The other day I was sat on my desk and staring at my screen. My mind was feeling numb and I didn’t feel like doing any work done. I was working on a literature review project at that time. I realised that for the past couple of weeks I have been taking too long to ‘warm up’ mentally in the morning at my desk. My chatgpt page was open so as I was procrastinating already, I shared with chatgpt how I was feeling and I didn’t expect anything useful, from it. Like I said I was just procrastinating. Surprisingly it did give some good advice which I didn’t realise was useful until I tried it.

The Problem: Slow Mental Starts That Drag On

You know that feeling when you technically start your workday but your brain refuses to join in? That was me—sitting there, tea in hand, tabs open, and yet… nothing happening. I’d waste an hour (sometimes more) just trying to mentally “boot up.” It wasn’t burnout, but something stickier. Like invisible resistance.

So when I randomly typed how I was feeling into ChatGPT, I didn’t expect it to say anything groundbreaking. But the response actually helped me understand what was going on in my head.

What ChatGPT Said (And Why It Made Sense)

The conversation basically broke it down like this: long mental warm-ups could be happening because of a few common issues—mental resistance, lack of clarity, perfectionism, low energy, or even my workspace setup.

When I thought about it, two points hit home immediately:

• Mental Resistance – Yep. The literature review felt overwhelming. I think my brain was trying to avoid the discomfort of getting started.
• Perfectionism – Guilty. I kept thinking every note I wrote needed to be polished and meaningful. Obviously, that makes it really hard to begin.

ChatGPT then followed up with a few super simple tips that didn’t sound life-changing at first—but they were exactly what I needed.

The Tips That Helped Me Get Unstuck

Here’s what I ended up trying (and still do most mornings now):

1. Commit to Just a Few Minutes

Instead of thinking “I have to work for the next 3 hours,” I told myself, “Just 5 minutes.” I literally set a timer. That tiny mental trick helped me start without dreading the next several hours.

2. Start With the Easiest Possible Task

Instead of forcing myself to “write a summary” or “finish a section,” I told myself I’d just read one paper and jot down anything useful. That low-pressure entry point felt doable, and surprisingly, once I started, I didn’t want to stop.

These two techniques worked so well because they bypassed the resistance and perfectionism. I wasn’t waiting for motivation or clarity to magically appear—I was just gently walking myself into the task without pressure.

Why Using AI Like ChatGPT Actually Helped

I didn’t expect AI to help with something like mental warm-ups. But I’ve realised that tools like ChatGPT aren’t just for asking questions or generating content—they can be surprisingly helpful for:

• Talking through blocks (like a productivity therapist)
• Getting simple, actionable suggestions when your brain feels stuck
• Acting as a non-judgmental space to vent or reflect

And because it’s instant, it doesn’t feel like a big deal to open it up when you’re already procrastinating.

Final Thoughts: Small Starts, Big Shifts

I won’t pretend that my mornings are magically productive now. Some days, I still sit at my desk and feel that same foggy resistance. We’re human—feeling stuck sometimes is part of the deal. But now, I try to follow at least one or two of the tips I picked up from that conversation. On better days, I use all of them.

The combo of committing to a short timer and starting with something ridiculously easy has made a real difference in lowering the pressure and getting things moving. It doesn’t solve everything, but it helps me break through that inertia more often than not.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of just chatting with ChatGPT when you feel blocked. Aside from motivation tips, it can also help you tackle the actual task you’re avoiding—whether that’s summarising a dense paper, brainstorming a section, or organizing messy notes. Sometimes, you just need a little nudge (or a friendly robot) to get going. For more productivity tips and tricks check out my other blogs where I have shared my personal successful experience.