So this morning I woke up had my two morning cups of tea while I read the appalling news and felt helpless in the face of the massacre in Palestine. Watching the terrible truth unfold before my eyes in real time brings me closer to the pain and suffering. What you would think my next thought would be was,
“Wow, I am so grateful to live in Australia and not have to face such terrible atrocities, pain and suffering “ ….. Yeah ??
But no, my whinging self-marinating internal narrative said , instead ,
“ I can’t be bothered , doing my case notes, I cant be bothered chasing up my insurance claim, I cant be bothered working on my blog. I’m fed up, I’m missing my daughter, my friends, …… an endless stream of self-indulgent nonsense which in the face of what is happening in Gaza and Ukraine is just ridiculous. Then I FEEL WORSE Lol and that starts the next round of self-pity…….. Oh No !!!
I sat there scrolling through my Instagram complaining to commenters about how myopic and ignorant their post about Gaza was. Seriously? What is my point here ? Engaging with someone on the other side of the world, who I don’t know, and from am few isolated words they write, I think I know what they meant and then fill in the gaps only to find out they are either on the same page or so incredibly different from me we could never agree so …wasted time and energy…and ……EITHER WAY procrastination !!….. and I don’t even have ADHD. Lol
Why do we lack motivation , where does it come from and how do we help it ?
The lack of motivation can be attributed to various factors, and it is essential to consider both psychological and external aspects. Here are some common reasons for a lack of motivation that I know about .
Unclear Goals: If your goals are vague or not well-defined, it can be challenging to stay motivated. Set clear, achievable objectives to give yourself a sense of purpose. I work on goals with my clients so you would think as I a counsellor this would be second nature to me ! Nope ! Guilty as charged. If you use something like the SMART goal framework it can help you to stay on top of your goals and not lose sight of your objective or lose heart half way through when it gets tough .
- S- SPECIFIC
- M-MANAGEABLE
- A- ACHIEVABLE
- R- RELEVANT
- T –TIME BOUND
Make sure you are really clear what you want to achieve, write it down , visualize what it would look like .
Make sure you can do it, if it’s a big goal break it down into smaller pieces and work on one bit at a time.
Make sure that it’s something that you know is possible for you to do, so not so big that it can’t be done.
Make sure it’s something that is related to the world you live in now and will help you in your current situation or life space.
Make sure you give yourself a definite identified amount of time to achieve it. This gives you something to work on knowing that you don’t have to rush it and that you also don’t drag it out for too long. If not time bound you might drag your heels or procrastinate !
- Lack of Interest: If the task at hand doesn’t align with your interests or values, you may struggle to find motivation. Try to find ways to make the task more engaging or find a connection between the task and your interests. The subject matter must matter to you and resonate with you in some way or you will get bored and stop.
- Feeling Overwhelmed: If a task seems too big or daunting, it can be demotivating. Break it into smaller, more manageable ways to make it less overwhelming.
- The fear of not succeeding can hinder motivation. Instead of focusing on the potential for failure, try to view mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. All people who succeed in life have a string of failures behind them, they are not scared to pick themselves up and get back in the game.
- Burnout: Overworking and chronic stress can lead to burnout, draining your motivation. Ensure you take breaks, get enough rest, and practice self-care to avoid burnout. It can creep up upon you very sneakily so its imperative that you remain aware of shifts in your mood and your tolerance levels.
- Lack of Rewards: If you don’t see any rewards or positive outcomes for your efforts, it can be challenging to stay motivated. Establish a system of rewards for achieving smaller goals to maintain motivation.
- Health Issues: Physical or mental health problems can impact your energy levels and motivation. If you suspect health issues are contributing to your lack of motivation, consider seeking professional advice.
- Environmental Factors: Your surroundings can influence your motivation. A cluttered or uninspiring environment may hinder your ability to focus and stay motivated. So get cleaning up that mess, make your bed, take a shower and buy some flowers !
- Low Self-Esteem: A negative self-image can undermine motivation. Work on building your self-esteem and recognizing your achievements, no matter how small. Self-talk can be a huge influence on our motivation, check yourself, and thinking about your thinking. It’s called mega cognition and the more we realise how we talk to ourselves the mor ewe can intervene on our behalf and make some changes to our internal dialogue. We generate the results we think we deserve so creating a positive and growth mind set can really change the way we view the things we have and don’t have in our life and how to go about making what we want a reality.
- Lack of Support: If you feel isolated or lack support from friends, family, or colleagues, it can affect your motivation. Surround yourself with positive influences and seek support when needed.
It’s important to identify the specific factors contributing to your lack of motivation. Reflect on your current situation, set realistic goals, and consider seeking support from friends, family, or a professional if needed.
Making small, positive changes in your routine and mindset can gradually improve your motivation. As I say, unlike Lego you weren’t built in a day, and neither are your changes. Small and incremental can build up to big and significant. For me ? I’m a just a well oiled whinger and always have been , its probably why I went into counselling , to try to make changes to my ” neggy brain”. I pull msyelf up sometimes, so I guess I’m getting somewhere ?
So, yeah … I better get cracking ….. here is my blog for today, done and dusted LOL
“How do I get motivated ?” Enjoy!