What to do if you feel empty, unmotivated, and have tons of things that need to be done?

The first order of business is to do an inquiry on the nature of your emptiness and lack of motivation, because that is where the true answer lies. For example, when you say you are feeling "empty," are feeling depressed, exhausted, or both? Alternatively, if you are not at all depressed, are you simply feeling genuinely bored? Are you bored and exhausted? I am guessing that you might be feeling depressed and exhausted, rather than bored. Boredom arises when we do not have enough challenge in our life. But clearly, you have a lot on your plate, and you are not motivated to take action to get things done. This is natural in a state of depression. Depression is actually a defense mechanism that forces the body and mind into a state of "rest" in order to protect oneself from an overwhelming state of stress (and possibly frustration). If you are feeling overwhelmed by all your responsibilities, is there anything you can do to lighten your burden? Can you eliminate some of your responsibilities from you life? If not, can you ask other people to help you with them? If what you have been doing hasn't been working in the past, you might need new creative ideas for how to make things work. Can you enroll friends to brainstorm solutions with you? You will feel more motivated if you feel like you can handle the responsibilities that are being asked of you in your life. And you will feel "full" an not "empty" if you can take on new perspectives and approaches that don't frustrate you or your efforts. In summary: 1) Seek to lighten your load, or ask for help. 2) Gain new perspectives or creative ideas to curb frustration and increase chances of success. 3) Incorporate new self-care routines that take care of YOU to make sure you are getting your own needs met.

Start doing. Being active is the best way to regain energy and feel better about yourself. Start with an activity that you like and keep going.

Do one thing that needs to be done, and one thing that you will enjoy doing. You will feel better after both!

First, take a deep breath and reflect on the things that need to get done and weigh their importance and if there are deadlines. Think about how they will effect , if they even would, my future. Put on some good music, make some tea, and do my best. If I am unmotivated, take time for self care until I am back to a state where I have energy to be motivate again. Motivation can't happen unless you have energy and health to tackle your obstacles, so it is so important to make sure you work on yourself before you work on actual tasks.