Posted on 9/11/2021 by Charlotte Frank
Feeling unmotivated or having a lack of motivation is a common feeling and is felt by everybody from time to time.
Trying to stay on top of work and everyday life can be difficult, tasks can become a struggle and things can become overwhelming.
Firstly, we need to talk about what makes us feel unmotivated. There is a large stigma around the feeling of demotivation, that the individual is lazy or uncooperative, but actually, a lack of motivation is an emotional state. Feeling unmotivated is just as valid as feeling happy or sad and is not something to be ashamed about. There are so many reasons that an individual can feel unmotivated, so let’s talk about a few of the most common reasons, below are some helpful tips to deal with a lack of motivation.
One of the most widespread causes of demotivation is feeling a lack of purpose. When things become repetitive and you begin to feel a little stuck in your ways, you can start to feel as though you have no purpose and are not moving forward. This then creates the feeling of having nothing to strive for and no goals to aim for, which could mean you start to feel overwhelmed and do nothing rather than being productive.
So, let’s break things down so they feel less overwhelming; making lists of tasks you need to do helps a lot, breaking down the tasks into smaller projects makes things feel more manageable. Having smaller goals to aim for feels less impossible and holds your focus for longer as you can physically tick off tasks it feels as though you are getting through the list and completing what you previously thought was impossible. It can also help you stay present and in the moment as the tasks at hand are smaller and more bearable, you can hold your focus for longer, making you productive in the long run and therefore keeping you motivated and on track.
Another reason people feel unmotivated is due to a lack of structure or routine. Having a routine helps an individual to solidify a habit, having habits get you up and moving whether you desire to or not. Once you are already up and about it is easier to just carry on, as silly as it sounds getting up every morning, making your bed, having breakfast, brushing your teeth, and settling into a specific ‘work area’ means you are already ticking off tasks that can then carry on into the day.
A common misconception when it comes to motivation is believing that you need to feel motivated before doing an action but, actions generate motivation, which is why having a structured routine works quite well in helping you to use your actions to generate that motivation that you crave.
Generally, the most common reason people feel a lack of motivation is due to self-doubt. Not believing in yourself and your abilities makes tasks difficult to complete as you have already decided in your head that the task will fail and won’t turn out the way you have planned, instead of putting your all into a task you set it up for failure with this mindset.
A great tip to help deal with those thoughts of self-doubt is to write down each positive thing you experience throughout the day, it celebrates the little wins and allows you to focus on the good things that have happened throughout the day. Following on from this point give yourself credit for the small things you do, praise yourself for the little things and these soon amount to bigger things and prove that in fact, you can do it! Lastly, a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself, take some time out for you and do things that you love and enjoy.
Following these tips can provide the basis on staying motivated but remember it’s okay not to feel motivated sometimes and you can and will complete all tasks in due course.