We all have days, weeks or even months when we feel totally deflated and lack the motivation to do anything.
You find yourself in a rut of boredom feeling unhappy and unfulfilled.
You lose your zest for life and often feel tired, irritable and fed up with the routine of your daily life.
You are not alone.
So many people experience the same feelings.
The good news is that you can do something about it.
Here are 5 tips for getting your motivation back:
1. Have a daily “time out”
Prolonged stress can wear you down and zap any enthusiasm you once had for your life.
And when you’re feeling overwhelmed by life, getting your motivation back can be a struggle.
Reserve a slot each day to take a few minutes to breathe and just be.
Empty your mind of all stress and worry.
Take slow deep breaths and let all of your muscles relax.
Sit quietly, rest and recharge your batteries!
Meditation and journaling are both effective methods that I use as a daily “time out”.
2. Get inspired
Focusing on nothing but work and your daily tasks in life can leave you feeling pretty uninspired.
It is essential to seek out things that make you feel happy, positive and optimistic.
Don’t wait for inspiration to come knocking on your door. Go out and find it – or create it yourself.
Read, watch or listen to something motivational, inspirational or uplifting.
Look through beautiful photos, go for a stroll outdoors or take yourself out on a self care date.
3. Get excited
When you first begin a new project or start working towards a new goal, you are excited about the possibilities and eager to get moving.
Over time we can lose that enthusiasm, for a number of reasons.
Travel back in time for a moment and think about what got you so excited at the beginning.
Come back to your “why” and find a way to capture it so that you can always come back to it.
A vision board, the screensaver on your phone or even a post-it note on your fridge or mirror can be effective.
Even if some tasks are boring and uninspiring, focus on the positive benefits of doing them.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of altering your mindset to see things more positively.
Identify the payoff and be clear about the outcome you’re working towards.
4. Start small
With anything, often the hardest part is actually getting started.
A project or goal can seem so huge that we feel stressed simply by the thought of the time and energy it will take.
Instead of overwhelming yourself, start small.
Break it down into smaller tasks and take them on one at a time.
A large task will feel more manageable once it’s broken down into smaller steps.
I use a habit tracker app on my phone as a daily reminder of what actions are important for moving me towards my goals.
The habits I am tracking are small but over time they’ll make a positive impact on my life.
5. Take care of your body
Often feelings of fatigue are caused by physical deficiencies or simply, a lack of sleep.
And when you’re feeling exhausted, getting your motivation back is hard.
Be sure you’re getting enough rest, sleep, water and physical movement.
Eat food that nourishes your body and limit the toxins you are exposed to.
This includes skin, hair and household cleaning products as well as toxic people.
When you’re busy it can be tempting to grab fast, convenience food. However, this is the exact time to focus on healthy eating.
Additionally, exercise is often the first thing that gets sacrificed when time is limited.
I have to say that I’m not a fan of exercise, especially not when the weather is grim and in England, that’s more often than not.
I use the habit tracker app I mentioned above, to help me to commit to stretching and moving for at least 20 minutes most days.
(I know that I really should be doing much more, but this is what I can commit to without it feeling overwhelming or like a chore.)
***
Losing motivation is part of life.
We all have tasks we put off and periods where don’t feel like doing anything. Whether it’s exercising, a work project or personal admin.
But hopefully, the 5 tips above help with getting your motivation back sooner.
Photo Credit: Kirschner Amao | Hello I’m Nik
