2 tricks to help keep you motivated (when you really don’t want to be)

Have you ever looked at your to-do list and thought, “How am I ever going to get through all of this?” only to put said list down and say to yourself, “I’ll get to this later”? Couple this with there being certain times throughout the day when you have more energy and motivation to complete a task than others. So, what do you do when you’re really not motivated to get started on something when you really have to? Here are two tricks that have really helped me:

1.) Combine one thing you’re dreading with one thing you love. Let’s say you dread folding laundry, but you love listening to music (or audiobooks or podcasts…). Combine the two! Not only will this make the task of folding laundry more enjoyable, it will give you a rush of dopamine (a feel good hormone that plays a role in the reward center of your brain) and create a positive association with the task. The joy you get from listening to music (or audiobooks or podcasts) will add joy to the process and the task you’re dreading becomes less awful.

2.) Commit to just 15 minutes. This trick works wonders because it decreases the psychological barrier to getting started in the first place. For example, you may be overwhelmed by an area in your home that needs organizing. Tell yourself you’re only committing to 15 minutes a day tidying up. Once you begin, you will most likely find the momentum to keep going longer than the 15 minutes you originally planned for. Even if you do stick to the 15 minutes, you’re still making progress and building consistency in the process. It also helps reduce procrastination by making a big task (like organizing a space) more manageable.

These tricks also remind us that showing up, even in what might seem like a small way, is an achievement.

Do you have tricks you implement to help with motivation?

~Kate