Last weekend, I fell into a slump where I didn't want to do anything. Nothing motivated me at all. I sat in my room watching random YouTube videos, while playing a farming matching game on my phone. I completely fell victim to un-motivation. No habit change could help me. I tried the quick exercise jolt but it fell flat. It almost felt like nothing could jump me back into my routine. Could I just live in my house like a agoraphobe as comfortable sounding as it sounds?
Was there research? A few notable blogs noticed something similar in most people. Here are a few red flags to see if this is you:
1) You're taking on too much; Zen Habits says " You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once." If you're taking on the whole world, (which I don't blame you because I tend to do it), you may be pulled in to so many different directions that it all becomes overwhelming.
2) Running away when you feel the pain. Paid To Exist says people want to feel pleasure but turn away from pain. In the case of work, so many people are asking of you, that you just want to sink in to the ground and hide. When there are hurdles, or a set back, some of us want to turn away. I have found this particularly hard in school when I didn't do well on a test, or an angry customer on the phone charging at you. These are the moments that can break us.
3) Not sure why you're doing what you're doing. Maybe you're doing all this work and not seeing much results or you're doing work but not sure what you're really aiming for. If this is you, then your un-motivation may be from burn out.
The moment I took charge after my checked out mode, I realized a few things to take me out of the slump.
Identify what is motivation.
Lifehack says " But motivation is not a switch. Motivation is a flow. To feel motivated, you need to dive beyond the surface. Just reading a motivational quote, being encouraged by your friends or even mentor won’t help you build sustainable motivation in the long run. "
Tip 1) Think about your motivation for one second. The times that kept you alive and reaching for your goals and dreams. Those moments when you're in a flow (where creativity continues and time flies). To help you, imagine your hardest challenge you surmounted. For me, I remembered when I passed my therapist license test and feeling amazing. Those days of driving in the car listening to droning random psychology exam facts and questions made me want to jump out of the car. Take those challenges and relive how you surmounted them.
2) Write a vision and your goals. There are so many worksheets out there but if you break it down by vision, dreams, and goals. You'll have your very own purpose in front of you. Place this on your notes app on your phone to refer to it time to time.
Vision refers to how you see yourself and what you want to live for like a motto. Imagine vision like a home. Dreams are the things we wish for and want to work towards. These are the framing of the house. Goals are concrete ways to get there like stepping stones to the house.
Need an example:
Vision:
To live wholesome, healthily, successfully, and happily
Dreams:
Be a nurse Have a family Have a home Travel Become Minimalist
Goals: Do well in school Save money Create lasting relationships Love myself and others Become lucky Become contagious
3) Use the reward system. Research has shown that 75% of our behaviors is driven by rewards. The paycheck, the experiences, Researchers find that perceived self-interest, the rewards one believes are at stake, is the most significant factor in predicting dedication and satisfaction toward work. It accounts for about 75 percent of personal motivation toward accomplishment. – Dickinson 1999 [The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People]
Use the commitment device as The Week recommends: Give a friend $100 if you are unable to fulfill the task. If you do it, don't give the money. If you don't, give it. You'll be surprised how you commit to your task.
4) Surround yourself with positive, motivated, and successful people. "Research shows over time, you develop the eating habits, health habits, and even career aspirations of those around you. If you're in a group of people who have really high goals for themselves you'll take on that same sense of seriousness" When your near high striving people, you'll tend to take on the same characteristics or behaviors of others around you. Taking that yoga class weekly increases your chances of doing better habits and surrounding yourself with others who want to be healthy and happier.
5) Embrace setbacks. Setbacks, challenges, hills. Whatever you call it, these are the defining moments that strengthen you, and can be used in interview about how you surmounted the difficult moments in your life. Maybe you need a day to get back on track or in this case I needed 5 days lol to get my pieces together, reassemble my ego, and embrace the change.
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