Do you ever have those days where you just feel super empowered and motivated to tackle all the things you’ve been letting accumulate on your to-do list? But then not too long later, you start to maybe feel overwhelmed, unsure of where to start and next thing you know you’re cuddled up on the couch with very little motivation left to even start or continue?
For me, this happens far too often. I find when I’m on the road or I’m preoccupied with my job I’ll get these random sparks of inspiration. I’ll devise a list of things to get done and I’ll actually be excited to start tackling those things once I get home. “When you get home tonight” I’ll tell myself, only to actually get home and have little to no motivation left to do any of it.
This leaves me feeling pretty bad, honestly. Unaccomplished, confused and just overall bummed to say the least.
How can one minute I feel super inspired and motivated to the next feeling super uninspired and unmotivated?
I dug deep into those feelings and came up with these 5 ways to stay motivated that helped me and might help you as well!
Ways To Help Stay Motivated
Tend To Your Feelings
If you’re feeling uninspired and unmotivated, it’s important to first and foremost figure out why. Are you over-tired? Have you eaten well today? Did something happen throughout your day that set you off track? Is what you’re trying to accomplish today reasonable for the time you have to do it?
Forcing yourself to get things done when there are underlying feelings that need to be tended to first, will most likely just make you feel worse. Understanding these feelings first and tending to them will help clear the air of confusion and set you on a better track. Dig deep & tend to your emotional wellness.
Make Your List
I personally love making a physical list of things to do. When we keep it all bunched up in our heads, it can sometimes get overwhelming. Most likely all the things you want to get done aren’t all going to fit under the same day’s agenda. So by making a list of things you want to get done and then bridging them onto their own days, you’ll hopefully feel less overwhelmed and get more done. Plus, it’s a great feeling when you begin ticking things off the list and at the end of the day, seeing all you’ve accomplished.
Take Breaks
Taking breaks is a good way to replenish the brain and thought process. If you’ve been spending 3 hours straight in a chair, writing a blog post for example, it might be time you get your body moving a little bit. Focusing on one thing for too long without giving yourself time to take a breather can leave you feeling stuck and frustrated. Maybe you can take this break time to go for a walk, take a bath, make yourself some food or a coffee, or even just stand up, stretch your body out and power back to it. Give yourself a break. But try not to allow your break time to overpower your work time.
Remind Yourself Why You’re Doing It
If your to-do list for the day consists of all things cleaning of your house, remind yourself of how great it’s going to feel when you’re relaxing at the end of the day in a nice spot-less home. If your to-do list means writing one or two solid blog posts, making your bed and making a nutritious dinner for your family, remind yourself of how great it’ll feel to push “publish”, go to sleep in a nice made-up bed and how good that dinner is going to taste. No matter what’s on your list, it’s there for a reason. And reminding yourself of why you’re doing it can help spark some inspiration to get it done.
Reward Yourself
Once you start seeing progress, you’ve been ticking things off the list and begin to feel that sense of accomplishment, reward yourself. Take the time you have left after that daily list of to-do’s and do something for YOU. Something you enjoy and puts your mind in a state of pure bliss. If you didn’t finish ALL that was on your list for the day, try not to fret. Sometimes the day doesn’t go exactly as we plan it to and that’s not always in our hands. So instead of taking it out on yourself, try accepting what you couldn’t get done, continue to be persistent and diligent the next time you’re working at it and be happy for all that you were able to accomplish today.
Kick back, eat that candy bar and binge watch that Netflix – You deserve it.
Tiffanie
Click here for this free to do-list printable!
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