Staying motivated is not easy in a world full of distractions. A key part of maintaining motivation is staying present and aware. It is easy to get off track when there are so many things to do that we have a hard time focusing on what is in front of us. Part of building motivation is being gentle on yourself and having a system in place that will support you in achieving your goals. This includes taking care of yourself through the process and celebrating those small successes.

I will leave you with some different tips to help you stay motivated, but it will be up to you to become more aware of what motivates you, and what structure and habits help you to maintain it.

3 Tips To Stay Motivated

1. Set Goals

Goals help give you direction, a place you can focus on that is measurable and has an endpoint. It’s important to break larger goals into smaller manageable steps that will help you build momentum and confidence as you move towards accomplishing larger goals. Make sure your goals are meaningful to you and not driven by what you think you “should” do based on others’ opinions. When your goals are meaningful to you, it is easier to accomplish them. Share your goals with friends and let other people help you accomplish them; this all helps with motivation.

Sit down and write out your larger goals and then break them down into small more achievable steps. Break it down, so you know what you need to do each day to get you moving in the right direction. Put in your calendar; when you will work on and achieve these steps, make it specific and easy to follow. It can also be helpful to plan a reward for after you complete that step, either internal praise, some tv or social media time, or some nurturing self-care, so you reinforce this behavior right away. This will make it easier to accomplish more.

2. Celebrate Success

Too often to we try to rush through our to-do lists without ever sitting back and celebrating everything we have accomplished. When we fail to see how much we have grown and done it can be hard to keep up the momentum. Take time to savor and acknowledge the small success and how far you have come! This helps build motivation.

3. Self-Care 

Although one may feel they are too busy for self-care, taking time to take care of yourself will help you build motivation. Self-care boosts your energy, mood, and ability to focus. When we run on anxiety and worry it is hard to think clearly and stay focused. You will achieve a lot more if your nervous system is regulated and calm as you approach your goals. Taking breaks to exercise and meditate will help you achieve even more than if you just try to push yourself all the way through. Remember also that TV and social media breaks might feel restful, but they won’t restore your nervous system. 

When you find you have lost motivation and gotten distracted, there are a couple of different steps you can take to get back on track. Remember to be gentle with yourself as you step back into your routine and healthy habits. Here are some steps you can take when you have lost motivation and gotten off track.

3 Tips To Get Back on Track and Build Motivation

1. Be Mindful

When you have gotten off track, it is important to be mindful to check-in, and notice that this is what is happening. We have to notice things to change them. As you notice this, it’s also important to be compassionate with yourself. Take your own hand and coach yourself through what you need to get done rather than being critical. We all fall off track sometimes, and when we can compassionately guide ourselves back there, it is a lot easier than falling into guilt or shame. 

2. Get Organized

Often, we get off track because we have lost our rhythm. To get back on track, take some time to organize yourself. This may mean taking a day to just do some chores around the house or re-organizing your space to help with productivity. Write out a to-do list and make a schedule of when you will achieve these things this week. If you are feeling overwhelmed or burnout, make sure you also organize some time for self-care so you can feel recharged and focused.

3. Just Start

Once you have mindfully and compassionately noticed you have fallen off track, make a plan to get back on it. Remember motivation often comes after action, so even if you do not “feel” like starting, just hold your hand and begin. At first, commit to small action steps that do not feel overwhelming and build from there. You can do it!

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