10 Ways To Stay Motivated
Its easy to get down to work when you are full of inspiration, but what about when it runs out? There are countless ways to keep our tank full throughout the days, weeks, and months. Here are 10 of them.
1. Make Your Bed
You have probably heard this one before - because it really works. Making your bed takes less than a minute, makes our space look instantly more polished, and starts your day off with a tiny accomplishment. Go you.
2. EAT THAT FROG!
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” - Mark Twain
If you haven't already read Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy, I highly recommend it. The basic concept is this: when reviewing your most important tasks for the day, pick the one you hate the most and work on that one first.
3. M.I.T. (Most Important Tasks)
I am not sure where this one originated from, but it is another great tool for creating your daily To Do list. Choose three (or less) things that are the MOST important to get done that day and do those items FIRST. The first item should be your frog! If you only accomplish those three things, you will have a feeling of success which will carry you through your day. PS – I have found that my MITs never take as long as I think they will.
4. Get Inspired
Listen to inspiring speeches and podcasts, even the cliché ones. If you haven’t read any self help books, start reading them! Find people you admire and read their biography. Find people in your field doing an excellent job and subscribe to their podcast or newsletter. Listen to commencement speeches from accomplished people. Become friends with people that inspire you.
5. Set Goals, Big and Small
There are so many different ways to set goals. Split your life up into categories and list goals for each one. Create goals for a year from now and split that goal up into tiny goals.
A few years ago I made the goal of flossing my teeth everyday for 30 days. After 26 years of my inability to get a good flossing habit going, all it took was a simple 30 day goal to make a habit stick.
6. Review Goals Often
Review your goals on a regular basis to track how you're doing. I review goals weekly, monthly, and yearly. Pivot or tweak goals when needed.
7. Sleep + Diet + Exercise
GET ENOUGH SLEEP! Consult with a nutritionist and check what you are putting into your body. Get some sort of physical exercise routine going, even if it is just a walk everyday. If you feel like you are giving it your all and still find yourself losing energy throughout the day, contact your doctor and get your bloodwork done. If you are in the Portland area and looking for recommendations for great healthcare professionals, drop me a line!
8. Pay Attention To Your Energy Cycles
Identify when you feel the best and maximize that time. I recommend reading When by Daniel Pink for more information on this. Are you a morning person? Night owl? Schedule your most grueling and intense tasks for these times and the easy ones for your sleepier times. Keep in mind that we are all a little low energy in the early afternoon, so use that time to take a break!
9. Don’t Give Yourself The Chance To Back Down
Hold yourself accountable. Parent your inner child. Do the things you need to do even when you don’t feel like it. Sometimes you just have to do the damn thing.
10. Be Okay With The Bad Days.
We can’t be productive and on top of it all day every day – no one is. If you are having an off day, honor it. Take the rest you need and use the experience as information for the future. Could you have scheduled your day differently? Did you get the right amount of sleep? Are you distracted by something in your life that you need to take care of? Become a detective!
I hope you found these ten tips helpful and insightful. Try them out one at a time and see how it feels!
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