what it feels like to be focused on one thing and then suddenly remember something else that needs to be done. This feels really stressful and overwhelming, but pausing for a second to write whatever it is down on a to-do list makes it feel much more manageable.
There are few things as low-effort as making a quick note about a future task, but stagnant people won’t even take this step. They’ll let the chaos continue to swirl in their mind, even though such a small thing would help them feel more in control.
2. Cleaning their space
The idea of cleaning probably doesn’t sound low-effort to everyone, but it doesn’t have to mean deep-cleaning your whole house. You could focus on a smaller area, like your desk or one closet, and still feel accomplished after spending a few minutes tidying up.
A messy space can make people feel stressed and affect their concentration. This makes decluttering seem like a no-brainer, but someone who's not willing to move out of a cycle of being stuck won’t see it that way.
3. Testing out a new routine
A lot of people associate routines with the aesthetically pleasing videos they see on social media of influencers moving through a morning schedule that is so perfect it seems unnatural. Obviously their life won’t improve if that’s what they’re aiming for.
Routines take away the stress of some of the decisions we have to make every day, but it’s best to approach them practically. Instead of trying to change everything about their life in one day, someone could pick one healthy habit to focus on for a week. Then they can think about whether it really works and makes sense for them.
An all-or-nothing mindset is what gets people stuck in the first place because they think if they can’t make everything better, they shouldn’t try anything. Everything has to be broken up into smaller pieces to make growth realistic.
4. Replacing what they usually drink with water
Drinking more water can easily feel like an annoying wellness tip that people constantly bring up for no reason. Water is actually what keeps our bodies functioning, though.
No one has to drink water 24/7, but contrasting the benefits of water with the pitfalls of sugary drinks makes it pretty clear which is the better option. If someone always keeps a can of soda next to them while they work, they could replace it with a water bottle that they’ll grab automatically instead. It’s a small substitution that can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, people who are totally unmotivated don’t even want to try something that simple.
5. Thinking about why something bothered them
Vitaly Gariev from Pexels via Canva
For many people, the most comfortable thing to do when you get upset is usually to just push those feelings down and ignore them. This comes even more naturally to mentally and emotionally stagnant people because it means they don’t really have to put forth any effort at all.
But people will never become better at regulating their emotions this way, which will destroy their mental health over time. A few minutes of reflection is super beneficial, and it’s not very hard. It could help them stay calmer in the future, too.
6. Putting their phone away to be present
Most people probably wouldn’t say it’s easy to put their phone away, but it is helpful. Research has shown that just having your phone out can make it harder for you to focus, even if you’re not actually using it.
Phones are the ultimate distraction, so putting them in the other room during a conversation can really change the atmosphere. Stagnant people would see no reason to do that when it doesn’t really seem like that big of a deal, though. The thing is, it is impacting them, even if not in obvious ways.
7. Taking the first step for a big task
Even people who feel super motivated and never procrastinate would feel so overwhelmed when thinking about a bigger, multi-step project they need to take care of that they wouldn’t be able to do anything. That’s why big goals should be broken down into smaller steps, so they actually feel achievable.
The crazy thing is that this is one of the best ways to make something feel easier, but people who are stuck in place won’t even do that. They get so caught up in the big picture that they don’t even think about other approaches that could be way simpler.
8. Admitting when they were wrong
Everyone is going to make mistakes. In most cases, the way they handle what happens next means more than the failure. Someone who’s willing to own up to what they did and apologize to anyone they hurt will build a lot of respect over time.
We all know that’s not an easy thing to do, though. People really like to be right, and admitting that they aren’t causes their ego to take a huge hit. When someone’s already not doing the best mentally and emotionally, they won’t want to put themselves through that, too.
9. Getting enough sleep
Yan Krukau from Pexels via Canva
Sleep is pretty deceptive. It feels like it’s a waste of time because you’re not actually working through different tasks, but it’s one of the most productive and essential things you can do for your health.
Going to bed at a decent time and avoiding things that will make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep takes discipline, but it’s also a pretty low-effort move. There’s a good chance someone who’s stagnant isn’t prioritizing sleep, though, and they aren’t likely to change.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
