1- Seek Out a Cheerleader Sometimes we get so busy and involved in our detailed tasks, we become isolated. With your nose constantly to the grindstone, there is a tendency to cut yourself off from other people, especially those that can keep you inspired. When that happens it’s time to seek out a cheerleader. Get in touch with a friend, confidant or someone who can raise your spirits. Something as simple as a lunch date or telephone conversation can refocus your energy and spur you on. The social interaction alone can help you reframe your mental attitude. Add the comforting and bolstering words from your ally and you’ll be ready to tackle the world once again. 2- Get Inspired For those times when you don’t have a cheerleader handy, you can do some other things to get inspired. As cliché as it may sound, reading motivational quotes and inspiring stories can help pull you out of the doldrums and give you renewed hope. Reading biographies of people who rose from rags to riches is a great way to get you going again. Learning that a great author like J.K Rowling of Harry Potter fame was once on welfare or that Howard Schultz the founder of Starbuck’s grew up in a housing project can inspire you climb out of that funk and reach for the stars. 3- Do Something Different Lack of motivation often comes about because we feel like we’re stuck in the same old routine. Even if that routine is comfortable and successful you can still feel like a hamster just running around in the same old wheel day after day. Want to renew your enthusiasm? Then do something different. No one is asking you to quit your job or do something crazy, but try and shake up your routine. Do something you’ve never done before. Learn a new language, take a class, go skydiving. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something interesting that takes you out of your comfort zone. Chances are you’ll find it exhilarating and liberating. This can help change your perspective and renew your interest in other areas of life—even the day-to-day stuff. 4- Simplify Sometimes we lack motivation because we feel overwhelmed. When our schedules are jam packed with work, family responsibilities, household chores and personal issues, it’s difficult to get a moment to breathe. Not to mention we live in a society where there are hundreds of choices for practically everything—from toothpaste to automobiles. All of this can put our brains on overload! It’s difficult to find the energy to get motivated when a million and one other things bog you down. The best way to combat this is by simplifying. When you simplify your life, you have more control over things and won’t feel so burdened. This in turn gives you more freedom to get motivated and focus on the important things. Start simplifying today. Do it one step at a time. You can begin by clearing out clutter from your home. Also consider delegating tasks to others at home and work. Reevaluate some of the things you devote your time to and let go of what doesn’t work. Do you really need (or want) to spend all that time on the computer or watching mindless TV shows? Cut out the fluff and you’ll have more time and energy to devote to your dreams! 5- Set A Time Set a time that is dedicated solely to studying, working or whatever you may need to do. During this task-specific dedicated time, turn off cell phones, TVs and other devices that may distract you from your task. 6- Write Your Tasks Write down the big task you want to accomplish. Create a sublist of three to four smaller tasks that make up the larger task, and rate the tasks from easy to moderate. Tackle the issues based on the level of difficulty. Starting with moderately difficult tasks may motivate you to continue and finish the smaller tasks, or the opposite might be true. Create realistic goals in order to improve the probability of completion. 7- Reward Yourself Reward yourself when you complete a task. A small treat such as your favorite food, an hour of TV or a small purchase can motivate you to work on the task again. 8- Eat Healthy Eat fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods to maintain mental and physical energy. Protein is found in dairy and animal products. Your body uses the protein for energy, which is necessary for maintaining your motivation and concentration when studying for long periods for example. 9- Exercise Exercise for 30 minutes daily. Running, brisk walking or aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that improve your mood and aid in motivation and concentration. Source
