It can happen to anyone. Weeks go by and everything seems to be going great. The pressure of deadlines and daily life just roll off your back, then suddenly, the smallest task seems impossible. Losing motivation is a reality everyone faces, but the world keeps on trucking along. You may start feeling like you are falling behind and seeing the distance between you and your goals grow only doubles down on the feeling of hopelessness. Luckily, gaining back your motivation is easier than you might think.
Hobbies
When someone asks, “what do you do?” is your first instinct to answer with your occupation? Most people identify themselves by their professions. Your job is an essential part of your life, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you do with your time. Take up a hobby or two. Hobbies are fun and give you the opportunity to be your own boss, explore new interests and social groups, and learn through trial and error. Ironically, a big motivation killer is our desire to do our jobs correctly. Hobbies are low-pressure activities that provide a stress-free environment to challenge your own limitations.
Treat Yourself
Most of your life, you’ve been consumed by work. You went to school for years, held down part-time jobs to pay for a car, and now you’re fully engrossed in the workforce. The average American works 91,250 hours during their careers. No wonder we sometimes lose motivation. Make sure you reward all of your hard work with a new experience and take a vacation. Be proactive in your vacation choice and select a place or activity that will inspire you. Taking time to leave behind your obligations, explore new adventures, and relax is a great way to reset your motivation.
Tracking Goals
While on your sabbatical from the daily grind, start a list of goals that you would like to accomplish. Carry a pen and paper with you and jot down every idea you have about the things you’d like to do better in your life. There are no wrong answers. Once you have a list of goals, try to come up with a basic outline of how you may accomplish them. Knowing what you want to accomplish and understanding how to get there will help relieve uncertainty. Goal tracking is a good practice to adopt into your day to day routine.
Focus on the Little Things
Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to take a vacation, start a hobby, or accomplish certain goals. Deadlines and schedules are typically a part of life, and you have to think of ways to find motivation while still on the clock. The best trick for bolstering motivation is to focus on the little tasks. Make a list of the easiest things you have to finish and do a few of them first. Utilize the feeling of your victory over small chores to build up momentum to overcome the harder jobs. Often just knowing you can still finish a simple task while unmotivated will push you out of a slump and back into the groove.
Be Patient
It is almost inevitable that you will hit your motivational wall. Instead of dwelling on not being on the top of your game, change your mindset. Be mindful and slow down to understand your work flow better and establish new goals. To be successful in any business endeavor, you must be patient, and trust yourself. Losing motivation is often just your body telling you it’s time for a quick break. The fastest way to recovering from you slump is to forgive yourself. Take a break and remember that it happens to everyone.