Staying motivated can be one of the hardest things to do, especially when it feels like everything is happening all at the same time. Every professor has decided to assign a very long essay for next week, you also must present the essays to the class, along with an exam for every class because finals are coming up and this is the last exam before finals, your laptop stopped working, you must meet a deadline today for something you’re not inspired to write because you were given two days to do it, and your boss has not been very nice this past week. This is just an example, but every variation of this can make anyone feel unmotivated. The stress of having to handle so many things on a tight deadline, while still managing to sleep and dealing with other basic needs, can make even the best of us feel unmotivated.
While staying motivated is not something that just happens, you can’t say “I’ll be motivated at the end of this minute” and then feel like doing everything you have to do. Next, I’ll tell about a few things that might help you keep your personal motivation so that you can accomplish your personal and professional goals.
- Make a list. (With checkpoints!)
It’s obvious that it’s impossible to do everything in a single day, which is why staying organized is so important. By making a list of everything that needs to be done, you’re able to prioritize what gets done first. For example, if an essay is due two weeks from now and you have another one due three days from now, the one you should be prioritizing is the one due three days from now. After doing that, you can focus on the other one. It needs to be mentioned that checkpoints can be very important as well. If in the middle of your daily to do list there is a break, you will likely be more motivated to finish on time, so you can take a breather before continuing again. Whilst making the list, goals are being set as you are writing down everything that needs to be met during a given day.
2. Set a goal.
Creating short-term goals can help you keep your motivation, as these goals tend to be more realistic. Although they are realistic, they can also be challenging (which is a very good thing) because nothing good comes easy. Remember to visualize that goal; it is one of the most motivating things, as you’ll find, when you reach it, that all the hard work has paid off. After setting a goal, checking for progress will immensely help.
3. Ask for help.
Sometimes, you can’t do everything alone and thinking that you can is a grave mistake. There might be times when you need others to be there for you to give you a reality check. As our society grows increasingly individualistic, some tend to lose sight of the fact that humans are social beings and they like, and need, to be around people (yes, that includes introverts). So, don’t be afraid to ask someone for help when you are feeling a little down. There is nothing wrong with this and someone else’s point of view might help us even more.
4. Reward yourself.
Rewards don’t have to be something extravagant, they can be as simple as eating a bowl of ice cream or watching an episode of your favorite TV shows. Whatever reward you choose should be one that makes you feel good and that allows you to continue towards finishing that workout or essay you’ve been putting off for a couple of hours.
5. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
It’s alright to struggle; it’s alright to take a moment for yourself because you feel that you cannot do what you were supposed to do in that moment. Take breaks whenever you need to, even if the break came before a scheduled one. The important thing is to not lose your determination. If, for example, you missed a deadline for an essay, talk to your professor about it; if they do not allow you to make it up or give you an extension, take it as a lesson for the next time you must write another essay.
There are so many other ways to stay motivated, but perhaps the most important one is to set a goal, to visualize that goal, and to not be too hard on yourself when you are not in a place yet to do something. By visualizing the goal, you’ll keep working harder to reach it. This goes for most aspects of your life, because that short-term goal you just reached today will allow you to keep going forward to reach that long-term one that’s been on your mind. Another piece of advice: don’t dwell on any failure you might have had. It happens to everyone, you’ll have bad days sometimes; but don’t allow it to disrupt that goal that you’ve been working so hard for.