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7 Ways to Motivate Yourself When You Don

by StudyMalaysia.com on October 24, 2018 | Top Stories

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself When You Don - StudyMalaysia.com

Ever felt that there are days where you just want to sleep in even if you have that report you owe your boss or the pile of laundry that has been sitting there for a while. I’m pretty sure many of us can resonate with that.

Whether if it’s getting the promotion, losing weight or improving your communication skills, motivating oneself isn’t an easy task. If your level of motivation hasn’t been consistent lately, maybe you’ll find a method that will suit you below!


Set Realistic Goals

Always be true to yourself when you set your goals. People tend to make goals for themselves that they can’t keep up because the difference between liking something and liking the idea of something can often be mixed up.

If you find yourself being overwhelmed by your goals, then it is time to revaluate them. Having smaller goals can help motivate you to set bigger goals and be sure to be specific with what you want to achieve.

No Zero Days

If you’re a frequent user of Reddit, you’ve might have stumbled upon the No More Zero Days concept. A Zero Day is where an individual does absolutely nothing to achieve their goals. On the other hand, a Non-Zero day is where an individual does something a day to get closer towards their dream or goal. The idea here is not to do everything and anything to achieve the goal, but instead, do something small every single day to move closer towards it.

For example, you’ve always wanted to finish the book that has been on your bedside table for the longest time. Instead of reading a couple pages every now and then, try to strive for reading a page or even a paragraph every day. This can create a lasting change in the long run.

Make Use of a Planner

A planner acts as a visual medium and it is a great tool for organizing your goals whether if it’s for your personal or professional life. Let’s say you wish to lose 5kg before the year ends. Without having it written or visually planned, it’s likely that you’ll not be able to put in as much dedication into your goal. The same applies to your career goal. This is because; writing your goals down gives you the ability to see the bigger picture. Aside from that, jotting down on a planner daily helps to keep you mindful and in turn, improve your well-being.

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself When You Don’t Feel Like it

Engage in Inspirational Activities

Being motivated can come from various sources of inspirations and there are tons of content these days that can help leverage your motivation. Whether if it’s through a podcast or TED Talks, it’s always advisable to seek inspiration from others as it’s a way of connecting with other people on an emotional level.

Practice Positivity

It is only natural for humans to gravitate towards negative thoughts as it is a survival instinct. However, our mind is capable of adapting and positive thinking can be practiced through proactive means.

Simple methods such as changing the way we react to setbacks, experience more positive events or sticking to intrinsic goals rather than extrinsic goals can all slowly lead us to reducing the negativity in our lives. Being positive can benefit a person’s work, health, and life. It prepares us to be resilient when faced with setbacks and stay motivated when we don’t feel like it.

Set Aside Downtime

Being energized all the time is an unrealistic feeling, because we are only capable of handling so much at once. It is important to wind down, rest, and take a break. You could give yourself a specified set time to get a breather especially if your job is demanding. Go watch a movie in the cinema during the weekends. In the long run, it is likely that you will perform even harder and better.

Savour Every Achievement

Give yourself a pat on the back when you achieve a goal no matter how big or small it is. If you’re in the workforce, tasks can become excruciatingly monotonous. A great way to break away from the monotony and keep yourself motivated is by having a series of small rewards once you complete a task.

It can be treating yourself to that new flavour of ice cream in Family Mart or even allowing yourself to watch a short clip of your favourite series on Netflix. Maybe this, in turn, will regain your interest in your duties. Never underestimate the power of celebrating small wins because it can be a gratifying moment to look back on the hurdles that occurred along the way. It also teaches us to be humble while helping us foster autonomous motivation.

This article was written by Vino K from CompareHero.my, a site dedicated to increasing financial literacy and helping you save time and money by comparing credit cards, personal loans, and broadband plans in Malaysia.

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