Motivation is an elusive beast, you either have it or you do not and to catch it is a challenge in itself. Be honest with yourself, how many times have you started a task and lost motivation half way through or planned to do something but found that you lack the motivation to start the task in the first place? This is something that can be remedied by proper planning and thinking positively about a task.
Here are a few tips to help you find that motivation and keep it going.
- Plan your tasks. Write down measurable goals of what you want to achieve and how you want to achieve it. This will also be a great way to track and mark off what you have achieved and what you still need to do.
- Simplify your tasks. The easier the task is the quicker it can be crossed off your list. For bigger tasks, break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
- If you have 2 tasks that can be done together then why not do them. Killing two birds with one stone can speed up your completion of the overall task.
- If you are trying to start up a new routine such as walking or jogging, then repetition is the key. When you have been repeating something for long enough it becomes an automatic habit. This habit building can take around 30 days.
- Build in rewards for your tasks. Knowing that something good awaits you at the end of a task works. For example, ‘If I stop smoking then I will spend the money I saved from not buying cigarettes on a new laptop’.
- Think about your past successes and how you felt once you had achieved those goals and build on that. We should measure ourselves on successes and not our failures.
- Use your environment to help boost your motivation. For example, if it is a nice sunny day, you can do that walk outside. If it’s raining, then do something positive indoors.
- Working with a friend or colleague on tasks, will make things that little bit easier and more pleasurable having someone to work alongside.
- Use supporting apps, technology to set reminders for tasks. That way you won’t forget a day.
- Ensure you tie in regular breaks in your tasks as working solidly on something can easily kill motivation.
If you need a little help with setting tasks to keep your health and wellbeing motivation going then contact Everyone Health and book an appointment to see one of our Health Trainers on 0333 005 0095 or complete a form on https://southend.everyonehealth.co.uk/self-referral/. You can also email us on [email protected]
Written by Martin Antonelli – Health Trainer
