How to Rev Up Your Motivation
Photo taken by author
It’s the COVID slump. Everyone’s feeling the glow of the screens, the extra hours sitting in our chairs instead of running to catch the bus or walking to grab lunch with a friend. The Working From Home (WFH) is a pandemic within a pandemic and is virtually inevitable. But have you been noticing you feel extra unmotivated to get that hour of work in? That workout? Maybe you’ve been opting for some of the easier, microwavable meals instead of the home-cooked ones you promised yourself you would make more often so you bought more broccoli but then then ended up throwing it out because you haven’t used it since you bought it a month ago? Just me?
Jokes aside, everyone should still be staying inside and socially distancing as much as humanly possible. While most things we are doing right now don’t offer a lot of choice, there are some practices you can put in place at home to relieve the mental toll of the virus and its annoying uncle, quarantine.
First answer the question, why are you feeling unmotivated? There are a variety of reasons as to why this is might be happening. First, focus on the rewards if you’re daunted by a hefty task. Envision yourself writing the last word, signing off on the last Zoom call of the day. Think instead about the relief and sense of accomplishment you’ll feel instead of the sweat and tears that will go into making that happen. If that’s hard to imagine, create something that’s look-forwardable. Logging off that last Zoom call of the week doesn’t sound all that enticing? Promise yourself that you can cuddle up on the couch with a warm blanket and take a nap. Tell yourself you’ll enjoy a cup of your favorite tea. It can make a big difference when the finish line you’re looking at in the distance looks a lot more appealing.
Set yourself more realistic goals. This happens most often to those who are trying to implement a healthy lifestyle through their eating or exercise habits. They go to sleep thinking that they’ll wake up and run five miles and then drink a green smoothie when, in reality, the longest they’ve ever run was three miles and that was in fifth grade and they almost passed out. What’s likely to happen is that this person will wake up the next morning and become so scared of working out that they don’t even put their sneakers on. If instead they had promised themselves that they would do an hour of yoga, that seems much more friendly and approachable. Maybe you’re not feeling unmotivated, maybe your expectations just have to adjust to fit what you’re ready to do in this moment. A similar approach would be to set up small, almost laughable tasks for yourself throughout the day. Do ten pushups when brewing your coffee or ten squats when you reach the top of a set of stairs. Setting these smaller goals will set you up to be someone who keeps promises to yourself, making you believe that you can tackle harder tasks and keep those same promises in the future.
Another question you should ask yourself is are you really trying your hardest to accomplish the tasks you set out to do? It’s not your phone’s fault for making you scroll through Instagram all day. It’s not your water bottle’s fault for sitting upstairs so you couldn’t drink 64 oz before dinner. Start taking ownership and responsibility for the things you want to accomplish. Write yourself out a to-do list or buy two water bottles. Set yourself up for success in the way that you know works best for you. Wy shouldn’t you be able to do the tasks you set out to do? A combination of believing that you can and organization is a surefire way to go to bed satisfied with all that you’ve managed to accomplish.
The last question you should ask yourself is if you’re unmotivated or if you’re simply tired. They are two very different things. Try these tips to get an extra energy boost so that you can start working on your motivation.
Try to get more than seven hours of sleep a night. Not only are you risking exhaustion if you sleep less, but also weight gain, depression, increased risk of accidents, lowered immunity, increased risk of diabetes and heart problems, and impaired thinking, memory and mood.
Eat well, but most importantly start your day off with a lot of protein: eggs, greek yogurt, toast and peanut butter are some of the best delivery mechanisms. Eating smaller meals spaced 3-4 hours apart instead of huge meals will ward off hunger and sleepiness. An increased intake of protein can also help prevent sugar fluctuations during the day, promoting alertness.
Go on a midday walk.
Drink more water. Dehydration is often the most overlooked source of feelings of fatigue.
Do something fun. Take 20 minutes to read some pages of your favorite book or a new book you haven’t read before. Play a game with your siblings or children.
Take a minute to be grateful or meditate. This can help participants feel more awake and present in the current moment.
Whether it’s tiredness, lack of motivation, or a combination of both keeping you from accomplishing your daily goals, implementing some of these tips should help us all ease out of summer and get back to the rhythm of school or work. We don’t have to be slumped behind a computer for hours on end each day. Sometimes we do, but often we come to a crossroads during that 30 minute break: Should I go on a walk now or keep working? Should I make an effort to include that broccoli in tonight’s dinner? When you start focusing on the rewards, setting yourself more realistic goals, taking ownership of your decisions, and keeping those little promises to yourself, you’ll notice how much easier finding the motivation can be.
Sources/Further Reading:
https://www.verywellmind.com/feel-less-tired-during-the-day-4111271
