6 Steps to Increasing your Motivation
We all experience those sombre days where we feel unmotivated to do things. Sometimes it feels impossible to break this cycle leaving us feeling stuck or uninspired. Many people assume that motivation is something that happens to us. That it just waltzes along and kicks us into action. However, this is not always the case. Motivation is something that we need to create.
If we wait and wait, motivation might not come around. Motivation starts with action. As we know, one action often leads to another. Motivation is often that first step between starting something new, beginning a new project or even cleaning up the house. Finding the energy to get started might feel like the hardest step. But with some helpful tips and a bit of a push it can be achievable to get that motivation going.
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Make a to do list
To do lists are a great way to get the mental clutter of what seems like a giant list to do, out onto paper. Often seeing the list written out can be helpful to reduce our anxiety. It can often feel like we have a million things to do when we keep it in our minds. So by writing a list, we can feel a sense of relief by recognising a 10 item to do list rather than what feels like a million. To do lists can also increase motivation to tackle one task at a time.
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Break it down
By breaking tasks down into smaller steps, it is more likely that the task at hand will be achieved. It can be overwhelming to think about a large goal that we want to achieve over time. For example you might have a 3000 word report due for work in a few weeks time. This can seem impossible as a whole, but when broken down into 1 hour blocks, or smaller chucks of 200 word paragraphs, it can feel much more achievable and increase your motivation to start the task step by step at your own pace.
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Celebrate your success
We can often fall into the trap of procrastinating. Focusing on our future goals and things we need to get done. It’s important to also remember how far we have come so far. Take losing weight, your goal could be to lose 10kgs in 1 year. If by 6 months you’ve lost 3kgs, celebrate this win! You are on the right track and have progressed towards your goal! If we focus on the remaining 7kgs or time frame of 6 months we can often lose motivation. Keeping track of our wins can increase our motivation to keep going and to push through when we might be feeling stuck.
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Don’t compare yourself to others
When we compare ourselves to others we can instantly lose motivation. We might feel like we’re not doing things the right way, we’re not doing enough or that we’re not where we should be. We each approach tasks in different ways and that’s okay. You can create your own goals based on your own pace, path and skills. Remember to do what works for you, even if it looks different or is done at a different pace.
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Repeat, repeat and repeat again
Starting new habits requires repetition. Our brains will wire new pathways which will strengthen overtime if we provide it with consistency. Just like brushing your teeth has become a morning ritual, beginning a new gym routine or practicing meditation can become a part of your routine if you are consistent over time. If you want to create a new habit, stick to it as best you can, and your motivation will create itself.
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Tell your friends and family
It can be easy to avoid working towards our goals. We often procrastinate, make excuses to do it later, or let ourselves off by taking breaks. By sharing our goals with friends and family this can help encourage us to stick to them. Our loved ones can provide us with tips, check in on our progress and keep us accountable which can increase our motivation to stay on track with our goals and tasks at hand.
At The Three Seas, we also provide a range of counseling services including behavioral therapy services, depression treatment, and more! Browse our services today or contact us for more information.
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