Have you ever had a day where you just can’t seem to catch a break and everything is seemingly going wrong? Maybe you’ve lost your job due to a pandemic, maybe you’ve started a new job and it’s your first time working from home, or maybe you’re just down in the dumps and can’t seem to pull through. Whatever it may be, in one way or another, we’ve all been there.
Challenges are part of life. It can be hard to get back up once you’ve been knocked down. Sometimes we need help to persevere, so I’ve created a list of 7 ways you can stay motivated no matter what challenges you endure.
1. Get out of your pajamas – When you stay in pajamas or lounge wear all day you tend to be less productive, stay in bed longer and are more susceptible to turning on the TV. Getting up and getting dressed is a good first victory and sets the tone for whats ahead. This doesn’t mean you necessarily need to dress to impress but simply changing into something you would wear out of the house can do so much to ones mindset. Speaking of..
2. Leave the house – I feel like this is probably my #1 thing. Even if that means just going to get coffee or going for a walk around your neighborhood. Being cooped up all day can play havoc on your productivity, your creativity, and your mood. A simple change of environment can do so much for your mind and provide a much needed boost of energy.
3. Don’t overcommit – Our first instinct is to say always “yes” when someone asks us to do something. We hesitate saying “no” in fear of letting someone else down and associate saying “no” as a negative. However, if we have overcommitted, it truly affects us as an individual the most. We may get anxiety about all the things we agreed to, we might feel stressed out with not enough time, we may feel fearful of disappointing another person. The list can go on and on. Feeling like you have too much to do can lead to feeling overwhelmed and ultimately accomplishing nothing. Our minds can easily get burnt out trying to focus on too many different things at once erupting in a complete shutdown. Try scheduling just a few achievable things a day with room to schedule something else if you choose to.
4. Set goals – Setting goals for yourself can help you stay on track. Whether it’s a big or small goal, breaking down each goal piece by piece can really help. Here’s an example for me:
Goal: To create blog content more frequently.
I would look at this and say “OK, how can I break this down into smaller pieces”
- Plan out content for the month
- Cook on Sundays
- Photoshoot on Tuesdays
- Set a designated time to edit photos every night
- Wake up an hour earlier each day to research topics
- Ect.
By breaking down a goal into smaller pieces it makes each goal seem more achievable. Even if you’re feeling overwhelmed a certain day, remind yourself why you set this goal for yourself and try doing a small task towards your objective.
5. Avoid negativity – There is nothing else that can crush your mood more than some Debby Downer cramping your style. Although we are in control of our own emotions it’s proven that negativity can dampen our state of happiness and motivation. It’s up to you how you choose to react. Take control of what you can and stop worrying about things that are out of your control. Things don’t always go as planned, but the sooner you move on, the faster you can succeed.
6. Don’t dwell on the past -This one ties in directly with avoiding negativity. Dwelling on the past can create a negative and toxic mindset. It’s like reading the same chapter of a book over and over again and each time hoping it ends a differently. Instead, try and focus on the “now”. Focus on the chapter that is currently being written. Try and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished instead of what you haven’t.
7. SLEEP – I know this is something that is expressed repeatedly by everyone, but it’s beyond accurate and extremely essential. I’ve lived a lot of days surviving off copious amounts of caffeine. And sure I make it through alright, but “alright” isn’t the best that you or I can be. Waking up feeling refreshed and not reaching for that coffee mug immediately gives your body and mind a whole different perspective.
