The School of Sass All that extra free time we have right now can be a perfect way to catch up on all the things you’ve been meaning to do. However, given we are not in a normal situation right now sometimes the last thing you want to do is get through your ‘to-do list’.
Somedays you might want to sit and do absolutely nothing and you know what, that’s totally fine. I’m normally a really active person but I spent the first 4 weeks chilling, catching up on my favourite TV shows and reading. I’ve now got to that stage where I need to do other things to keep myself sane but I’m not working at my usual level, as honestly this whole situation can be draining. Some days I will feel great and work on my list of things to do, other days I’ll feel drained and won’t do anything. I don’t get upset by this instead I remind myself of the below:
Small steps are also progress.
We are not in a normal situation right now so you need to remember that getting through your list of things to do does not need to be at marathon speed. Take your time doing things and don’t fret if you are not getting through things at your usual speed. Small steps are better than none at all.
Know when to take a break
Do not push yourself and feel bad if you don’t feel like doing anything. Right now even the most motivated person is likely struggling to stay motivated – it’s taken me at least a month to get my head around everything and actually start blogging again. Recognise when you feel tired and drained and then take time out for yourself. Whether that’s listening to uplifting music, reading a book, or watching your favourite TV show just do it! You can always come back to what you were working on.
Once I feel like I am ready to begin, I find the following three things helpful in keeping me motivated:
Start your day with something positive.
Some days I wake up and feel ready to tackle my day and then I make the mistake of picking my phone up, scrolling through social media or reading the news, and all that enthusiasm has gone. Hence why I’ve started to limit the amount of time I spend on platforms that I find to be quite negative. I also ensure I follow positive and motivational accounts so when I do go on Instagram, for example, my feed is full of positivity.
On the topic of social media, I really enjoy using Pinterest. I’ve put together a few new boards, which contain inspiring imagery that makes me feel happy. When I am feeling a bit down I will go and pin more to my board!
Break things down into small achievable chunks.
Let’s say you want to re-organise and clean your living space. You likely won’t want to spend every day doing this, as burnout, so break it up into small achievable chunks. Take one room at a time – let’s say you start with the kitchen – start with one cupboard/area, sort that out then tackle the rest another day. You can come back to the cupboards when you want to give your eyes a rest from staring at a computer screen all day. Once you’ve done one room, you can move onto another when you feel up to it. The one-room you will have done will make you feel good and motivate you to keep going.
If you are the type of person to talk yourself out of doing something because it seems too large to do then if you break it down it tricks your mind.
Have something to look forward to.
I find goals give me something to look forward to so goal setting is something I enjoy. Currently, we can’t control the situation so you may have set some goals at the start of the year that you are unable to follow through with, but do not let this get you down. Remind yourself that it is out of your control and then work on things you can achieve and will make you feel good about yourself. If there is a new skill you wanted to learn, now is a good time – there are plenty of free online courses and materials available. Do something that you find enjoyable that will give you something to look forward to as the weeks go on.
Just remember if you do decide to start a new project ensure you do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Some days you might not feel like working on your project and want to binge TV instead. That is fine. Do not shame yourself for it!
How do you stay motivated? Leave your comments below.
