We’re experts at knowing how to motivate ourselves. Today we’ll do 20 different things and by the end of the month, we’ll nail all those, plus one million more – sounds like a plan, right?
Truth is, it’s much easier to set goals than to actually get them done. It all comes down to motivation, and let’s be honest – we all sometimes have trouble keeping the fire lit. It’s much easier to sit back and think about all the things we’re going to do…eventually. Overcoming the emotional hurdle to get stuff done when you’d rather sit on the couch isn’t always easy.
For those of you who never procrastinate, distract yourself or drag your feet when you should be doing something important, well done! But for the rest of you (myself included), it’s good to have a library of motivational boosters to fall back on when needed.
Despite your best efforts, passion, and habits, a flow-producing environment can be hard to reach. In that case, it’s time to find whatever works to get you started. Whether you’re starting a business, trying to lose weight, or breaking a bad habit, you’ll learn how to motivate yourself with these 15 simple techniques from lifehack:
Go Back to “Why”
Focusing on a dull task doesn’t make it any more attractive. Zooming out and asking yourself why you are bothering in the first place will make it more appealing.
If you can’t figure out why then there’s a good chance you shouldn’t bother with it in the first place.
Go for Five
Start working for five minutes. Often that little push will be enough to get you going.
Move Around
Get your body moving as you would if you were extremely motivated to do something. This “faking it” approach may seem silly but it works.
Find the Next Step
If it seems impossible to work on a project for you, you can try to focus on the next immediate step.
Fighting an amorphous blob of work will only cause procrastination. Chunk it up so that it becomes manageable.
Find Your Itch
What is keeping you from working? Don’t let the itch continue without isolating it and removing the problem.
Are you unmotivated because you feel overwhelmed, tired, afraid, bored, restless, or angry? Maybe it’s because you aren’t sure you have time or delegated tasks haven’t been finished yet?
Deconstruct Your Fears
You probably don’t have a phobia about getting stuff done. But at the same time, hidden fears or anxieties can keep you from getting real work completed.
Isolate the unknowns and make yourself confident, you can handle the worst-case scenario.
Get a Partner
Find someone who will motivate you when you’re feeling lazy. Many people have a friend they go to the gym with; besides spotting weight, having a friend can help motivate you to work hard when you’d normally quit. We can also do this same technique with other parts of our lives.
Kickstart Your Day
Plan out tomorrow. Get up early and place all the important things early in the morning. Building momentum early in the day can usually carry you forward far later; having a morning routine is a good idea for you to stay motivated.
Read Books
Read not just self-help or motivational books but any book that has new ideas. New ideas get your mental gears turning and can build motivation; new ideas also put your brain into motion so it requires less time to speed up to your tasks.
Get the Right Tools
Your environment can have a profound effect on your enthusiasm. Computers that are too slow, inefficient applications, or a vehicle that breaks down constantly can kill your motivation.
Building motivation is almost as important as avoiding the traps that can stop it.
Be Careful with the Small Problems
The worst killer of motivation is facing a seemingly small problem that creates endless frustration.
Reframe little problems that must be fixed as bigger ones or they will kill any drive you have.
Develop a Mantra
Find a few statements that focus your mind and motivate you. It doesn’t matter whether they are pulled from a tacky motivational poster or just a few words to tell you what to do.
If you aren’t sure where to start, a good personal mantra is “Do it now!”
Build on Success
Success creates success. When you’ve just won, it’s easy to feel motivated about almost anything. Emotions tend not to be situation-specific, so a small win, whether it’s a compliment from a colleague or finishing two-thirds of your tasks before noon can turn you into a juggernaut.
There are many ways you can place small successes earlier on to spur motivation later. Structuring your t0-do lists, placing straightforward tasks such as exercising early in the day, or giving yourself an affirmation can do the trick.
Bonus: Staying Motivated Forever
The best way to motivate yourself is to organize your life so you don’t have to. If work is a constant battle for you, perhaps it is time to start thinking about a new job. The idea is that explicit motivational techniques should be a backup, not your regular routine.
Here are some other things to consider to help work move more naturally:
Passion
Do things you have a passion for. We all have to do things we don’t want to. But if life has become a chronic source of dull chores, you’ve got a big problem that needs fixing.
Habits
You can’t put everything on autopilot. I’ve found putting a few core habits in place creates a structure for the day.
Waking up at the same time, working at the same time, and having a similar productive routine makes it easier to do the next day.
Flow
Flow is the state where your mind is completely focused on the task at hand. While there are many factors that go into producing this state, having the right challenge level is a big part.
Find ways to tweak our tasks so they hover in that sweet spot between boredom and maddening frustration.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, with these tips, you now have some motivation techniques in your back pocket.
Find your passion and develop a positive mantra so when the next time negativity hits you, you know how to stay positive and motivated.
If you have any questions or just want some advice, please reach out and contact us any time, any day – we can do a free quote or quote comparison of your insurance policies At Momentum Insurance we truly focus and embrace a client-first approach to our partnerships with individuals and businesses. We’ve been in the industry for over 30 years and have locations throughout the state of Texas and can help you and your business reach that next level.
We hope this was helpful! As always, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn – and check out our blog for new content daily discussing topics on everything from the insurance industry to personal care tips.
Content from Lifehack and Greatist
