Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? Is this helping me achieve my big goals and targets? Why do I want to achieve these goals and targets?” Knowing these reasons can help you feel motivated. Evaluating your reasons for doing something is also an effective way of taking stock of your priorities. Over time, your priorities may have changed so that your goal is less important. “Unimportant” tasks can be hard to get motivated about. [1] X Research source Occasionally take some time to re-evaluate your major goals. Have your dreams changed? Do you still feel like you can accomplish them? What steps do you need to take to achieve those dreams?
Equipment that is too large, small, or old might cause discomfort or pain, especially with prolonged use. Choose equipment that fits you well, and follow the care instructions to know when replacement is necessary. Chronically dark places can lead to depressed moods. Try adding a few lamps to your work space or going on walks during lunch so you can get some sun. Set up pictures of your family, friends, favorite bands, and more. Personalizing your work space can make you more productive, which can give a serious boost to your motivation. [4] X Trustworthy Source Association for Psychological Science Nonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciences Go to source
Imagine doing and completing your task as vividly as possible. Think about the smells, sights, and other sensations as you imagine each step from start to finish. When you’re feeling especially unmotivated, you may want to get into the habit of starting out each day visualizing yourself accomplishing the major tasks of that day. [6] X Research source
If you have difficulty remembering to take a few steps every day to achieve your goals, you might want to use a planner, checklist, or sticky notes as a reminder. With big goals and projects, sometimes you might get lost in the details. In these cases, every week or so you might want to reevaluate the big picture.
Whenever approaching an important task, it’s completely natural for you to feel like a force is resisting or fighting you, making the work more difficult. Once the ball gets rolling, you’ll find in most cases that resistance decreases or disappears entirely. The hardest part to beating resistance is getting started. [9] X Research source
If you have a friend who’s a bit of a stick in the mud or a pessimist, you may want to limit your time around that person while you need to be motivated. Some people are more sensitive to the emotions of others. [10] X Research source If you find that your emotions are easily affected by the feelings of others, you might take on negative emotional energy easily and need to avoid it. [11] X Research source
Try to be regular in your check-ins with your accountability partner. Routine, like reviewing your progress weekly with your partner, will help you consistently remember to check in. You can create an accountability network by taking time to share your goals with your friends and family. You’ll be more motivated to work hard and make progress if you know someone might ask about your goal later. [13] X Research source
As you see yourself accomplishing weekly tasks and getting closer to finishing the major phases of your goal, you’ll likely be encouraged and motivated by your progress. It’s best to leave some wiggle room when making your loose timetable. Some goals might require more practice or effort than expected, in which case you’ll need to adjust your timetable. In some cases, slow progress can lead you to thoughts that you’ll never finish, which can be very discouraging. Focus on the positive points and remind yourself that all big projects are accomplished one small thing at a time.
Forget how difficult it might be to accomplish your goal. Do you feel excited and thrilled when you think of it being completed? If so, this is a strong indication that you are passionate about the goal and it is worth getting motivated about. If you find that you do not enjoy or are not challenged by whatever it is you are doing, you might ask if you can graduate to a more advanced level, or you could try something entirely new. [16] X Research source
Simply ask yourself, “Do I like the topic of my work? Do I like my work space? My coworkers?” Such questions might reveal that your motivational problem isn’t the work itself, but something else. When you think that you might have found a potential cause of your motivation problem, test it by leaving your daily routine the same and adjusting only that potential cause. If motivation improves or worsens, you’ve found a cause.
Coaching yourself positively, saying things like, “It’s only natural to be afraid of failure, making a mistake, or embarrassing myself. It’s OK to feel this way, but I can still do this!” Confronting the inner demons telling you that you’re not good enough. Oppose these feelings by telling yourself, “I am good enough, I can do this, and I believe in myself. “[19] X Research source
Breaking down your task into small, manageable parts. Picture each part clearly and separately in your mind and arrange these from first to last. Getting outside of overwhelming patterns. Even if you’re used to being overwhelmed, constantly being so is unhealthy. Adjust your daily schedule so it’s less hectic and there’s enough break time. Pausing to ask yourself before agreeing to do something, “Would adding this be too much?” If yes, you may want to decline helping until you life is less stressful. [20] X Research source
