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Self-Help Motivation

Motivational pink tree

It’s common for people to experience fluctuations in motivation levels. While it’s normal to go through periods with little to no motivation, it can be frustrating when there are things you need to get done!

Tips to Help with Motivation:

  • Manage your energy
    • Start your day with your most pleasurable tasks.
    • Set reasonable expectations and SMART (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-specific) goals.
    • Break your days into manageable parts.
    • Having variability in your schedules is key.
  • Start with one small step
    • Often motivation is gained after beginning a task (not before). Start the activity with a small step to begin building the motivation to continue.
    • Don’t wait to the feel motivated to start the project; just start.
  • Celebrate your successes
    • Build the habit of using small, immediate rewards for your accomplishments, even the small ones.
  • Be compassionate with your failures and/or lack of progress
    • Talk to yourself like you would talk to a good friend who was struggling.
    • Be empathic and remind yourself that you are much more than your productivity or the sum of your mistakes.
    • Acknowledge that making mistakes and feeling bad doesn’t mean you are bad or weak.
  • Identify your intrinsic motivators
    • Are the choices you are making lining up with the things that you want?
    • Focus on the process and on how it is contributing to your end goal.
  • Surround yourself with motivated people
    • Be thoughtful about the people you choose to spend your time with.
    • The people you habitually spend time with affect how you habitually feel.
  • Be okay with saying “No.”
    • Identifying your personal values can guide your decision-making when you’re feeling conflicted.
    • Say no to extra projects or activities that might interfere with what you need to get done.

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