Struggling to find motivation is one of the biggest challenges I hear from people who are decluttering and simplifying. Today I’m sharing a guest post from BetterHelp focusing on tips to help improve your motivation.
Whether you want to find the motivation to clear the clutter and simplify your home, or just improve your motivation in general, these tips will help.
No one feels motivated all the time. Sometimes you feel energized and ready to tackle a big project. Other times you may have no motivation at all. Or maybe you find yourself stuck in a rut and struggling to rekindle your motivation.
It’s completely normal to lose your motivation at times. But the key is learning how to regain the motivation when you’ve lost it so you can continue your work and meet your goals.
This post is sharing a great list of practical strategies you can use to regain your motivation. Then during times you don’t feel motivated, you can use these tools to get back on track and continue working to meet your goals.
Whether you’re hoping to find more motivation to declutter, more motivation to reach other goals, or just find more motivation in your life in general, I hope this post will help.
Without further ado, here is Maria with some great tips to help improve your motivation.
This post is sponsored by BetterHelp, click here for more information about sponsored posts.
How to improve your motivation
Getting motivated and staying motivated can be hard to do. You probably know many things that you need to get done or should get done, but you don’t have the energy or simply don’t want to do them.
This can be a problem in some instances, especially if these tasks are important. Here is a look at how to improve motivation, so you can accomplish what’s important, even when you have no desire to do what you need to do.
In addition, motivation may have an effect on your learning and your decision-making skills, so learning ways to improve your motivation is important.
Getting Started
Are there chores that you have been putting off, simply because you are unsure how to approach them? Sometimes getting started can be the hardest part. Often, once you take the first steps and start, continuing to work towards your goals becomes easier.
Finding strategies you can turn to when you’ve lost your motivation is a great way to help you learn to accomplish more.
Sometimes, when you’re struggling to start, it can be a good idea to start on harder tasks first. Then you can get some of the hard work out of the way and move onto easier jobs.
Other times, it’s more helpful to start with an easier task first to help you overcome the mental hurdle of getting started. Then build your way up to tackling some of the more difficult tasks.
Learning which approaches to getting started works best for you is an important way to learn to improve your motivation.
Motivation Tips
There are many other things you can try in order to improve your motivation. Here is a list of some simple strategies to try:
Give yourself a reward for completing something
Much in the same way that you would give your kids ice cream after they clean their room or do another chore that you asked of them, treat yourself to a special reward when you accomplish something.
For instance, if you need to clean your living room and you don’t want to, tell yourself that you can spend an hour watching your favourite show after you are done. This may allow you to get through the work, so you can relax after the job.
Be supportive of yourself
Sometimes a task that you need to get through may cause you stress and be difficult to complete. When this is the case, make sure that you are being supportive of yourself.
For instance, tell yourself how you will finish this task and move on to other things. Or remember that the next day this difficult task will be complete, and you will be able to move on to something less stressful or tedious.
Stay accountable
Another way to help you stay motivated is to make yourself accountable.
One way to do this is to tell a friend or loved one what you plan to do. If you want to start exercising, tell your best friend that you plan to work out and when you want to begin. Ask them to call you and remind you that you wanted to make this change, which in turn might make it more difficult to skip.
Another idea is asking a friend to work out with you, so you can help each other meet this goal and stay accountable to each other.
Have reasonable goals
Do what you can to ensure that the goals you choose for yourself are reasonable. Setting unrealistic expectations and goals for yourself can leave you feeling discouraged, defeated, overwhelmed and unmotivated to continue.
If there are big jobs you need to complete, separate them into smaller ones, so it won’t cause you to become overwhelmed.
For example, if you have to clean your entire house and you only have one day to do it, reframe it. Think about what is reasonable for you to accomplish in the time you have and adjust your goals. You can also start by doing the hardest work first, like cleaning the bathrooms, to get them over with. Then leave the easier tasks for last when your energy levels might be lower.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
If you are unable to complete a goal, or the task was too complex, try not to be hard on yourself. If you gave it your best shot and but didn’t reach your goal, you can simply try again.
And don’t forget to celebrate what you were able to accomplish. Maybe you didn’t get everything finished like you wanted to on your day off, but you should be able to celebrate the things that you were able to accomplish. Focusing on your successes is a great way to stay motivated to continue working towards your goals.
And don’t forget, sometimes failing at something can teach you a lot too. Helping you be better able to adjust your goals and expectations in the future.
Write things down
Writing things down is a great way to improve your motivation.
Being able to physically check tasks off after you complete them is always motivating and encouraging.
But a list also helps you remember what you need to get done. So you don’t need to waste mental energy trying to keep track of what needs to be done. And often, getting the tasks you need to accomplish out of your head and down onto paper can help you clear the mental clutter. So you’re better able to focus and work more efficiently.
There are plenty of list-making and time management apps available if you prefer digital lists and planners. Many of these apps offer additional tips and tricks to help you stay motivated and work your way through your lists or goals as well.
Whether you use digital or pen and paper lists, you can also add notes and other information to your lists so all the information you require is in one place. Helping you stay organized and focused.
Considering Your Mental Health
Some people may have a hard time motiving themselves to handle situations due to additional mental health struggles. In these cases, this is something that should be addressed with a mental health professional when possible, so a person is able to work towards their goals.
For example, one type of condition that may change the ability to motivate yourself is a current addiction or a past addiction. The good news is that there is a treatment option available to help change this. You can talk to a therapist about motivational enhancement therapy if you are someone who has struggled with addiction and wants to address your motivation. This process may be able to help you learn techniques that will improve your motivation.
Conclusion
Even though it can be hard to stay motivated and get everything done in a timely manner, this is something that you can work on.
There are a variety of options available to help you improve motivation. From using smartphone apps to rewarding yourself for meeting your goals to exploring mental health treatment options available.
A lack of motivation can happen to any of us. So be sure to remember that next time you feel like you aren’t getting enough accomplished. Keep taking note of your successes as you find ways to continue working towards your goals. And don’t be afraid to try different strategies to help you find or regain your motivation, or seek support when you need it.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
