“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” Wayne Dyer
As human beings we often get those days where we just want to hide under the covers and wish the day away. So I feel it’s important to be mindful of simple changes we can make to ensure that your day isn’t wasted and you are using your time wisely.
Just Get Started
You don’t have to wait for the motivation to kick in. If you want to work with a set structure every day, then sometimes you have to just get going.
Start Small
If a project or activity at first seems too big or too scary – don’t let procrastination take over. Instead, try breaking the task down into bite-size chunks that are more manageable to achieve. Slowly you will start to move forward.
Minimise the Distractions
Sit in a confined space, put some headphones on or let others know you are unavailable. When you are easily accessible, distractions become all too obvious. Minimising all possible distractions around you will have a huge impact on your productivity.
Look for Motivation from the people around you
Focus on spending less time with negative people who always look for the worst in the situation, and spend more time with like-minded individuals who will feed you with enthusiasm and positive energy.
Play some Music
Music is often one of the simplest ways to de-stress, relax and re-focus your mind. Listen to upbeat or inspiring music to recharge your motivation.
Don’t be your own worst critic
It is very easy to blame yourself and just give up when things go wrong. But 9 times out of 10 that doesn’t work that well – and you end up feeling even less motivated. So next time try to be more kind to your failures and focus yourself back on the path of positivity.
Understand Constructive Criticism
Be more constructive on your failings – take an open approach and ask yourself Why? the failure happened and what you would change next time around.
Friendly Competition
Friendly competition is healthy competition. We are all programmed to have an element of competitiveness inside us, regardless of the situation a little competition is often the best way to liven things up, and by adding a mutual incentive to achieve victory, in turn, incites added drive and motivation to do better.
Be Grateful
When motivation is running low it is easy to highlight and reflect on the all the negatives in life. As difficult it can be too see beyond that, try to look at all that you have and have had in life. Be grateful for this and try to appreciate why you were so lucky to have experienced those things – this will naturally recharge your motivation and give you a more open mind frame.
Take a Break
There is nothing worse than non-stop working to completely drain you of all motivation. Try working more often but in shorter intervals – we all want to get out heads down and spend hours working away on a project. However, this can sometimes cloud our judgement and shift the focus of the task at hand. A break can be anything from making a cup of coffee, a quick snack or a bit of fresh air. Try working for 45-50 minutes then take a break can better help motivate you to reach your target.
Emma Louise Herbert 