Motivation certainly seems to be lacking for many people, especially after experiencing several lockdowns and being stuck at home. Don’t worry though – I am going to tell you about the most basic and simplest trick for motivation.
It’s nothing fancy, there are no sounds and flashing lights but if you follow this plan, you may just find that you get the impetus to start making steps towards what you want.
Create a weekly schedule
Print out a weekly schedule and write down when you will do whatever it is that you have been putting off. Whether that’s exercise, fixing the kitchen, or making phone calls you have been putting off. Seeing your activities written down on a schedule helps your mind to conceptualise what needs to be done. Making it more ‘concrete’ accesses different parts of your brain. it’s no longer thoughts but also a physical manifestation of what you have been thinking.
When you create a schedule you’ll see where you are wasting productive time or whether you aren’t taking enough time out to recharge your batteries. It’s all about balance and it’s a clever trick for motivation.
The simplest trick for motivation
If you struggle to get going, the easiest way to take action and move off the starting grid is to break-it-down to the most minute components.
Literally – if you are sitting on your couch and need to exercise…think about what you have to do in EXACT steps to get to the exercise part.
Here is an example:
Stand up
Walk to the centre of the room
Turn the music on
Go to the kitchen
Get a glass of water
Return to the lounge
Start doing warm up session – one leg up at a time…etc etc
Do this until you find the momentum to keep going. As soon as you have told yourself what to do, do it. Do not allow any pause for doubts to creep in. This is the simplest trick for motivation – step by step. Focus on each next step as you continue…
Don’t think about the entire activity – use chunking
When you focus on the entire activity it can seem overwhelming but when you chunk the activity into the teeniest steps, your brain responds because the task seems do-able. That’s the key! All those small steps will ultimately lead to you completing the task.
Avoid predicting the future
When we lack motivation we tend to focus on the reasons why taking action won’t work – it will be such a hassle, I will have to change my clothes, I am not sure what I am doing, it will be difficult etc The trick for motivation involves telling yourself that the motivation is the necessary fuel you need to get the engine going!
Tune out the negative mental filter and focus on the rewards such as:
I will be proud of myself.
I can relax tonight and not feel guilty
It will get me closer to my goal of: feeling good about myself.
I will feel competent and effective
Visualise yourself doing the activity
Brain research shows that the brain responds in almost the same way to imagined events as to real events, even when the person knows that the event is imagined. This means that we can have a much stronger impact on the brain when we imagine things than when we just talk about them. The trick to motivation is creating a positive association between the task and the way you feel about doing it.
Remember: You often have to force yourself to move and do something. If you want to feel motivated, you may wait a long time. When you take action, the feelings will follow soon after – the first step is the hardest. Believe that you can do it.
Mandy X
******** “Hold the vision, trust the process.” – Unknown ********
Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
