Motivation can be somewhat elusive - some days, you just can't seem to make yourself do the stuff you don't want to. But putting things off just leads to stress, frustration and a sense of guilt. If you could only stop procrastinating and start ticking off the chores on your to-do list, how much happier and productive your life could be!
Luckily, there's plenty of advice to help you be more motivated. Which strategy works for you will depend on the reasons why you're not motivated. For example, a lack of motivation can sometimes be caused by a low mood. If you're feeling dejected, Bach Flower Mix 65 can help to drive the dark clouds away and boost your willpower, so you feel more energised to get on and do the stuff you don't want to.
Here are a few more tips to help you do the things you've been putting off:
Sometimes a chore you're facing can seem so overwhelming that you don't even know where to start. If this happens, you keep putting it off and accomplish nothing.
Whether it's renovating a house or writing a dissertation, try breaking down a daunting task into a series of small steps, then it won't seem so bad.
And when you've mapped out the steps you need to take, decide which are the most important and get started on those. If you've got a pile of paperwork that you've been neglecting, pay the most overdue bills. If your house needs spring cleaning, begin with the room that's dirtiest, and so on.
Sometimes, you know you need to change your habits, but you keep putting things off. For example, suppose you want to give up smoking but can't quite motivate yourself to do it. In this scenario, you're only harming yourself - you know that the longer you put it off, the more damage you're doing to your body. So when you think about how this might affect your future, ten or twenty years down the line, it can kickstart you into action.
Does your partner keep asking you to give up smoking because they're worried about your health, or to clear out all your junk that's cluttering up the garage? Your lack of motivation may be causing resentment to build up in your relationship. You can overcome a lack of motivation to do something you don't want to do if you're doing it to please your loved ones.
Putting off doing the things you don't want to do certainly isn't always about fear, but being afraid can lead us to avoid events that we find stressful. Whether it's a job interview or giving an important presentation, facing challenges like these can lead to personal development and growth and help advance your career. But first, you have to be motivated to stop procrastinating. Go ahead and apply for that dream job; if you keep putting it off, you won't get any further.
List your tasks for the day on a calendar, whether digital or physical. Every morning, you can see at a glance what you have to accomplish that day, and it helps to keep you on track. Ticking off each task as you complete it is satisfying and a great way to motivate yourself.
Not every aim can be achieved quickly, and these are the easiest ones to put off. For example, if you need to lose 20 kilos, you have to accept that it's going to take a while before you notice the scales moving. So it's essential to persevere and not to get discouraged. Visualising a future event such as a wedding or a holiday for which you look your best can really boost your motivation.
When you're annoyed or bored with a chore, whether cooking, laundry or vacuuming, practise gratitude for what you have. Remember that not everyone's lucky enough to have a house to clean or a family to cook for. Finding appreciation in whatever chores you're doing will help you to keep things in perspective.
When you've completed the task that you were so reluctant to start, reward yourself with your favourite chocolate, a glass of wine or a relaxing scented bath. Treating yourself when you've done something you don't want to is a fantastic incentive to do it quicker next time.
Our days can't always be filled with our favourite things, so we must learn to motivate ourselves to do the things we don't want to. Changing your perspective and considering your reasons for doing a task will help to kickstart you into action. And you'll appreciate the satisfaction you feel when you've ticked off your to-do list or completed a challenge.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/motivation-work-tasks
https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-get-motivated-to-make-positive-changes-in-your-life
Do you feel you’re always criticising and judging everyone, yourself included? Do you feel bad about it afterwards? You’re certainly not alone! Read on to discover how you can judge less and start to accept things the way they are.
As nice as it is for a person to celebrate New Year, it's not so nice for a dog, especially when the loud fireworks go off the whole night. This is really frightening for many dogs. Read our 7 tips on how you can help your dog with his fear of fireworks.
Millions of people furloughed for months are now being recalled to work. Others, who have been working from home throughout the lockdown, are returning to the office. And some jobs have simply disappeared: many people are facing redundancy and will soon have to cope with job hunting. Going back to work after an unprecedented length of time at home is quite a challenge.
Feeling blue? You're not alone! We all feel sad at times; it's a normal human emotion. Sometimes, it's clear to see what has triggered our depression. Common reasons for feeling sad include bereavement, the end of a relationship, losing your job or money problems. But it's not always so clearcut.
Children's imaginations know no limits and their dreams are a mix of hopes and fantasies, the real and the magical, the impossible and the achievable.
People spend so much of their time regretting the past and worrying about the future. But it’s not worth it! Even what happened yesterday doesn't matter anymore! Let go of the past and the future and make the most of every moment.
According to figures from the World Health Organisation, more than 260 million people worldwide suffer from depression. And it's not only adults who are diagnosed with this illness. Children as young as three or four years old can experience depression.
Your relationship ends, or you lose your job, and you get stuck in a rut of negative thoughts and suffering. How good are you at letting go of grudges and accepting that some things are beyond your control? Take our quiz to find out!
Read the complete article
What can you do if your kid doesn't want to go back to school? Here are our hints and tips to help if your child is expressing a refusal to go to school.
We simply can’t avoid noticing the changes all around us. Autumn is here... Autumn is also called a transitional season. Slowly and steadily, it prepares us for the transition...
Read the complete article
Are you unsure which Bach flowers can help you? Contact Tom for free advice.
