Doing something just because you have to do it. Doing something half-heartedly [duplicate]

I muddled through my homework because I was not in the mood for doing it. I did it on autopilot.

If an adverb is required:

I muddled through my homework because I was not in the mood for doing it. I did it perfunctorily.

muddled through (v.)

To achieve a degree of success without much planning or effort m-w

autopilot (n.)

Doing something without thinking about it or without making an effort Cambridge

Figurative. Automatic or mechanical action, behaviour, or routine. Chiefly in on autopilot: (acting or happening) according to routine or habit, without concentration or conscious thought. OED

perfunctorily (adv.)

In a perfunctory manner; as a matter of mere duty, form, or routine; with a minimum of effort, care, or interest OED


No wonder our kids are worn out by evening, just in time to start their homework. They muddle through it, often skipping the items necessitating creative thought, and rarely have the energy or motivation to call a friend for help on a particularly tricky problem. Ruth Peters; Overcoming Underachieving

Some young people soon lose interest; some muddle through half-heartedly, doing just enough to get by... A. F. Villaneuva; Improved Methods in the Teaching of the National Language, p.6

The week raced by in a flurry of projects, reports, and assignments. I was on autopilot. The only thing that pulled me out of my stupor was getting a D on an Astronomy pop quiz. A D. In Astronomy, of all things. Ronni Davis; When the Stars Lead to You

Grading repetitive homework was a nightmare for me. If I got bored grading it, I knew the students were on autopilot (read: not thinking) while doing it. N. Cambron-McCabe et al.; Schools That Learn

Teachers were also influenced by the serious possibility that a number of students either would not do their homework or would do it perfunctorily. J. Elliott et al.; Motivation, Engagement and Educational Performance, p.162

Pupils will get the impression that the teacher does not value homework as a learning tool, and will attempt to complete it as quickly and perfunctorily as possible. D. Muijs and D. Reynolds; Effective Teaching