Quarantine fatigue has made it extremely difficult for finding the motivation and energy to get things done. After over a year of lockdown, it seems like we’re just floating through time, especially since the days are getting longer now. With summer so close, it’s easy to slack off and find ways to procrastinate, so here are some tips and tricks to help you stay on top of things and pull through!
Set small goals for yourself, no matter how small
Setting goals that can be easily accomplished is a great way to find motivation. By creating even the smallest of goals, you will be able to achieve multiple goals throughout the day or the week. This will help you feel like you can accomplish much more, giving you the motivation to keep going and set more (realistic) goals for yourself. Even setting a goal for drinking three glasses of water a day can help you stay consistent and motivated (and hydrated!). Be sure not to set so many goals for yourself that you feel overwhelmed and drained. Start small and then work your way up to bigger goals, like writing that paper you’ve been avoiding.
This may seem like it would overwhelm you because you have to face everything that needs to get done; however, creating to-do lists or agendas will help keep yourself organized and allow you to break down your work so you don’t find yourself cramming to get that assignment done by 11:59pm. I’ve found that writing down a checklist of everything I need to get done can also provide some incentive. Being able to cross off things on my list is so satisfying, and it’s honestly that little satisfaction that helps give me the motivation to complete my school work ahead of time.
Listen to music
Playing the right music can be a great way to get some motivation. If you need motivation for doing school work, non-lyrical music, like classical or piano, is the best. Lyrics can be distracting as you might find yourself singing or dancing along with the music, taking your focus away from the work you need to get done. Classical music is one of my personal favorites for studying because it is very calming and seems to create a more productive atmosphere. (It also makes me feel like I’m a main character in a period drama!) On the other hand, if you need motivation for other things such as household chores or running errands, upbeat music like house or pop is best. Of course, everyone’s music tastes differ so you might not listen to piano or house music specifically, but the aim here is to find the right genres that will help you stay focused and give you the motivation you need.
Creating time for some selfcare in order to recharge is really important in maintaining motivation because it provides incentive. I’ve found that the best way to do so is by giving yourself little ‘prizes’ after completing certain tasks. For example, when you’ve achieved a small goal, like doing 30 minutes of reading for class, you can treat yourself to a snack or make a nice cup of tea. I would say you can treat yourself to ten minutes of Tik Tok after reaching a goal, but let’s be real, those ten minutes will easily turn into 60. Some selfcare ideas are doing a face mask, talking to some friends, listening to podcasts or doing yoga. Make sure you set aside time for selfcare, because not only is it good for motivation, but it is great for your overall health and wellbeing.
These are just some tips that have helped me immensely in the past year, giving me the right amount of motivation to push through and succeed. I still feel drained and burnt out sometimes, but this motivation is enough to help me get by, and that’s more than enough for these times. The best we can do is try to make an effort without putting so much pressure on ourselves. I hope this helps with finding some motivation to get through to the summer! You got this!