Four easy steps to do when you're not feeling motivated

We all have those days when we merely don’t have the motivation to complete tasks or do anything for that matter. Hence, we keep deferring, first for a day, then days and before you know it weeks. And soon, we’re left with a mess of tasks and a flustered mind. If you can relate, and want to know how to regain interest in doing asks, below are four steps you should consider, which I have also tried and they proved to be very effective.

1. Evaluate the cause for your lack of motivation

Finding out why you are demotivated could be useful in encouraging you to address the problem and change your mindset. Therefore, here are reasons for lack of motivation:

• Fear

It could be that you possess no interest to complete your duties because you are afraid to. Say for example, it’s an assignment that you’ve been putting off because you’re afraid that it will be too challenging and you won’t know what to do. Or, maybe it’s something much more important and you’re afraid if you do it you’ll fail.

• You’ve convinced yourself that it’s not worth it

Perhaps, whatever you’re doing is not providing you with the desired results, thus you feel as if you’re failing. Thereby, losing interest, because you have convinced yourself that it’s no longer worth the hard work and determination. The best  thing to do in a situation like that is, remind yourself why you’re doing whatever it is you’re doing, and believe that, despite the current results, if you keep working you will achieve your desired outcome.

• You are discontent

Likewise, your lack of interest may stem from discontent with chores. Hence, you need to re-evaluate your priorities and rule out the things that are not important and you aren’t happy with doing.

• You have too much to do

If you find yourself with too many tasks, you will become frustrated, and then you won’t be motivated to do anything. When this happens, the optimal thing to do is clear your head.

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 2. Clear your head

Your thoughts might be jumbled, because you have too many things to do and you are unsure as to where or how to start. A few days ago I was in a similar position, and I was honestly very frustrated. Therefore, in order to clear my head, so that things would make more sense, I took an index card and wrote down, in no particular order, all the tasks I was delaying. Then I separated them into three categories: ‘things I have to do today,’ ‘things I can do tomorrow,’ and ‘things I can do today.’ The first category comprised of those tasks which were really important and I could no longer delay, the second would include tasks which, while were also important could be done at a later date, and the latter included easy activities which were not time consuming, therefore could be done along with the very important tasks. This was very effective and I was able to complete my tasks.

3. Make a To-do list

While this is similar to the previous step, it is also different. A To-do list would be done after you have decided on the pressing tasks which you have to do now and other tasks you can do. It would be detailed and organized with the order in which the tasks should be completed along with the time allotted to each. 

4. Start

Finally, to finish your task you must start it. At this point you should be determined to complete your tasks, and no longer put them off, not for an hour or thirty minutes or even a minute. You’ll be surprised how easy it was to finish that task. And after finishing one, you tick it off your To-do list, take a break if you desire to, and move on to the next task.

 

Most of us, now of all times, need the motivation, given that we have been thrust into online classes and work, and they may no longer feel normal. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and demotivated; however, I implore you to try the steps mentioned above, whenever you lose interest and find it hard to do work.

How do you approach your tasks when you aren’t motivated?