Sometimes our inner monologue is filled with negativity, which can reduce our desire to do anything. For example, you might have an inner recording telling you that working on your goals is a waste of time because you simply don’t have what it takes to succeed (you might not even be consciously aware of such a
recording). If you counter that with a positive pep talk, it can give you the motivation to get moving. Imagine that you had to motivate your best friend. What would you say to him or her? Say those very same things to yourself and let yourself get inspired!
Dress to the nines.
We often equate casual dress with more relaxed activities, so if you’re trying to accomplish something – dress up! Put on a business suit or somewhat formal outfit, including shoes and socks (or pantyhose). Do your hair, shave, and put on cologne or perfume – whatever you would normally do for a social or business event. This gets your mind into action mode and clears away any tendency to slack off.
Visualize the end result.
We usually avoid working hard or pushing ourselves just for the sake of doing so, but if you focus on a positive benefit to completing your tasks you’ll feel more inclined to work on them. Set aside 10 minutes before you begin and imagine how you’ll feel when the job is done. Allow yourself to feel the feelings you’ll experience when you’ve accomplished what you set out to do – whether it’s satisfaction, pride, happiness, excitement, or simple relief. This gets the good feelings flowing and motivates you to do what it takes to create that experience “for real.”
S-t-r-e-t-c-h.
If you feel tense and irritable, stretching your body can do wonders for your mood. Take just a few minutes to warm up your muscles by marching in place or taking a short walk. Then take your time stretching your muscles very gently, holding each stretch for a few seconds. Start with your face and neck, and work your way down to your toes. As you work each area, imagine all stress and tension leaving your body, and a new sense of peace and happiness flowing in to replace it.
Create a contest.
One great way to push yourself to do more than you feel inspired to do is to create a contest for yourself! Imagine you’re in a competition with other people, each of you trying to do more than the others. You can even take it to the next level by not only trying to accomplish a greater amount of work, you can also focus on making your work the best it’s ever been, or doing it in the least amount of time it’s ever taken you. This can create a feeling of urgency and fun that will keep you moving long after you ordinarily would have given up.
Dance.
If you’re feeling bored or tired, turn on the tunes and boogey your lethargy away! Sing along with the lyrics or simply move your
body and get some good endorphins flowing. You can even combine this with Tip #15 and dance while you’re cleaning and organizing. Then you’ve got a “productive boogey!”
Make a to-do list.
Sometimes confusion can cause a desire to procrastinate because your tasks seem to be too numerous and overwhelming. To combat this, take a sheet of paper and make a detailed list of everything you want to accomplish today. You can list them in order of priority, or categorize like tasks together. As you review your list, think about ways you can cut the time each task might take, or shortcuts that would enable you to tackle more than one thing at a time. In no time you should be feeling more focused and ready to begin.
Pray.
If you’re the spiritual type, why not spend a few minutes connecting to your source before you begin a challenging task? Give thanks for the opportunities in your life, and ask for the inspiration, courage and stamina to do a good job. This can help you feel that you’ve got a powerful ally on your side and reduce any feelings of fear or loneliness.
Surround yourself with inspiration.
Do you have some favorite plaques, prints or paintings that make you feel inspired? Fill up your blank walls with them! Visit a flea market or home décor store for visuals that lift your spirits. Go to a stock photo site and download a few beautiful images and have them blown up into a larger size at your local photo place. Take
some of your favorite motivational quotes, enlarge the type, print and hang them up to read whenever you need a little boost. Hanging inspiring words and images in your home and workplace can create a continuous focus on inspiration that will keep you feeling motivated no matter what you’re working on.
Spend time in nature.
Sometimes just sitting quietly in a peaceful place outdoors can soothe frustration and refresh your mind and body. Go to your favorite botanical gardens for an hour and sit quietly or walk slowly through them, letting the visual beauty stimulate your senses. Visit a local park and watch children and dogs play, or take a trip to the beach and let the power of the ocean (or a lake) inspire you. If you don’t have any nature spots nearby, try your local home and garden center. Buy some new plants or flowers to brighten up your home and workspace.
Get up early.
Getting an early start can often help you feel more motivated, especially if you’re used to sleeping in. Set an alarm clock to get up at least one hour before you normally do, and don’t dawdle – get moving! Take a shower, get dressed and begin immediately working on your tasks for the day. Not only does this wake up your tired brain, you end up feeling like you’ve accomplished a lot more than you would in a typical day.
Stay up late.
If you’re an early riser and not used to burning the midnight oil, try saving a complex task for late in the evening. Just switching your normal routine can often be enough to energize and inspire you.
Wear a symbol of intention.
Go through your belongings and choose an item that you can wear as a motivation symbol (or go shopping and buy something new). It could be anything from a lucky shirt to a favorite hat, to a cherished piece of jewelry that you rarely wear. Hold a little ceremony that designates that item as your “motivation symbol.” State aloud that while you are wearing this item, you will always feel very motivated, very inspired, and very productive. Then be sure to put it on every time you feel in need of some motivation. Eventually your mind will make a connection between that item and the feelings of motivation and you’ll be able to effortlessly slip into a motivated mind-set just by putting on your motivation symbol.
Weed your garden, weed your mind.
If you have a garden, spend 30 minutes weeding it. As you do so, imagine also weeding out negative thoughts and procrastination from your mind. (If you don’t have an actual garden, simply walk around your yard – you’ll probably still find plenty of weeds! If you don’t have a yard of your own, you can instead make this a mental exercise done during meditation; it will still work just as well.) Affirm that with every weed you pull, you are making room for motivation and inspiration to enter your life. When you’re finished, look at the pile of weeds and feel great about removing them from your life as you dump them into the trimmings barrel or
trash receptacle. Then go about working on your tasks for the day, and notice that you feel lighter and less burdened.
Give yourself a reward.
Make a promise to yourself that you can have a reward when you reach a certain point in your objectives. Make the reward something you’ll really enjoy, like a new DVD or CD, or a new journal. It doesn’t have to be expensive either, it can be as simple as a few hours to relax and do something you love. However, be sure to follow through and really give yourself the reward when you complete what you set out to do! Don’t fool yourself into believing it was just a trick to get you moving; your mind will remember that little deception next time.
Avoid doom and gloom.
This tip may take a little longer to show results, but it is well worth the effort! Beginning today, start reducing the amount of time you are exposed to negativity. Whether that means not watching the evening news for awhile or avoiding toxic people in your life, it’s important to begin switching your focus to more positive input. If you have to scan the headlines at a news website once a day and read only the things you feel you must know about, that’s fine. Just avoid getting immersed in the sludge every day if you can. Over time, this will automatically make you feel more motivated because you won’t be so weighed down by the horrible things happening in the world around you. You can’t do much about them anyway, so why burden yourself with them?
Comments :
Post a Comment