Friday, May 16, 2014

How Do You Find Motivation?


How Do You Find Motivation? (via Bubby and Bean)

On Tuesday, I posted on a somewhat dreary picture on my Instragram of some flowers on my back porch covered in rain (see below), with a caption stating how unmotivated I felt that day. I'm honestly not sure why I had such a hard time concentrating or feeling inspired.  Robbie is off the road this week and was taking care of Essley, so the opportunity to fully focus on work was there.  And Essley had slept for a record number of hours in a row the two nights before, so my lack of motivation wasn't because I was tired.  I wasn't in a bad mood either.  Maybe it was the rain (my energy level is notoriously affected by the weather), or a delayed come-down after a weekend peppered with activity, or the moon cycle (it was the last day before the full moon).  Or maybe it was just one of those random days where you don't feel like doing anything.  But I couldn't shake it.  I did get my work done for the day, but only the bare minimum, and each task on my 'to do' list took me much longer than it should have taken.  My heart wasn't into it; I was just going through the motions.  At the end of the day, I felt guilty.  The days where Robbie is able to take care of the baby - thus giving me the ability to focus completely on work - are precious, and I felt like I wasted a whole day.  It was honestly kind of a bummer.

Several people posted comments under my Instagram picture along the lines of "I'm feeling unmotivated today too!" and it made me think.  Clearly, we all have days now and then where it's especially hard to find motivation. We're all busy, and I have a feeling that most of us do end up feeling some level of guilt or disappointment at the ends of days like I had on Tuesday, where we don't accomplish much.  So how do we avoid this?  I should state that I'm of the mindset (thanks to learning the hard way) that forcing yourself to complete projects or overworking yourself when you're really not up to it can seriously backfire.  But we all have jobs and/or school and/or kids/pets to take of and we can't just remove ourselves from reality because we're not feeling it on a given day.  So how do we power through?  How do we give ourselves a boost to avoid just going through the motions?

How Do You Find Inspiration? (via Bubby and Bean)

I'll admit that I didn't try very hard to break out of my rut on Tuesday.  I kind of just went with it. And sometimes that's okay.  But next time I have one of those days where I find myself incessantly staring out the window daydreaming about the weekend, I'd like to be a little more prepared. 

One thing that has proven very successful for me on unmotivated days (less rainy ones than Tuesday, anyway) is to take a 30 minute walk outside. Our bodies like to stay moving, and when you combine movement with fresh air, it creates a serious mental pick me up with benefits that can continue into the rest of your day.  Another thing that helps is to run out and grab a coffee or tea.  The simple act of changing environments for a few minutes (even if it involves a car and a drive-through) and treating myself to my favorite beverage can help turn a lazy day into a productive one.  Something else I do on a daily basis that especially helps on the days where I need a productivity boost is to create a reward system. "When I finish returning unanswered emails, I can have a snack." Or "after I work for two hours straight, I can play on Pinterest for 20 minutes."  Or "the sooner I finish today's work, the sooner I get to play with Essley." Knowing that there is a reward at the end is a great incentive to get just stuff done.

So help me out you guys.  What do you do to find motivation and/or inspiration when you're having days like I had on Tuesday?  I'd love for you to leave your tips for me (and fellow Bubby and Bean readers) in the comments!

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15 comments:

  1. Hi Melissa :) Well like you said, Tuesday you kinda just went with it... I think that is okay too. I don't think we are always motivated or need to be, it only feels like we should be doing something, producing something... to feel productive or that the day wasn't a waste. When my body is not feeling "it", I tend to (if I can) just listen to it. Daydream out the window, nap with my cat, go through old cook books. A suggestion though, which I do on those "I can't get my booty goin' " days is first, accept it then grab a note pad and a pen and sketch and write. Sometimes it leads to motivation, sometimes its a great resource to go back to when I need ideas :) Go with the flow baby - bobbin' a long in the briney sea ;)

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    1. It's hard to go with the flow when you have a project deadline or limited time to work, but I think you're right in that sometimes allowing yourself some time to daydream or write/sketch is the best solution!

