My Favorite Motivation Tips

Have you ever struggled with feelings of low motivation? But also the voice in your head telling you things that need to be done? If you have, you are not alone. I have struggled with this for years, especially when life gets busy. It can be difficult to find the energy to be productive when I constantly feel like I'm running marathons every day. But don't you fret! I'm going to share three tips to help you find that motivation.

1. Start doing the activity for 5 minutes. This is my favorite tip. I'm still trying to find a time when it doesn't work for me. Imagine coming home from a long 9-hour workday to a dirty kitchen. You know you have to clean it but cannot find the urgency to do it. Set a timer for 5 minutes and begin cleaning. If you can only do it for 5 minutes, that's amazing. I find that as soon as the timer goes off, I have the motivation to keep going.

2. Use a planner. My planner is my favorite book I own. My brain is usually racked with thoughts about school, work, and personal things, leading to forgetting things I need to do. I have pushed myself to schedule my week every Sunday and turn to it daily. It has been difficult to be persistent, and I have failed at times, but the effects have been outstanding. I feel that motivation comes when I can clearly see where I will be spending my time.

3. Take breaks. This is especially helpful when I feel I am no longer being productive with my school studies. I have many days where I am doing homework for almost the entire day. Because I am doing the same task all day, I often feel a lack of motivation. When I was a first-year college student at Utah State, I heard about the method where you set a timer for 25 minutes and do your homework during that time. Once it goes off, you set another timer for 5 minutes. This is your break time. You can get on your phone, eat food, or go to the bathroom. Then you reset the timer back to 25 and repeat those steps.

Following these steps will help you begin your journey to living a more motivational life. One full of productivity, joy, and learning. Be patient with yourself on this journey and remember, when you feeling unmotivated, start doing the activity for 5 minutes, use a planner, or take breaks to break down the task.