Lowering the activation energy
Means finding the right reactions
Is it ADHD? Perimenopause? Depression? Or perhaps it is just one of the many flaws that are a part of my personality; that is, the inability to get over the hump of starting a task that needs to be done.
Last year I wrote about wanting to do all of the things. Yet, for all of the things that I desperately want to do, there is one little problem: getting started.
The chemistry teacher in me has immediately found a parallel in my dilemma and a typical chemical reaction. You see, in every reaction, there is a barrier to the reaction called the “activation energy”. This is the minimum amount of energy needed for a reaction to occur (like needing to strike a match with sufficient force before the molecules on its head will react). The higher this energy, the more difficult it is to get a reaction started. The higher this energy, the slower a reaction tends to be.
Take for example, the act of going for a run. I’m sure you’re thinking, “But Alaina! You’re a runner! You love to run!”
That is true. But, truthfully, for me getting out the door for a run is a battle EVERY TIME. The activation energy is HIGH.
There’s the weather to consider, of course.
There’s the act of getting dressed, which includes wrestling myself into a sports bra (assuming there is indeed a clean sports bra available).
There’s the mental gymnastics of convincing myself that the timing is right (and by right, I mean PERFECT). Did I eat within a preferred time frame? Do I have a different workout (like lifting or a swim) that would be better to do instead? Does it leave me adequate time to shower and move on to the other tasks of the day? This part alone is exhausting.
There are the normal demands and responsibilities of being a full-time employee and adult, not to mention a mom of five. It takes work to convince myself that the run outweighs the not-doing of all the other things and the inevitable guilt that accompanies that neglect.
It’s astounding to me that the build up to something that I do actually love and is actually so amazingly good for me is accompanied by the expenditure of so much mental energy.
What I have realized is that this activation energy exists for nearly every task I fact: writing, cleaning/organizing my house, learning something new, starting anything (like a run club) that I’ve always wanted to do outside of the norm.
The reality of this manifests in a lot of sitting worriedly, scrolling mindlessly, and napping in denial. I’m not proud of it. And it definitely doesn’t do me any good.
What I need is an enzyme or catalyst. The role of these molecules is to lower the activation energy of a reaction. This means the reaction occurs faster and more easily.
It turns out, my nerdy chemistry metaphor is hardly unique. Upon a Google search of Activation Energy, two of the hits on the first page alone were on exactly this topic, including simple, helpful tips for overcoming, such as setting smaller, more meaningful goals and creating an environment conducive to meeting them .
Activation Energy: Why Getting Started is the Hardest Part
The Chemistry of Building Better Habits
So, I’m not describing anything Earth shattering, but I am on the hunt for my own reactions and their corresponding enzymes.
It turns out that even if the activation energies are small, if you add them ALL up, you need a lot of energy.
It’s time to figure out which reactions are worth pursuing.
After a nap.