Dear friends,
Recently, I've been struggling on finding ways to keep my fire for staying on top of things going. In simple terms, I'm talking about motivation, and I've been struggling with it. I wouldn't say it's SUPER drastic, but I can definitely say that since this whole pandemic thing started, my motivation has decreased.
A while ago, I was reminded by an Instagram post by one of my friends, and she talked about how she's been struggling to stay motivated and how she's been leaning more on God to do that. I've found extra support in my family and loved ones. Others have found support in similar things. No matter what it is that motivates you, having something to instill motivation inside yourself is important in facing the challenges and workload involved in everyday life.
In psychology, motivation can either be intrinsic (coming from the inside) or extrinsic (coming from the external environment). When motivation comes from inside oneself, it's usually because some level of personal satisfaction has been attained. On the other hand, if something outside of oneself is creating motivation, it's mainly to receive some sort of external benefit.
For example, maybe you're trying extra hard in a game to win because you want to be able to brag about being the winner. That's an extrinsically-motivated behavior. Conversely, if you went Christmas caroling with your family because you love the feeling it gives you in your heart, then that would be an intrinsically-motivated behavior. In reality, just like most areas of life, motivation usually comes from a mix of both, intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
Now that the basics are covered, you're probably wondering, okay, so how do I increase my motivation? Is that even possible if I haven't already been able to do it?
And the answer is, well, technically yes. There are certain techniques and strategies you can use to boost your motivation. If you haven't already been able to do so yourself, then you might have been approaching the problem with the wrong solution. Also, as I've mentioned before, every person is different, so one tip that works for one person may not work for another. It's all about trial and error and finding out enough about yourself to find out what works best for you!
Also, if you have ever been diagnosed with a mental illness like Major Depressive Disorder, that might be another underlying reason for lack of motivation. Sometimes, a stressful environmental change can be enough to reduce motivation, especially when living during a worldwide pandemic.
Personally, I have a few ways that I like to try and increase my motivation---in any situation. But, I'm also going to include some tips that I found during my research, just because I want to cover all the bases.
1. I like to spread out my tasks, so that I don't have to stress about getting them all done at once. There are only 24 hours in a day, and what's not finished today can always be done tomorrow. Sometimes, we, as a society, are too hard on ourselves and we don't allow our bodies or minds the time they need to heal properly. Trust your gut, and if you feel like you need to stop, or take a break, do it. As a matter of fact, breaks actually boost individual productivity and efficiency, so don't be afraid to take a mental break, or a physical one too.
2. Often, I set short term and long term long goals to kind of keep myself focused on the tasks at hand. By having goals to aim for, I know what I should be working on daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly to achieve those goals. In the future, looking back at yourself actually accomplishing your goals will make you even more motivated to reach them in the long run---it's cyclical!
3. When I can, I start with the simple stuff, or the easiest things to get done, on my list of things to do. By implementing this strategy, you'll breeze through the easy things and save your main focus for the tasks that take the most time or thought. Also, you'll save your frustration---if you have any---for the end of your day, when you're almost done with your to do list anyways. Once again, there's always tomorrow, so don't overly stress yourself if a deadline is not attainable. However, if you are always struggling to turn things in or finish them on time, try to incorporate better time management strategies into your life as well as motivational ones.
4. Find a quote, picture, person, etc. that you can think of when you need a little boost in your motivation. If you can't bring yourself to stay motivated for yourself, try to remind yourself of other reasons to stay motivated. Whether you are a mom, a student, an athlete, or in any position that requires motivation, sometimes you need more to motivate you than what's just inside. Think about the bigger picture.
5. Remind yourself that your best is enough. Sometimes, I have a lot of trouble with this. In today's modern society, people are expected to be efficient, productive, or always on the go. So, if you ever catch yourself feeling bad for not doing more, remember that society has played a strong role in sensationalizing that into your brain; You have a right to be okay with doing your best, even if sometimes it doesn't feel like it.
These are all some of the best tips I've found and used for boosting and maintaining a sense of motivation---even when times get tough. If you're struggling to find your motivation, just keep pushing, because you are almost there!
Until next time...
xoxo,
Allie <3
P.S. I'll attach some good articles below with even more motivation tips and strategies!