If you’ve ever been stuck in a rut, you know it can feel impossible to find the motivation you need to do even the most basic of daily tasks.
So today, we’re going to share some of the best tips to help you find your motivation and get your life back on track.
The Road to Character
by David Brooks
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Use the 5-Minute Rule
One of the most challenging parts of lacking motivation is getting started with any task. If you feel unable to do anything in your work or personal life, it’s time to adopt the five-minute Rule.
This Rule requires you to spend just five minutes doing a task that you’ve been putting off. While this might not sound like a lot, it’s often the hardest part to get started with a task.
Once you spend five minutes tidying up or working on a project, more than likely, you’ll be able to carry on. In no time at all, you’ll realize that you spent an hour working, and you’ll have made more progress than you expected.
Consider Why You Have No Motivation
Sometimes, there’s a reason behind our lack of motivation, but we don’t often take the time to think about why we are struggling.
A lot of people find that their mental health and motivation are closely linked. Your lack of inspiration might be a sign that you are working with something much bigger. Take some time to reflect and journal about your lack of motivation to see if you can find what is causing it.
It might just be that you have too much on your plate and are getting burnt out, or you might realize that you need to make some more significant changes in your life. Talk to a trusted friend or family member if you can, and remember that there’s always professional assistance if needed.
Pair Tasks With Something You Enjoy Doing
We all have necessary tasks in our daily lives that can’t be avoided. Whether that’s tidying the house, filing taxes, or doing laundry, you need to find a way to stay motivated when doing things you don’t enjoy.
Each time you succeed in completing a task you dislike, make sure you reward yourself with something you love. This could be watching a movie, spending time with your family, or enjoying a hobby. Use this tactic throughout the day to get tasks of all sizes done, and you’ll notice a massive improvement in your mood and wellbeing.
Don’t Overload Your To-Do List
We often struggle with motivation when we are trying to achieve too much too quickly. If you regularly write to-do lists that you can’t finish each day, you might find that you never feel like you get enough done in a day.
Make sure you write realistic lists that don’t put so much pressure on you in the future. You’ll no longer wake up dreading the day ahead due to the ridiculous pile of things you need to do. Instead, you’ll feel great relief as you tick off your to-do list, and you’ll be proud of yourself for everything you managed to get done in the day.
Reward Yourself
Life isn’t just about working. We recommend adding treats to your daily and weekly routine. These can be small treats during the working week, such as your favorite cocktail or takeout meal.
\You’ll also want to think about long-term rewards, such as saving up for a vacation or tickets to a special concert. By having something to look forward to, you’ll be better motivated. We all need something to look forward to and keep us motivated, so use this tool to keep you going when you struggle to find motivation.
Self-Care Activities
Looking after yourself is an integral part of finding your motivation. Self-care activities shouldn’t be treated as a luxury, and they should be a part of your daily and weekly routine.
Even just spending time outdoors and exercising will make a massive difference to your mental health, which, in turn, will improve your motivation. Make sure you take time out each week to relax when you are struggling with motivation, so your mind and body get a break before returning to work.
Create a Vision Board
Creating a vision board can help you reflect on your current life and dream about your goals for the future. If you aren’t sure where you are headed in life, take some time to think about what you want to achieve.
This could include thinking about the property you wish to buy, the car you’d like to drive, or the body you’d like to achieve. Then, you can make a visual collage to reflect your dreams, which you can place in your office to keep you motivated when working. If you don’t fancy making a vision board, even a list of long-term goals can help keep you going when things get rough.
We all go through periods when we struggle for motivation. However, by following these top tips for overcoming this struggle, you’ll find that you regain your motivation in no time.
Make sure you aren’t overwhelming yourself by overscheduling your time, and ensure you have time to rest after your work is done. By creating goals and challenging yourself, you’ll find that you are excited to tackle your job each day and are inspired to build your dream life.
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