From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgo through the motions (of doing something)go through the motions (of doing something)DON'T CAREto do something because you have to do it, without being very interested in it I feel so bored at work, like I’m just going through the motions. → motion
Examples from the Corpus
go through the motions (of doing something)• But the picking up strikes a chord and going through the motions always works.• We just give up and go through the motions and we let our negativity harden inside us.• Too many students are going through the motions without any significant engagement in learning.• You can go through the motions.• Everybody said the right thing; everybody went through the motions the way they should.• To Harry, Jack looked like a man going through the motions.• The authorities occasionally go through the motions of clamping down.• Still others go through the motions but without any real desire to improve the relationship. 