From time to time, we will all find ourselves stuck in
a rut of boredom and disinterest. We seem to lose our zest for life and feel
tired, irritable and unmotivated. We’d rather hide under the covers than face
the day ahead. Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed by work, or sad about the pain
and suffering in the world, or just bored with the routine of your daily life.
If you’re currently feeling unmotivated, don’t worry, you’re
not alone. We all go through periods like this at some point in our lives. The
good news is that you can do something about it. Here are 6 tips to help you
break out of the rut and start to feel excited about life again:
1. Take a "Time Out"
Prolonged pressure and stress can wear us down and zap
any enthusiasm that we have. Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to
breathe and just simply BE. Sit quietly, take slow, deep breaths and let all of
your muscles relax. Focus on your breathing and empty your mind of all stress
and worry. Whilst this sounds easy, it does take practice, so don't give up if
at first you find it difficult to release the stress and negative thoughts. As
thoughts come into your mind, don’t focus on them, instead recognise that they’ve
come into your mind and just let them go. If you’re struggling to let your
thoughts go, imagine that they’re being blown away by a gentle breeze or that
they’re tied to a balloon and they’re drifting off into the sky. Try to do this
at least once a day. It’s good to do this when you’re not feeling
stressed or anxious, as it will seem easier and will help you to put this
technique into practice when you do start to feel stressed or anxious. We need
quiet time as much as we need anything else in our lives. Give yourself the
gift of inner peace.
2. Get Inspired
When we’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed by our
lives, it’s easy to forget our goals, dreams and all the other things that
gives us inspiration and raise our spirits. Take time out to read something
motivational, inspirational or uplifting. Find something that fits into the
time that you have – if you’re short of time, reading an inspirational quote
can make a big difference to your mindset. Try looking at some photos of
beautiful natural landscapes, or read or watch something funny. With these
techniques, you’re consciously moving your thoughts to a more positive place.
Focusing on nothing but work and our daily tasks in life can leave us feeling
pretty uninspired, deflated and depressed. With conscious effort, it can be easy
to turn it around if we want to. We just have to seek out things that will lift
our spirits and our mood. Make it a point to laugh, be happy, joyful and light-hearted
every day. Don't wait for inspiration to come to you, go out and find it, or
create it. Conjure up some funny or touching memories. Write them in a journal
so you can go back and read them when you're feeling down.
3. Get Excited
Think about the things you have planned for the day,
and rekindle the enthusiasm you once felt for them. When we first start a new project,
or a new job, we’re excited about the possibilities and eager to get moving!
Over time, we can lose that enthusiasm for a variety of reasons. Pause for a
moment, and travel back in time, and think about what got you so excited at the
beginning. What made your heart beat a little faster? Recapture that feeling
and hang onto it! Even if your tasks aren't anything to be really excited
about, think of some positive benefits to doing them. For example, if you’re
finding your job to be boring or stressful, list the ways they will benefit
you, other people and other causes. Identify who will benefit and how, and the
difference that you’re making in the world, and focus on that. Even mundane
tasks have benefits. Sometimes it's just a matter of switching our mindset to
see the positive side. Knowing that what we’re doing has a purpose can help us
to raise our interest and appreciation of the task.
4. Take Baby Steps
Sometimes the hardest part of anything we do is
actually just to get started. We can feel so overwhelmed by the amount of work
ahead of us that we become stuck at the first hurdle – getting started! Instead
of getting yourself worked up about the amount of work and effort ahead of you,
start small. Set a timer for 15 minutes and just start working on whatever it
is you’re trying to do. Allow yourself to stop after 15 minutes if you really
want to. Most often, however, once you actually start working on something, you
find that you won't want to stop. If you struggle with the thought of doing it
for 15 minutes, set a timer for 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or even just 1 minute! Anything
to just get you started. Don't focus on the big picture, focus on the smaller
details and take them on one at a time. Any large task seems manageable once you
break it down into smaller steps.
5. Take Care of your Body
Sometimes our feelings of fatigue and lethargy can be caused
by physical deficiencies, not mental. Make sure you’re taking the basic steps
to looking after your health: get enough rest, eat food that nourishes your
body, drink enough water, get enough exercise, and so on. This is especially important
when you're very busy. When we’re busy and stressed, we tend to grab the
quickest, easiest meals, which aren't always the best choice for our bodies,
and we end up sleeping less and not making the time for exercise.
Your body is the vehicle for the mind and soul. And
just like your car, you need to ensure you put the optimum fuel into it and
maintain it regularly to ensure that it runs smoothly and effectively.
6. Reward Yourself
Remember to reward yourself from time to time. Buy the
treats for yourself, do the things you love and spend your time how you want to.
There will always be things that ’need’ to be done. It’s easy in modern life for
us to take on far more than we can handle, and to try to please all the people
who are asking for our attention. Unfortunately, this can result in our lives turning
into a pit of drudgery and depression because of it. Identify the things that
don’t truly bring you joy, and try to eliminate them from your life, or at
least minimise the time you spend on them. Do what you can, and let the rest
go. Ask for help if you need to. Don't feel that you have to do everything
yourself. Taking the time to stop and think about all the things that you’re
trying to do can help you to identify what you can do, what you can delegate to
someone else, and what you can drop all together.
Remember that motivation, just like happiness, is
something that we choose. We may need to give ourselves a little push at the
beginning, but once we get into the right mindset, it's simple to stay there if
we choose to. Practice the simple tips above regularly, and start to reduce the
amount of boredom, drudgery and stress in your daily life.
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