Start Me Up! How to Stay Motivated

 

If you are stuck in a rut and need to move forward, read on.

Have you recently embarked on a health or wellness kick? Or maybe you’re needing to find the impetus to knuckle down with study or achieve better outcomes at work or in your personal life? Do you feel as if you’ve hit a brick wall? The answer to overcoming this hurdle lies in finding the key to what motivates you. (I must admit that I’m writing this article whilst grappling with a distinct lack of, what I affectionately call, ‘moflo’ – a little abbreviation on ‘motivational-flow’ – so we’re in this together!) We all have something that can encourage us onwards and upwards. Identifying and holding fast to what this is will help give you that boost that you need to see things through.

These following tips will also help you (and I!) feel as if you’re actually getting somewhere rather than being riddled with that futile feeling of going nowhere fast.

1. Find an Image

Motivation doesn’t appear out of thin-air, so in order to grasp what it is that works as a point of motivation for you, a vivid image helps as something to anchor your aspirations to and from which motivation will be sparked off. This will be something personal and unique to you. Keep a picture of this nearby. It might be: a photo of your kids, a postcard, a picture of somewhere you’re thinking of making a sea-change to, a photo of you when you felt self-assured and in good physical condition, anything that gives you a purpose – or you may wish to write out a quote that contains words which prove infinitely inspiring and which, in turn, calls to mind a positive image for you. It should be something that perks you up and makes you walk out the door, head held high, feeling that you’re ready to embrace the day ahead. Conjure it up in your mind’s eye whenever you feel like you’re lagging. Motivational audio-books and CDs also work well for some people.

2. Go for your Goals

Don’t lose sight of your goals. Thinking about and talking about them will make them seem more attainable. Keep track of where you’re at with a detailed plan. Step outside yourself, so to speak, and visualize yourself succeeding at whatever it is you have your heart and mind set on. Regular exercise will also encourage mental motivation as all those feel-good hormones zap around your system.

Note: Springday is your one-stop site for all goal-setting basics.

3. Push Procrastination away

It’s okay to put things off every now and again, but if you find you’ve become enmeshed in the habit of regularly sweeping things under the proverbial carpet, then procrastination can surely be deemed the ‘thief of time’, and we all know how precious time is. The first step to overcome procrastination is to recognize what self-defeating concerns make you delay doing things. Poor time management skills, fear of failure, indecisiveness, difficulty in concentrating, and perfectionism can be all interfere with motivation. Once you realize what your particular issue is you can take appropriate steps to conquer a bad habit and move forward with greater ease. Altering certain lifestyle or work habits to minimize distractions helps to promote better time management and enhances motivation.

Note: Springday’s online community allows you to share tips with others on how to overcome procrastination and maximise motivation.

4. Allow for setbacks and remember the rewards

Off-days (or weeks) are to be expected – we all have them! If on some days you feel like you’ve made no progress whatsoever, quite possibly even having taken a couple of steps backwards, all is not lost. Life can sometimes seem like a game of Snakes and Ladders, but in time you will make it to the top of the game. Remember to reward yourself when you have accomplished things at regular points along the way.

Once you can get into the habit of being motivated, you’ll find there are days when you feel positively unstoppable!

Written by Cassandra Duell, Springday Writer

Back to Motivation

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