We all have those days where we just can’t get up out of bed. We have days where it’s hard to be motivated to write, or be active. We all have lazy days and in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s important to recognize and embrace that feeling if it comes.
I truly believe that a lack of motivation or a lack of energy is your body’s way of telling you to slow down, while it tries to catch up. It can be hard to break through this little barrier, so enjoy it instead. Use the time to read about something amazing or spend a day laying in the sun and just recoup a little bit.
(Of course, while a little of this motivational malaise is normal, if you find yourself unable to stay focused and motivated for extended periods of time, it might be a good idea to talk with someone about it.)
When I’ve been feeling the need to recoup a little and reorganize, a couple days off and a good to-do brainstorm list of things I need to accomplish really help me refresh and re-motivate. Once I can see my tasks all laid out, I have that jump-start I need to take action.
If you find there’s just one task that you can’t bring yourself to do- take a step back and look at the task itself. Is it something you have to do or something you want to do. If it’s a task that needs to be completed, I start looking at the most efficient way to do it, and what the benefits and outcomes will be – then I grab a cup of coffee and go to. Sometimes you just have to buckle down and do the thing you’ve been putting off. Often, when I realize I’ve been putting off a mandatory project I make that my first task so everything after is automatically more fun.
I find if it’s something I want to do, but I can’t get started, usually that task isn’t important or relevant enough to me to work on it. Maybe I just need a little more research and inspiration. Maybe I need an afternoon to shop or read and paint my toenails. I then have to take a moment to reassess my position – do I REALLY want to do this? If this is the case, maybe I need to find a better way to expend my energy.
What’s your secret?? How do YOU motivate??
When it comes to motivation, my mantra is to keep it simple: I make a choice, every day, as to what I really want to focus on. Instead of stressing out about all of the things I “have to do,” I do what makes me feel good, and what drives me toward the long-term goals and dreams I have.
For a few days, I didn’t feel even a hint of motivation to write on Awakened Aesthetic…so I didn’t. Instead, I did some spring cleaning, uncluttered my house (and my brain!) and suddenly, there it was: the perfect space for me to make an “inspiration wall” for Awakened Aesthetic and The Demoiselles.
Now I’ve got tons of ideas and the perfect place to curl up and work. My motivation is back!
Jennifer Nicole’s last blog post..We Have a Winner
“Instead of stressing out about all of the things I “have to do,” I do what makes me feel good, and what drives me toward the long-term goals and dreams I have.”
Good mantra