Definition of go through the motions in English English dictionary
to do something pretentionsly and with little care for results, often because you are expected to, not because you want to; to perform a task perfunctorily
pretend to do something by acting as if one was really doing it; "She isn't really working--she's just going through the motions
execute perfunctorily, do in a cursory or superficial manner, execute in a routine manner