How to get motivation back

Publish Date: Dec 19 '19

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These last couple days I've also been really unmotivated. My brain has been going every which way and I haven't been able to focus on anything for too long unless I see an immediate payoff.

Then I came across this tweet:

The answers can change but this really got me thinking about how far you can go if you put your mind to it and kind of gives more direction when you start thinking about the larger goals. I think about this all the time but I think I need to make a giant glowing sign with it on to see every morning.

Sometimes just thinking about goals doesn't help. Sometimes thinking about the future can be overwhelming. Just as looking up motivational quotes and looking at the Instagrams and videos of people who inspire you can have the opposite effect.

Here is how I've gotten back on track in the past:

List everything I need to do the rest of Dec, Jan/Feb, end of 2020, and goals for 2025 (I'm going to be honest there's a 99% chance the 2025 ones will change but just to get myself thinking of where I could go).
Make a plan. Put together a plan of what workouts to do what days, what lessons/ tasks to get done with and how many quality job applications to do each day. This helps with creating actionable and reasonable goals.
Put app timers back on and cut some back. My phone has app timers included and I have them set for a reasonable amount of time.
Get back to the gym. I've found when I'm physically in good shape my mind is a lot more with it and I think I'm finally over my cold.
Morning study sessions. It's so hard for me to pay attention to things after work. I honestly have no clue why. I tell myself I'll do something and hours later I still haven't done that one thing. So morning sessions help with that

Even going through the motions to try to get back on track sometimes helps. I think taking some time to plan out your upcoming days and get excited about life and changes will help a ton.

How do you get your motivation back?

View full article here: https://jkimexploring.wordpress.com/2019/12/19/how-i-plan-to-get-my-motivation-back

Comments 11 total

Saeed AhmadDec 19, 2019

Jenna. Great article but I have few questions from you.

i) How to manage learning new things along-with work ?
ii) How to deal with situation when you think you are under-payed?
- JkImExploringDec 19, 2019
  
  Thank you!
  
  i) I do morning sessions of learning and will sometimes do lessons over lunch. When I'm working on projects I'll write down questions I need to find answers for during my morning session and then look them up over lunch to see if I can find any answers. I try to get learning done after I'm done with work for the day but it doesn't work out sometimes. Plus, I make sure to keep a social life.
  
  ii) I'd ask for a raise with reasons why and how I've been going above and beyond. If I don't get it I'll try harder and ask again. But there is a point where you know you're underpaid and they won't give more so I start looking for jobs.
  - Saeed AhmadDec 19, 2019
    
    Thank you so much. In terms of morning sessions, I am lazy nowadays. Anyways, I would take your suggestions seriously and will work on these things. Thanks again for your time.
Richard SchlossDec 19, 2019

I think it may have just been the cold. Sometimes doing nothing for a solid week is the best thing we can do for our health, to allow our body to recoup and recover. For me, I know too much of nothing is what motivates me to do twice as much the next week. I sometimes get great ideas in my sleep.
- JkImExploringDec 21, 2019
  
  That was definitely part of it. My concentration dipped majorly the first week I was feeling better again, which was the weird part. I think it was because I was still pushing myself when I was sick.
Jason OrmesDec 20, 2019

Number 4 exercise is my big go to. It becomes a lot more difficult as the weather turns cold in the area.
- JkImExploringDec 21, 2019
  
  For sure! Even going to the gym becomes harder because you have to get into a cold car after.
Dan HowardDec 20, 2019

How much time do you dedicate to studying in the morning?
I'm a night owl and getting up even 15 min earlier is an apocalypse for me.
- JkImExploringDec 21, 2019
  
  I moved it back bit by bit but my norm is an hour and 15 mins before I have to get ready because it takes me 15 mins to make coffee and wake up enough to be able to focus.
  When I started and was only at half an hour total it wasn't enough time to get too into anything so I would read or something.
JamesED-WBDec 20, 2019

I'm the same way with attention after work, it's pretty frustrating. I'll make dinner, watch something on Netflix, then lose focus for the rest of the night. I've been toying with the Idea of taking a quick power nap, but then maybe I won't be able to sleep?
- JkImExploringDec 21, 2019
  
  I tried taking naps to kind of reboot after work and I can't get to sleep until after midnight then. I know other people it helps so you could try and see what happens.

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JkImExploring @jkimexploring