Dealing with low motivation

Never have I ever stayed away from something I birthed this long. The last four months have been a roller coaster…it’s insane, four months.

I’ll keep this as candid as possible just in case there’s anyone reading that’s going through a phase like this. I could easily say school work and a ton of other things have kept me so busy I did have time to create content on this space, but that would just be a back door because I know a good number of content creators who were and are still actively creating content.

Many times, I would pick up my pen to write something down, surf the internet for new knowledge, sometimes I’d find some but still won’t put it out here. I had made a list for blogsodes, but I just wasn’t present enough and that was when I realised I had low motivation to continue and I needed some time off to recharge, focus on the things before me and just breathe.

Low motivation is really a thing and it spans different areas; low motivation in your academics, brand building, work life etc. Experts say sometimes it’s a sign of a mental health issue, other times you’re just really overwhelmed with the pace at which you’re moving and all you need to do is slow down, take a break and start again.

One of the commonest symptoms is loss of interest in the things you ordinarily love to do. Others include; mood swings, decreased ability to focus or concentrate, fatigue, feelings if worthlessness, decreased drive etc.
Since we are all about solutions here, I have some tips that helped me that might help you if you’re currently going through this phase.

Tips to overcome low motivation

Take a break: I can’t overemphasise how important it is to slow down sometimes. Many of us drown ourselves in the hassle and the accolades gluttony that we forget to live through it. Glorification of burnouts has almost become a trend, it’s now a thing to be busy all the time. You now what, if you don’t give your body and mind a break, they just might do it themselves. Fatigue and stress sets in, soon enough you’re tired of it all.

Glorification of burnouts has almost become a trend…

Give yourself some accolades: if you’ve paid your dues, you deserve them. On the flip side of incessant hustle, feelings of underperformance or failure can also cause low motivation to continue. Many a time, you lose sight of the positive side of things because your plans took a detour, you purported failed at something or things are just not playing out the way you expected and your in that “what’s the point of all this” phase. It might sound cliche but sometimes, you have to count your blessings and name them one by one, it will surprise you have far you’ve come. That could be all the motivation you need.

Surround yourself with the right people: whether we like it or not, the people we surround ourselves with have a huge impact on our lives generally. It’s one of the reasons why people create communities of persons with either similar problems or similar goals. When your low on motivation surround yourself with people who stir you up in words or action. You can also read a book or listen to someone that inspires you, just make sure you are creating the right environment for a recharge.

We are influenced by the kind of people we surround ourselves with.

Go back to the drawing board: Everything that is worthwhile has a reason it was embarked it, that’s why organisations have vision and mission statements. When you start a task, or project and your motivation begins to wane, you might have to remind yourself why you started it, what would be lost if you stopped and what would be gained if you don’t.

Write the vision, make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads it

Habbakuk 2:2 (NKJV)

Set goals: goal setting is indispensable if you’re going to achieve anything. It not only keeps you in check, it’s gives you something to look forward to and most of all keeps you motivated to go on. While overcoming low motivation, it is important to set goals and work towards achieving them. These goals must be realistic, time framed and defined. Have an accountability partner to keep you in check.

Change your pattern: it’s a popular saying that you can’t keeping doing something the same way and expect a different result. If your low motivation stems from boredom or static pattern, switch up your routine.

You might ask; what if I have stayed away too long to make a comeback? One of my favourite authors Zig Ziglar has a saying that ‘the secret to getting ahead is getting started’ so it’s not too late to make a comeback.

That’s it for today’s blogsode guys! Happy new month. Stayed motivated.