Get your motivation back on track
Motivation is our purpose or reason for doing something. Whether that’s why we want to be inspired to make healthier choices, launch a business, make a career change, or do something to unleash our creative side. But what if we’re struggling to get started?
Here are a few ways to help rediscover your motivation and get back on track.
Find your why
When we don’t define our why, we can struggle to find the motivation to do what we think we should be doing, instead of focusing on what we actually want to achieve. Find that thing that excites you, and turn it into your why.
Look after your physical health
Exercising releases endorphins, which interact with the parts of your brain that produce positive thoughts and boost mood, making it easier to get in the right mindset to tackle trickier tasks, and feel energised to push forward.
Challenge self-limiting beliefs
When we think badly about ourselves, our skills, or our abilities, we risk limiting what we can achieve. If you tell yourself ‘I’m no good with numbers,’ chances are, you’re going to dread working with them, and may feel anxious, nervous, or overwhelmed when required to do so. Reframing these thoughts in a more positive light can help tasks to feel more manageable, e.g. you could tell yourself ‘This isn’t my speciality, but I have many strengths that will help me handle this challenge.’
Declutter your space (and improve your organisation)
The space we live and work in has a surprising impact on our mood. If things are messy, cluttered, or disorganised, it can be trickier to stay focused. Keeping a clear desk, tracking your to-do list digitally, and decluttering (physically and digitally – do you really need those hundreds of emails or untitled files?) can help to open up valuable mental bandwidth.
Practice affirmations
Affirmations can help to reinforce positive beliefs, boost confidence, help motivate us, and keep us on track.
Commit to 10 minutes
Have you tried the 10-minute rule? Give yourself just 10 minutes to work on a task that you’re stuck on. Give it your full focus. After the time is up, step back and reevaluate if you want to continue or not. Usually, motivation will kick in and help take care of the rest! But if you’re still not feeling it, at least you’ve made a little progress and can come back to try this again later.
Your mental health
How are you feeling right now? When we push ourselves too hard for too long, we risk burnout meaning everything feels like too much. Other mental health conditions can leave you feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Look after your wellbeing first; motivation can follow.
Work with a motivation coach
A coach can help introduce you to new strategies and tools to achieve your goals, assess your current situation, and help hold you accountable. Find out more about motivation coaching on the Happiful family’s Life Coach Directory.
Start habit stacking
Habit stacking works by building on our existing routines, and adding in new layers. This can help us improve, or fix, our current habits, find ways to build in, and push past, tasks that hold us back, and work towards achieving our goals.
Motivation drives us forward towards our goals, helping us to feel energised and excited while we make progress and achieve our dreams. You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup. Sometimes, the more you push, the harder things get. Take a break, allow yourself time to relax, and forget about the big thing you’re trying to achieve. Once you’re rested, you can take another look at your to-do list with fresh eyes, and a new sense of motivation.
