7 Simple Tried and True Ways to Regain Your Motivation

by Kristal Marie

It is so easy to let the day get away from us. We can feel like we were busy all day and yet did not accomplish a whole lot. When that happens, our motivation naturally disappears.

It doesn’t matter what your station in life is, whether you’re a stay at home mom, a college student or an entrepreneur, maintaining the motivation can be tough.

But, rest assured there are simple tried and true ways to regain your motivation.

1. Set Small Goals

One of the things that help me stay motivated is to set goals I know will give me little wins. For example, if I have a goal to declutter my entire home, it is going to be easy to lose motivation when I look around and still see tons of clutter.

But if I make a smaller goal to declutter one drawer or a closet, I make my goal short and simple. When I accomplish that little goal, I give myself a win. With each win, I feel productive and motivated to continue to decluttering.

Each time I accomplish the smaller goal I set, I add a new goal and build on my momentum. Eventually, I will be able to accomplish my ultimate goal as accomplishing my smaller goals will keep me motivated.

2. Focus On Your Why

Knowing why we want to do accomplish the goals we set is crucial to keeping our motivation. If we go back to the decluttering goal, we can ask why do I want to declutter my house.

Well, perhaps, I want my house to be easier to clean, or I want more time in my day instead. I want less stress and more peace, I know that decluttering my home will help me to have these things.

Whatever your ultimate goal is, by focusing on the why, the reason you have set that goal, you will maintain your motivation to keep going. It is also very helpful to write your why down. Once you have written it down, keep it in a place you will see it every day.

On days that you find your motivation waning, this visual reminder may be just what you need to reclaim your motivation.

3. Surround Yourself with Positivity

It is so easy to get discouraged when we are struggling to accomplish our goals. One thing is for sure, nothing will stop your motivation quicker than discouragement.

When you find yourself facing discouragement stop and surround yourself with positivity. Call a friend who has the gift of encouragement. Find and print out some inspiring quotes. Read success stories.

Positivity is the clear antidote to discouragement. By surrounding yourself with positivity you will believe in yourself and see that your goals are possible to accomplish. Our motivation naturally returns when we truly believe it is possible to reach our goal.

4. Write it Down

One of the things that hinder our motivation is not having a clear plan of action. I tend to be a very visual person. I love having something that I can physically look at to remind me of what I want to and what I need to accomplish. This usually takes the form of written lists.

By making simple lists of what I am hoping to accomplish, I feel like I have a clear structure to follow. Having this clear structure keeps me motivated to continue moving forward.

A written list also has the added benefit of giving a visual of what I am actually accomplishing. In doing this, when you complete one of your small goals, you can cross the item off of your list. As you continue to cross small items off of your list, you will instantly feel a sense of accomplishment which will motivate you to keep going.

5. Focus on Your Progress

You have a choice, you can focus on what needs to be done and the obstacles you need to overcome or you can focus on the progress you have made. By focusing on the progress you are making you are going to be motivated to keep going.

Even if it is only a small step to achieving your ultimate goal, those little things can really add up and create a snowball effect.  As you focus on the progress you are making, you are going to want to keep going.

6. Give Yourself a Break

No matter how productive you normally are, no matter how well you manage your time, or how many items you get crossed off your to-do list, at some point you will drop a ball or two. Here is what you do when that happens, realize it’s okay.

We can be great at showing grace and kindness to others, all the while withholding it from ourselves. When we do this, we start to feel defeated and we lose our motivation. We need to give ourselves permission to drop balls every now and again, pick ourselves up and keep going.

When we realize a small setback is just that, we show ourselves the same grace we would readily offer to someone else. This is often just what we need to reclaim our motivation to keep going and pursuing our goals.

7. Simplify

Your environment actually has a big impact on your motivation. It is very hard to stay motivated to work on certain tasks when you are sitting in a room that is in disarray and filled with clutter. On the other hand, if you are working in a room that is neat and clutter free you will actually be able to focus more clearly.

By simplifying your surroundings and removing excess clutter, you will be amazed at how quickly you will reclaim your motivation. Take some time to simplify your surroundings by removing excess clutter.