Finding motivation for anything and everything has become difficult for me.
Waking up in the morning, going to classes, doing schoolwork, and even writing this article is taking a lot out of me. Some of the things that have been difficult for me to find motivation for are things that I love doing and am passionate about, but have slowly become increasingly more draining for me to complete as of recently.
Although the reasoning behind my lack of motivation is due to several things, the reason that is taking the biggest toll on my drive to do the things that need to be done is burnout.
The American Psychological Association defines burnout as physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others”.
As the semester has been progressing, I have found myself experiencing mid-semester burnout. This has caused me to have a hard time doing almost everything that I’ve needed to do, even the simplest everyday activities, like getting ready for class in the morning or going to get something to eat.
But despite the burnout I have been experiencing, these are things that I need to do, so I have been working on ways to find motivation for all the things that need to be done.
Routine
While trying to find ways to get myself in the habit of doing the things that need to be done, I have found that one of the best ways is by making it into a routine. I have found a daily routine that works for me and my schedule, and I have found that making a routine out of all the everyday things that I need to do gives me the drive to complete them. My routine consists of completing the same everyday activities in the same order every day, so I know I won’t skip over something that needs to be done. This helps me in finding motivation for the simpler aspects of my life, like waking up in the morning and getting ready for the day, then getting myself ready for bed before falling asleep.
Self-Care Days
Around all the hecticness going on in my life, I have found that making time for taking care of myself is extremely important if I am going to get anything else done. I have made it a point to have a self-care day once every week, so I have a day to focus on myself and my well-being. Whether this day consists of me sleeping in, doing a face mask, or even just relaxing and watching a movie by myself, I have found that dedicating a day to myself makes the rest of the week easier.
Mental Checklists
The most impactful step that I have taken in inspiring motivation within myself has been making myself mental checklists, or even physical checklists. If I have a clear plan of what needs to be done and when, I find myself more motivated to complete it so I can check it off my list. An even bigger plus to this method of motivating yourself is the satisfaction you get as you check off the last thing on your list, and can relax knowing you have completed everything that needs to be done