One of the hardest parts of being in a rut is being unable to find the motivation to change. Motivation is a key element to being your best self, and sometimes its not as simple as “snapping out of it” and moving forward. There are many reasons we lose motivation throughout life.
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Focus on today and the moment
If you are laying in bed thinking about all of the things you should be doing, this can be a very anxiety provoking state. This turns into a cycle of feeling like you are lazy and not doing anything about it. Try to remind yourself that we all get stuck sometimes! Tell yourself today is the day you will accomplish something, even it’s a tiny part of a big list.
Make smaller lists
Like I mentioned above, it’s easy to get stuck ruminating on all of the stuff that needs to get done. When your “To-Do” list is just in your head, it may seem endless because it’s not a physical thing. Put down the most important and anxiety provoking things on paper. This will help you see that your problems are finite and you have control over them. You can cross items off the list and feel a sense of control and accomplishment.
Get a Planner or Calendar
Get a planner or a dry erase board to get some organization and put your tasks somewhere you can see them.
The GAME CHANGER for me for actually accomplishing tasks was getting a dry erase planner.
Check out this awesome dry erase board on amazon
Calendar planners like this allow you to have a clean space for you to organize your thoughts into whats important. It can help soothe your anxieties when there are just a bunch of floating deadlines in your head when you see them in a bigger picture.
Reward yourself for getting stuff done
Nothing is worse than having a never-ending to-do list that seems to take your life away with no sense of joy. Sure it feels great to get stuff done, but sometimes that’s not enough if the list just keeps going. Think about how much more motivated you will be to accomplish stuff if you have a treat waiting at the end. Tell yourself, “If I do X,Y, and Z today I will watch my favorite movie later and have some popcorn”.
Podcasts
There are many motivational podcasts that you could listen to on your commute or while you are doing work. Sometimes listening to some positive speeches before you start the day can put you in the right mindset to accomplish more. It’s like coffee for your soul, helping you wake up a little and have the energy to be a better you!
Don’t get too comfortable
Maybe you have tried everything and the only problem you have is prioritizing goals over watching tv and relaxing. If you are juggling many things in life, just getting through the day may be all you are able to do. The down time you get may be too precious to give up. For this issue, I recommend challenging yourself to carve out a small time slot for your goals. Instead of getting home from work, eating, and then sitting on the couch for the next 4 hours, give your life goals 10 mins. Just a small amount of time every day can really add up and begin to inspire you. This acts as a waterfall effect; at first you may struggle to carve out that time and work on other goals, but after a little bit of doing this you will start seeing progress. One of the most motivating things is seeing progress, its just a matter of getting there. Keep at it and get that ball rolling! Imagine yourself having achieved whatever goal you seek in a year and let that thought drive you when you would prefer to lounge.
