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human
How to start giving more f**ks so that I'm motivated enough to be disciplined?

I know that motivation is not the answer, discipline is. But how do I begin to cultivate it (again)?

IDK y'all, I've been struggling lately. I'm in my final leg of my dissertation maybe I have ~ 6-7 more months on my side. I feel like I was so driven and on top of things even a few years back in mid-20s. I was so disciplined, be it exercise, eating right or emails...I was hungry for it. I've been struggling the last year. Its easy for me to blame it on covid--- but I know its not. I also know that its not depression, anxiety, or burnouts (I take weekend breaks and holidays)

As an academic, a lot of our work is self-motivated where we set my own milestones, goals etc. I actual love my work, my field and plan on staying in academia. I do weekly check-ins with my advisor, and for the past few months I waste my time on the other days and so I'm always cramming to get work done just to get by those meetings. I just lie on bed scrolling for hours in the morning. I have little motivation to go to my workplace at times. And b/c its covid, no one really bats an eye. I also live on my own (no partners, family, or pets).


For people who are/ were in my position. How do you do it? How do you show up to the grind every day? How did you get back that discipline? I'm struggling to cultivate discipline. I've read all the self-help books, small habits blah blah. But *big sigh" energy. 

TL:DR: How to start giving more fucks so that I'm motivated enough to be disciplined?

Edit: For those asking:
(1) I have been in serious depression before so I know what it entails and how deeply it affects you. So respectfully I disagree that its depression. Nevertheless, I called to schedule a group counselling for final year dissertation students in my university. I can tell you safely, that I got to work at least 3 days a week but somewhere in the middle of the week, I fall into a slump and just don't want to do anything. I will take into account the weather and thinking of getting vitD to see if it helps

(2) Exercise: I actually exercise regularly thrice a week. Its funny even if I don't do anything else in the day I show up spot on at 7:00 PM MWF to exercise.
gpt
Discipline is all well and good but the problem is people are often totally unrealistic about what's possible. Don't set yourself a goal of doing 8h. Set yourself a goal of 2h in the morning a long lunch and then maybe 1h in the afternoon. 3h of solid work is so much better than 8h of pissing about. You'll probably find you build up to more.