6 Tips to Help You Get Motivated
Lately I’ve heard a lot of friends talking about feeling unmotivated. Sometimes it’s because we’re depleted of energy and just want to relax or maybe we lack direction and don’t know whether to start. Either way, there are simple things we can do to increase our motivation to jump start our progress. Here are 6 of my favorites:
1. Think about your why
Having a strong WHY is one of the best ways to keep yourself motivated. If you already know your WHY then write it down and keep it front and center as you’re going through your day. Or, if you’ve never thought about it, take a moment to think through WHY you do what you do.
For example:
- Do you want to pay off your debt so that you can start saving for a house?
- Do you want to learn a new language so that you can travel or move abroad?
It’s so easy, especially in today’s world, to run through life, without stopping to think. We move through the day to day motions but rarely think about the long-term or why we are doing something.
2. Make a Music Playlist
I’ve always found that music can be a great motivator. As I’m writing this blog post on a Saturday morning at 9:51 AM I’m listening to the Hobbit soundtrack. When I’m writing or working, my go to favorites are always, the Harry Potter Soundtrack, LOTR Soundtrack, or a classical station like, Back or Mozart.
Then, when I’m doing blog tasks that require less mental focus, I listen to K-Pop (usually BTS). I can’t explain why, but there is a clear shift in energy that happens once I turn on music.
Another key is to make sure that the playlist fits the task or whatever it is that you’re doing. For instance, if you’re working on something that requires intense focus, don’t put on music where you’re tempted to listen to the lyrics or sing along. Try something instrumental instead.
Also, in terms of motivation, think about some of your favorite songs from really great seasons of your life. Music often brings back memories. Therefore, if you’re not feeling motivated, try playing something from a period of life where you DID feel motivated. You might be surprised how many of the memories or feelings will come rushing back.
3. Think About Your Future Self
I’ve been reading the book, Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy and in yesterday’s reading he shared,
‘Long-term thinking improves short-term decision making.’
I loved reading this and I completely agree with what he’s saying. When I’m making a decision I try to imagine myself in 5 or 10 years, and I ask myself what she would do. How would the 35 year old Betsy act? By doing this, you’ll be able to see the consequences of acting one way versus the other.
For example:
- Should I practice a language for 10 minutes or watch Netflix?
- Should I write a blog post or scroll through social media?
When we see it written out like this, the ‘Better’ decision becomes pretty clear. However, in the moment, it doesn’t always feel like a big deal. We know that 10 minutes of studying Italian vocabulary won’t make us a native speaker so we put it off for tomorrow. Or, maybe the effort to make plans with friends takes too much time, so instead we never leave the comfort of our phones.
Whatever your situation looks like, take a few minutes to play the long-term view through your mind. We don’t ALWAYS have to make the perfect decision, we’re human after all, but by consistently incorporating a long-term view into our daily decision-making, we can create a future that’s closer to what we truly want.
4. Track Your Little Wins
Friends, little wins are EVERYTHING. I’ve noticed in my own life that it rarely feels like I’m making progress. However, when I track the small things, it starts to build up. A few years ago I started tracking my Yoga practice. I have a silver sharpie and my goal is to do yoga 3 times per week. Each day that I do yoga gets a big X on my monthly calendar page of my planner. This way, I can clearly see how much I’ve practiced each month.
We live in a world that’s pretty competitive. Whether we want to or not, we can see everyone else’s progress on social media. And I know that this can often make us feel like we’re not measuring up, or making progress, or at least not as significant progress as everyone else.
For me, this is why small wins are key. You can also create a little chart to track your progress or mark it on a monthly calendar spread like I do.
Examples of Little Wins:
- Completing your Morning/Evening routine
- Going to the gym
- Writing a blog post
- Showing up for counseling
- Reading
- Taking a class
- Updating your resume
Or, just keep a small notebook or journal where you write down the small things that you’re doing to make progress in your career and life.
I’ve also found that small rewards are great too. I often use TV shows as a reward. If I’ve gone through my evening routine and finished my tasks for the day then I reward myself with an episode of a show. Or, maybe it’s a hot bath, or a trip to the movies.
5. Change Up Your Scenery
I can almost always count on a vacation or a short trip to give me the motivation that I’m lacking. When we’re lacking motivation, changing up your surroundings can be really helpful.
For example:
- Drive to a nearby city or town this Saturday.
- Plan a weekend trip with your girlfriends.
- Start saving and planning for the vacation to London that you’ve been thinking about for years but have never followed through on.
When possible, I think it’s fun to have both trips that you plan far in advance, as well as last minute adventures. Remember, it doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant.
Just getting away from home is just what we need to return home feeling refreshed and ready to work and make progress on our goals and dreams.
6. Just Start
Something that I’ve learned over the past few years, is that sometimes we just need to start. In 2017, I started writing a weekly article for a Microfinance organization called Zidisha. Anyone who has written a weekly column or article knows well that that you often don’t feel motivated when you start. However, after you’ve written a few sentences the words start to come and you build momentum.
So, my final encouragement would be just to take one tiny step. Maybe you don’t feel motivated to write the article or to go to the gym, but just start and see how it goes. You’ll most likely find that by the time you leave the gym or finish the article, you actually do feel motivated.
To Sum Up:
1. Think About Your ‘Why’
2. Track Your Little Wins
3. Make a Playlist
4. Think About Your Future Self
5. Change Up Your Scenery
6. Just Start
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