hey!! recently, because i’ve had to go back into quarantine for the second time this year, i’ve lost all motivation to do school work. getting a C in one of my classes really shocked me and made me realise how little motivation or care i have - and i really want that to change. do you have any tips on how to kick start motivation and get all determined and everything? thank you xx
Hello Eduard!! I’m so sorry that you’re going through a low-motivation period. I’ve been through that way too many times and it’s not a good feeling.
I think the important point to highlight before anything else is that you want to change. You sending me this ask is an act that you decided to take because you are seeking out ways to improve. That’s a vital factor that should encourage you because by doing this, you’re already a little bit on the upswing. You are being proactive and you should give yourself credit for that.
As for how jump-start motivation and get going, here are some points that help me out whenever I fall back into a lull:
Ask yourself how you measure success. Some people really don’t consider grades as relevant. Some people think approval from certain individuals in their lives as their standard. Ask yourself what it is that will make you go “I’ve made it!” Then ask yourself why. Then ask yourself if you’re being fair to yourself that that’s what you’re basing “success” on. You won’t know what will motivate you if you don’t know what will make you feel validated.
What do you enjoy? Are you sure you’re taking the classes you want to? Are you still on a path that you believe in? Of course we won’t always be enthusiastic and it’s not all rainbows and sunshine even when you’re working towards the field you love. But if you don’t believe in why you’re doing things, I suggest you evaluate where you are in life first and what you need as a person. There is no point if you’re paying for productivity with your sanity. Trust me on this one.
Visualize what you want. Romanticize the shit out of it. This will lift your spirit. Dare to believe. Don’t be scared. You won’t get anywhere if you stay in the same place.
Just try. I’ve mentioned this many times before but life requires practice and getting to know yourself. Try things out and recognize what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. For instance, I can’t focus unless I’m sitting up straight. I can’t sit up straight if I’m on a cushioned chair. Switching from a gaming swivel chair to a proper dining chair boosted my productivity so much that I look forward to sitting in front of my desk and getting work done using that specific chair. Wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t switched out my chairs. Down to the littlest things, getting to know what works for you will go a long way.
Have a reward system especially when you’re starting out. Rewarding yourself for even the smallest tasks gets you going. I don’t care if people think this is “giving medals for showing up” or whatever. You do what you have to do to get going. Rewarding yourself, within reason, helps keep the motivation momentum. You got up and tidied up your room in the morning? Get yourself that notebook you’ve been meaning to buy. You finished reading a chapter? Give yourself 20 mins of chill time before jumping into the next one!
Make sure you evaluate what you’ve done so you can strategize better next time. Once you’ve gotten the ball rolling, ask yourself if you’re not biting more than you can chew. Assess if you’re being reasonable with your goals. Nothing dampens motivation more than setting such lofty goals right at the get go. You’re setting yourself up for failure that way. Yes, try and aim high. But adjust if it doesn’t work out. Learn to recalibrate instead of quitting altogether. Refrain from extreme mentalities like “it’s all or nothing,” or “if there are no results immediately after this then it’s hopeless.”
LET GO. I’m serious. You won’t find motivation by letting your past mistakes anchor you. You have to be able to say “yes, I didn’t do so well last time but I’m going to try again.” You can’t let the past cast a shadow on you. So you have to let go and you have to be willing to let yourself have a new start. This also means that you’ll try to refrain from cynicism. You can’t think “oh well I’m sure I’ll just fail again” because that also keeps you from breaking through.
Crucial Distinction: Motivation vs. Discipline
The steps above, imo, help you get started but the goal should always be beyond motivation and more about building tolerance. This tolerance--the ability to resist the impulse to self-sabotage or get distracted--is discipline. Motivation gives you a reason to do what you have to do in the moment but discipline is what will get you to your long term goal. Recognize that motivation can be very reliant on the external. You see something you find pretty so you want to buy it, or you want be free for the weekend so you have to get things done before Friday--these are very “in the moment” desires that expire after a certain amount of time. You don’t always have control of these things. But discipline is more internal and self-driven. You have the agency. You make the choice to get yourself to work and do what you have to do. So while motivation is very important, make sure that you’re keeping discipline in mind as well. As with most things, this takes practice and it’s not linear so please be patient with yourself. The bursts of motivation help you establish discipline and with time, you’ll be able to stretch your productivity for as long as you need it.
Freshen up and dress up. Personally, brushing my teeth is the thing that gets me going. I’m not kidding haha. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m a clean freak. So when my mouth feels cool and fresh, I feel extra alive and ready.
Do your chores. In relation to the previous point, it helps to have a clean slate, with nothing waiting to get done. I hate it when there are dishes in the sink, for example. I really can’t get to work unless I’ve cleared the stuff I can quickly do. It just doesn’t feel good for me to think “I’ll do it later.” I feel extra heavy. So with your chores or other quick tasks like responding to an email or making your bed, just do it. Now. Get it over with.
Reorganize your room. Variety is the spice of life. Whenever I feel down or unmotivated, reorganizing my study space helps clear my mind. I know some people like “clutter” because they have their own organization styles. But even then, that’s organized clutter. You have to know where your stuff are. So refreshing your mind about where you put stuff by rearranging your room, unearthing junk and tossing those away, etc. goes a long way to making yourself feel more put together.
Take your time getting invested in subjects that interest you. I know productivity culture tells us we have to be going 1000 miles per hour but you won’t get to savor life like that and you won’t enjoy what you’re doing. What’s the point if you aren’t invested in what you’re doing, right? So if you don’t know what interests you, try and try and try different methods, classes, styles, etc. A put together life that is filled with things you enjoy won’t just fall on your lap.
Inspiration is real and it does sometimes come in the most unexpected ways but it has to find you working!! Again, what this means is you have to try. Nothing will change if you stay in the same place, doing the same things.
LIGHT. LOTS OF LIGHT. Natural light if possible. Brightness helps clear your mind. I promise you this works lol.
Have a to-do list which includes even the smallest tasks! Seeing a long list mostly/all done is a mood booster. It feeds your brain the reward signals it needs to then feel motivated.
Drink water and make sure you’re eating well. Too much carbs and you’ll feel heavy, too much sweets and you’ll feel high then crash later on. Too much of anything is bad, period lol. Just pay attention to what your body needs and make sure you respect your body by doing your best to take care of it. I don’t even mean gym five days a week and protein shakes and all that. No. Just don’t neglect your body.
One thing at a time. Avoid multitasking. Do that later when you’ve gotten the hang of things. For now, the important thing is getting the task in front of you done. You’ll only overwhelm yourself if you do too much all at once and you’ll feel even more dejected that way.
I’m so sorry for the long response but I really wanted to give you a substantial answer. I hope this helps somehow. Best of luck with your studies. I’m here for you if you need someone to check up on you or just randomly chat with.
