It’s happened to everyone at some point or another. You can’t seem to get going. For some strange reason, you have lost the motivation to do anything meaningful. And it gets worse by the day. It seems controllable at first, but then you realize that you’ve spent twenty days creating some really bad habits for yourself that, if not changed quickly, will have you homeless and broke.
Don’t panic. Losing motivation happens to everyone. There are many reasons that people get stuck in the mud. Most of the reasons come with a change. It could be a change in process or a change in the structure of your day. But change impacts people in different ways. The goal is to not let change impact your overall mood or mode of operation.
Getting out of the mud and getting back to a routine that works is paramount if you’re going to get back to being productive. Building and maintaining productive habits can reduce, control, and even avoid not being motivated.
If you are the kind of person who never had any motivation, these simple changes can also help you. Being productive comes with a score of things that need to be done to develop a consistent behavior, which leads to a desired outcome. Whether your goals are about health, finances, or professionalism, consistency is the key when it comes to reaching the finish line.
DAILY THINGS TO DO
The first step in getting back on track is to create a list of things to do daily. This list should not be things that can’t be accomplished in a day. They must be obtainable goals that allow you to complete them with little to no effort. The goal of writing things down is to begin to hold yourself accountable for your daily tasks.
If you can begin to complete the simple things you need to do, you’ll begin to see the daily results of getting things done. Writing things down allows you to track and grade your progress. If you have ten daily goals, at the end of the day, grade yourself on the completion of those goals. The percentage you get is the grade you earned that day. Anything less than a B is a non-productive day.
You must be able to maintain a B grade if you’re going to actively pursue a goal. Make sure that you create tasks that can be tracked and are measurable. There is no reason to set yourself up for failure.
DEVELOP A ROUTINE
When it comes to getting out of the mud, you must create a routine and stick to it. Take yourself out of the equation and develop a process you can operate by. This will reduce the amount of time you spend doing nothing and replace it with actionable items. Set the alarm clock for a certain time to get up. Create time windows for completing the next tasks.
Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get things done so you can track the results of your efforts. Make sure to build in rest and relaxation in between working. If you sit at a desk all day, build in breaks or time to get away from the desk so you don’t burn out. For every three hours of work, take a 20-minute walk to keep your blood flowing and get away from your work.
You’ll find that these scheduled breaks are simple rewards for staying focused on tasks and begin to look forward to them. More importantly, you’ll find that these scheduled breaks will allow you to dial back into your work knowing that you will have another break in the next three hours.
DEVELOP AN EVEN MINDSET
When you’re working to get out of the mud to get back to being motivated, understand that there will be days and moments that challenge your mindset. There will be obstacles thrown at you that question if you’re doing the right things. You must remember not to get too low when it’s not working out, and you must also remember not to get too high when everything is going as planned.
Developing an even mindset will allow you to maintain effort and energy no matter the circumstances of the day. Remember, the goal is never the problem. The intensity to hit the goal is the problem if you let it be. So, work the plan, no matter what kind of stress or issues come. You will find that they will pass just as quickly as they arrived.
Arm yourself with the things that maintain your position. This means that you need to surround yourself with the proper perspective, people, and lifestyle that will aid in the completion of your goals.
EXERCISE IS THE KEY
When it comes to creating and maintaining the consistency needed to obtain a goal, exercise is the fuel that keeps the desire lit. The benefits of exercise are better sleep, increased healthy hormones for positive thoughts, better eating habits, better physique, and better physical health. All these things are needed when you’re working to get back to becoming who you need to be to hit your goals.
Exercise also allows you to create meaningful time away from the daily stress of working to hit your goals. The hours you put into yourself physically will help you work ten times longer on the actual work you need to do.
You’ll feel so proud of yourself for putting the time into maintaining your physical health. By the way, if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor, what is it all for anyway?
These are the few simple steps you can take to get out of the mud and get back to being who you were or knew you always could be. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed that you got stuck in the mud. Forgive yourself, and get back out there — the world needs you!
