why we can’t always rely on feeling motivated (and tips on finding motivation again!)
It’s been nearly a year into the pandemic, and starting my a-levels during a time when it feels difficult to focus has taught me one thing:
motivation is volatile.
It just seems to ‘evaporate’ away, and we’re not really sure when it’ll return.
Many of us don’t feel the motivation to study every single day of the week, and ‘natural’ motivation isn’t always enough to help us get our tasks done.
Motivation is temporary. We can never force ourselves to feel motivated, and motivation tends to only properly come when we start doing productive things.
Of course, there’s days where we can’t study at all (whether it’s illness, needing to rest etc.) but on days where the lack of motivation is the only thing stopping you from completing your tasks, the best thing you can do is:
Tip #1: Just Get Started!
Many advise you to complete your most difficult tasks first, and get them out of the way. I tend to ignore this.
If I don’t feel like doing anything, I start with fairly easy tasks (like reading an article, tidying or making brief notes on a textbook page). This tends to put me into a productive, motivated mindset.
Chances are, you’ll fall into a flow of ticking things off your to-do list, and before you know it, you’re back to work. You might even start to enjoy this newly found sense of productivity.
But, if you still don’t feel like studying, chances are you just need to rest.
Tip #2: Don’t Overthink It!
Even getting started on your easier tasks can feel like a lot, since most of the time you have to overcome the dreaded p-word (procrastination). You might even be putting off your tasks right now, by reading this post.
I tend to compare getting started on studying with getting out of bed.
Your bed feels like the best place to be in the morning, and anything other than being in bed seems miserable and too much. The hardest part of waking up is leaving the warmth of the blankets, but you soon realise that it’s not that bad being awake, and all you’re missing is a few extra minutes of sleep (that would likely be disturbed by your alarm anyway).
Starting with work is exactly the same. Scrolling through our infinite Instagram feed is just like the warm covers of our bed. Studying seems like the most boring and tedious thing. When you close the app, (and maybe start a Forest timer), you realise that it feels much better to be studying, and there was really nothing valuable about those posts on Instagram.
It comes with practice, but the best way to overcome procrastination is to stop overthinking it, and remind yourself that there’s always an easy solution to breaking out of the procrastination chain, and getting on with your work.
Throw your phone onto the bed, away from sight. Switch off Netflix, and promise yourself that after an hour of study you’ll watch another episode.
If you generally enjoy your subject(s), remind yourself of that. A task that seems boring at the time is just one part of your journey to learning something that you’re likely really passionate about! School/uni is, of course, bound to have its good days and bad days. Think of hitting a motivation-slump as just another bad day, that will be met with many good days.
Tip #3: Finally, Remind Yourself That:
It shouldn’t be your goal to work constantly.
Just the fact that you’re on studyblr, and you’re striving to find ways to improve your productivity, shows that you take your tasks and studies seriously.
You’re probably already doing the right thing!
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Best of luck for whatever you’re trying to accomplish next.
(Oh, and a quick disclaimer: I’m not really qualified to give study advice: I just thought I’d share my ideas, in case anyone stumbles into this and finds it useful! We all have different circumstances, and of course some find it easier to find a sense of motivation than others.)
