Feeling Stuck? Not Anymore.
Sometimes the hardest part of finishing a task is simply finding the motivation to start it. Even if you are naturally quite ambitious, you may struggle to get motivated from time to time. Regardless of the reason why you are in this slump, here are some ways to reignite the flame in your passion.
Determine the Reason for the Slump
There are a few common reasons why people procrastinate on a project. Perhaps you are dreading the task, or you lack the confidence to go out of your comfort zone. It could be possible you feel tired and simply need to get more sleep and have a healthier diet. Many people experience slumps when they are in the middle of the project. Both the beginning and end of something are exciting, but you may stall when there is still quite a way to go until completion. Figuring out this reason will help you move past it.
Take Care of Yourself
No matter what the reason is, you should continue taking good care of your body. Your procrastination may be a result of not getting enough sleep or eating bad food. Take a short break from your project to go outside and get some fresh air. Eat healthier foods if you have been snacking on fast food lately.
Make It Impossible To Avoid Doing the Task
Taking care of yourself is great, but sometimes, you just need to kick yourself into first gear to finish something. If your goal is to go to the gym for at least an hour every day, then give yourself a workout partner. Find friends who would be willing to go to the gym with you. When you have someone waiting and depending on you, it is far less likely you will continue putting off the task.
Persevere
There is a quote from Confucius that goes, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” When you are in the middle of a project, it can be easy to lose sight of your goals because the end result is still far away. Using the example earlier, going to the gym every day may be easy at first because you have the newfound passion for a new hobby and the knowledge you are benefitting your body. However, as time goes on, routines like going to the gym every day may fall by the wayside.
The key here is to continue pushing forward. Even if you only manage to get a small part done on a given day, you are at least making progress. Better to choose baby steps than no steps at all – each and every day.
Remember the Why
Why do you want to exercise more often? Why do you want to finish that screenplay? It is natural to lack confidence from time to time, but you can reinvigorate your senses by reminding yourself of the end goal. Give yourself a compliment. You may have only lost five pounds instead of the 10 pounds you wanted, but compliment yourself on making some progress. Additionally, do not be afraid to reward yourself for a job well done.
Remember Slumps Do Not Last Forever
There is always going to be some resistance when you want to attain any goal. You will lose motivation sometimes, or you may face obstacles outside of your control. Everyone has a different path, and you should always be taking small steps to achieve a goal. As you push through the resistance, it will become much easier over time to get out of these slumps.
Ban “procrastination” from your vocabulary. Make the most out of every day, so you work to become the person you want to be. Do you have any tips for finding motivation? Let us know in the comments.