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  2. I have days like that, too, that are total bummers for no reason. I'm not great at dragging myself out of them, either, because like you said--sometimes you just can't force creative tasks or they suck. But! Now that I'm making more detailed to do lists and actually writing down some longer term goals, I can usually find something productive to do even if I don't feel like doing my "official" work for the day. It reduces the guilt of a wasted day.

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    1. I think that's a great tip - to tackle smaller items on your to do list if you just can't seem to take on the big ones on a given day. Reducing the guilt is better than the full on guilt on getting nothing done. :)

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  3. like you said taking breaks seems to be the best way to get motivated for me on days like that whether i'm working or even just doing stuff around the house. it's so much easier in the summer when i can go outside for a few minutes.

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    1. I agree that the weather makes a big difference for getting yourself outside when you feel stuck. Sunshine is huge when it comes to motivation for me!

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  4. This is such a tough one. I think we all have days like this; my mom used to call it waking up on the wrong side of the bad. I honestly find that some mornings I wake up with no concentration, no focus and no will to put the hours of the day to any kind of productive use. It used to bother me but the more I think about it, the more I realise that these days are probably my body and mind reacting to how hard I push myself the rest of the time. It's true, life is short and we only have so many days to get everything done with but at the same time... sometimes the best thing you can do is just ride it out and start fresh the next day.
    xox,
    Cee
    PS: Alternatively, pictures of adorable puppies sometimes help!

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    1. Yes! Sometimes it's best to just listen to your brain and body when they tell you you need a break. In a dream world, they'd tell you this only on the weekends ;) - but I think you're right in that sometimes the best thing you can do is just to ride it out. And also yes to puppy pictures! Always!

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  5. Awesome post and one I can SO relate + I absolutely adore your tips!! Whenever the unmotivated bug finds me... I either go for a 30 minute run or hit the gym, and I love grabbing my laptop and working from our local coffee shop. Being around people always keeps me motivated and feeling refreshed! Happiest Friday, love!! xoxo

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    1. Working from a coffee shop or book store is GREAT advice. I'm definitely more motivated when other people are around as well (as long as they're not too distracting). Before I had Essley I did this on a regular basis, and I may need to start doing this again on days that my husband is home to watch her.

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  6. I can relate! Those days usually come after completing a big project...and on rainy days (I'm affected by the weather too)! A walk in the park and browsing craft magazines are two of my favourite motivators :)

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  7. I've been feeling lack of motivation a lot lately, or motivated at weird times when I can't do anything about it ha
    To boost my creativity/feel inspired/motivated I like to step back for maybe 30 minutes and just do nothing. I play stupid games on my iPad or iPhone that just allow my brain to sort of melt for a little bit and then I like to browse Instagram or read through my favorite blogs to start getting inspired. Usually by then I'm rearing to get something done after having done nothing for a little while.

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  8. I think your tip about the reward system is a really good one. When I'm at work and can't focus of I'm not into it I tell myself if I just finish the thing off my to do list I can go grab a soda or take a bathroom break and walk around for a few.

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  9. What a great post, it's one I can relate to SO much! Whenever I'm feeling down or uninspired, I will make sure I'm fully dressed, take shower, do my makeup and hair really nice, and hit the town! Being out rather than sitting at home makes my energy level go up for some reason! I love going to Starbucks to write down ideas for my blog, life, school etc. Being out in town helps me feel awake and inspired to do things by the many things i can view around me! Hope this helps.

    stop by,
    http://abeautifulheart07.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-happy-place.html

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  10. loved this post sis, I have been struggling on days trying to find motivation and what helps me is making time for myself, and trying to do things that make me feel like me. PLaying with the puppy, seeing my family, etc...whatever can take my mind off being stressed and uninspired usually inspires me :)

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