MOTIVATE YOURSELF!

How to stay upbeat during downtimes

BY Archana Law

Organisations and people tend to grow in the direction of their positive images of the future, much like a sunflower inclines towards the sun. Our expectations of the future and beliefs about what’s possible are constantly shaped by the conversations we have.

No matter how optimistic we are however, there will be certain days when things fall apart and this calls for a huge effort to get back on track.

As we flip our calendars to yet another year of COVID-19 contingencies, how do we reenergise ourselves and our teams, accurately identify and diagnose recurring struggles, and empathetically help others to address their problems?

‘Motivation’ describes the wants or needs that direct our behaviour towards a goal, or an urge to behave or act in a way that will satisfy certain conditions such as wishes, desires or achievements.

The terms ‘intrinsic’ and ‘extrinsic’ refer to where your motivation comes from, and whether it is within you or outside. In truth, it’s all in your head: when you need to do something, the way you think about it has a lot to do with how you complete the task or whether you do it at all.

So how does one go about staying self-motivated?

Here are some common simple solutions.

CHOICES, CHOICES! When there are too many options, it can overwhelm people into inaction and make them afraid of doing something incorrectly. This can stop them from moving forward.

So narrow your choices to two or three options. Being perfect isn’t possible but striving to be our best is. As Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed – I’ve simply found 10,000 ways that won’t work!” We learn by trial and error.

LOW SELF-ESTEEM Indeed, low self-esteem can compromise our perception of success. Repeated attempts – or the initial enthusiastic push to do too much, too soon – can make it difficult to sustain the momentum.

Review and acknowledge your small and large wins. Make and stick to a schedule that picks up pace steadily, giving you enough time to get accustomed to it. Appreciate your accomplishments, and build from the past to reduce any fears and boost self-confidence.

DEMOTIVATION Focussing on how we do or don’t measure up compared to our colleagues, family members, friends, neighbours or others only leads to unproductive thinking. This is a sure-fire formula for demotivating ourselves.

Forget about the ‘grass is greener’ concept – because it never is! Instead, practise saying ‘thank you’ for your gifts, successes, dreams and desires. You have family, home and food on the table.

Making a regular ‘gratitude list’ is a great way to stay happy, motivated and positive. Build a life that is uniquely yours.

NO EXCUSES We all make excuses – they are the negative messages we repeatedly send ourselves, which prevent us from doing or achieving something. We tell ourselves things such as ‘I’d like to do X or Y; but I’m tired or too busy, or not smart enough, or…’

Set an internal alert and be aware of the excuses that aren’t useful or true. Begin challenging them when they appear and reframe the dialogue to make it positive.

FUN FACTOR Routines can be useful; but they can also become so tedious that we lack the motivation to maintain them.

If you are feeling bored, find ways to add the fun factor back into the equation. Playing upbeat music, introducing pleasing colours or variety into your environment can make a difference to your thought patterns.

BEING PATIENT We expect so much of ourselves and want instant results. When things aren’t happening as fast as we think they should, it can demotivate us.

Striving to achieve, become and do takes time. Give yourself the gift of patience.

DISTRACTIONS When your attention is drawn in too many directions, you can lose focus and motivation to work on what’s most important.

Are you being interrupted by people, noise, emails and phone calls? We’re human and experience times when our motivation wanes. That’s normal; but stay focussed.

BEING POSITIVE A fear that we may never escape the threat of the novel coronavirus can lead to feelings of futility. What is the point of doing anything if it will all come to naught in the end?

Such thinking can certainly thwart motivation, and result in a joyless, unrewarding existence. Instead, adopt a more positive approach by selecting small, specific tasks that are attainable and reward yourself as each task is completed.

PURPOSEFUL LIFE Do you have enough clarity about the ‘why’ that’s driving your actions?

The purpose of life is to lead a life with purpose. When you feel low, remember why you started. Think long term about your core vision in life. It will energise and take you in the right direction. To motivate yourself, you need to remember why you were enthused in the first place.