Yes! You’ve started a new project and you’re excited. It could be anything, finally sorting out that paperwork, color-coding the closet or an awesome new project at work. But then – obstacles strike! And there goes your motivation. You’re no longer feeling it. Why did you start this thing in the first place? Now you’re stuck with piles of unsorted clothes, long to-do lists or a late Friday night at the office (…and your weekend gone). Sound familiar?
At times like this, what you need is to muster up a mega dose of motivation to power through and get it done. But how? It’s something you wrestle with often enough. Often, you leave things till the last minute because…you just work better that way? To break this cycle, all you need are a few motivational techniques, and you’ll be up and running. Here are five tips for motivation that can help you get back to getting things done, so you can train your motivation muscle!
1. Make goals attainable
No one likes to see mile long to-do lists that never get crossed off. Seeing all of those open tasks at the end of each day feels like failure. But breaking things down into attainable goals makes things easier and helps you maintain motivation. Each day set no more than 5 goals that you know are doable in a day. At the end of the day, when you see all those ticks next to your to-do boxes, it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and you’ll start the next day full of energy.
2. Set priorities
Don’t spend the whole day with that icky task in the back of your mind. That’s definitely demotivating and doesn’t help you get other things done. Put the task you’re avoiding the most at the top of your to-do list and do it first thing. Once that’s done, all your other tasks that day will be a piece of cake.
3. Think in possibilities
Don’t forget that all roads lead to Rome and that it wasn’t built in a day! So, don’t get hung up on the hurdles that spring up, because they’ll always be there, but instead, keep your eyes on the prize. It always motivates to visualize what it will look like when the task is done. So, imagine the end result in the form of a report, text, image or whatever makes sense. Picture it and work towards it.
4. Timing is everything
Working with a timer also works as a motivational technique that helps complete a big job. Set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on one task. As soon as the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Repeat this technique three times and then reward yourself with a half hour break. After that, do another 4 short sessions. This’ll keep you sharp and motivated.
5. Believe in yourself
“I’m going to make a mistake”, “This isn’t going to work out” or “I’m not good at this” …are all pointless thoughts that don’t get you anywhere except that they demotivate you before you’ve even started. Are you really a rock star with this. Counter yourself, by thinking about all the things you’ve accomplished so far and all you are capable of. That brings the motivation back to life. It reminds you that you’ve got this one in the bag too! Don’t forget that you take talents for granted that others have to work on. Focus on what you’re good at and go from there.
These motivational techniques are something you can use in both work and private life, not just for yourself but also as a management tool to keep your team motivated. If you want to master these techniques, check out this online learning journey and you’ll soon be rocking any project like a boss.
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Motivation is a muscle – 5 ways to train it
Yes! You’ve started a new project and you’re excited. It could be anything, finally sorting out that paperwork, color-coding the closet or an awesome new project at work. But then – obstacles strike! And there goes your motivation. You’re no longer feeling it. Why did you start this thing in the first place? Now you’re stuck with piles of unsorted clothes, long to-do lists or a late Friday night at the office (…and your weekend gone). Sound familiar?
At times like this, what you need is to muster up a mega dose of motivation to power through and get it done. But how? It’s something you wrestle with often enough. Often, you leave things till the last minute because…you just work better that way? To break this cycle, all you need are a few motivational techniques, and you’ll be up and running. Here are five tips for motivation that can help you get back to getting things done, so you can train your motivation muscle!
1. Make goals attainable
No one likes to see mile long to-do lists that never get crossed off. Seeing all of those open tasks at the end of each day feels like failure. But breaking things down into attainable goals makes things easier and helps you maintain motivation. Each day set no more than 5 goals that you know are doable in a day. At the end of the day, when you see all those ticks next to your to-do boxes, it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and you’ll start the next day full of energy.
2. Set priorities
Don’t spend the whole day with that icky task in the back of your mind. That’s definitely demotivating and doesn’t help you get other things done. Put the task you’re avoiding the most at the top of your to-do list and do it first thing. Once that’s done, all your other tasks that day will be a piece of cake.
3. Think in possibilities
Don’t forget that all roads lead to Rome and that it wasn’t built in a day! So, don’t get hung up on the hurdles that spring up, because they’ll always be there, but instead, keep your eyes on the prize. It always motivates to visualize what it will look like when the task is done. So, imagine the end result in the form of a report, text, image or whatever makes sense. Picture it and work towards it.
4. Timing is everything
Working with a timer also works as a motivational technique that helps complete a big job. Set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on one task. As soon as the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Repeat this technique three times and then reward yourself with a half hour break. After that, do another 4 short sessions. This’ll keep you sharp and motivated.
5. Believe in yourself
“I’m going to make a mistake”, “This isn’t going to work out” or “I’m not good at this” …are all pointless thoughts that don’t get you anywhere except that they demotivate you before you’ve even started. Are you really a rock star with this. Counter yourself, by thinking about all the things you’ve accomplished so far and all you are capable of. That brings the motivation back to life. It reminds you that you’ve got this one in the bag too! Don’t forget that you take talents for granted that others have to work on. Focus on what you’re good at and go from there.
These motivational techniques are something you can use in both work and private life, not just for yourself but also as a management tool to keep your team motivated. If you want to master these techniques, check out this online learning journey and you’ll soon be rocking any project like a boss.