Motivation? HA! That's funny stuff right there!
Today is that day. You know the day.
You start off with a list of stuff in your head, and you have great intentions about getting ALL OF THE THINGS done today.
There is a list that you wrote down with the thought that if you can see the things you need to do, you may actually do them!
And then...
You have no motivation.
It's gone! Literally, there is no motivation in your body to actually get anything done. You try to do something little, but no, it's not gonna happen!
I'm there. Right. Now.
How do you Find Motivation When You Don't Want to do Anything?
Does this sound like you?
A pile of laundry needs to get folded...
The living room floor needs swept...
My kids want more attention than I have to give them...
There are a number of things that I could be doing right now, but I'm not because there is nothing that is helping me muster the energy to actually get off of my butt and do it.
In fact, if I truly let myself, Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest will be my couch buddies today and we will play for hours. Absolutely anything other than my list will direct my attention away from what I need to do.
How Can I Get More Motivated?
Oh boy! That is a great question.
I find myself asking that question ALL. THE. TIME. Here are some of the things that I try to do to help keep me motivated. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't! But it's worth a shot to try one or two of them if you are in a slump and need more motivation. You might even find something new that you hadn't considered before!
11 Ways to Help Find Motivation
1. Take a Nap
I know this seems to completely defeat the purpose of getting motivation. It almost seems like the opposite, but hear me out. Maybe your motivation is gone because you haven't been getting enough sleep and your body is telling you to take it easy. Try lying down for 15 or 20 minutes. Really. Set a timer and when it goes off, if you are still feeling sluggish, put it back on for another 15 or 20 minutes. Sometimes just that little bit of sleep helps to re-jump start my day.
2. Have a snack.
Okay, I am aware that this may fall under emotional eating. I didn't say I'm perfect, I'm just throwing out ideas here. But maybe your are craving protein, or some carbs, or just an apple. Try it! It may just help!
3. Drink some water.
Maybe your are feeling sluggish and un-motivated because your body is dehydrated and needs a boost. There are a lot of times that i find that I am just really thirsty and I down a huge glass of water. Do you hate plain water? Put some mint or lemon in it. Or grab a water bottle like this one and always have infused water! That could help!
4. Diffuse a blend of essential oils.
I am not an oil guru, so don't quote me as an expert here. I just know that there are some oils, like peppermint or lemon, that are great for making you feel more awake and energetic. There are also a number of different blends out there that do the same thing! Right now, I use some oils from Pure Haven Essentials, my favorite blend is called Be Well, but I have also used oils from other reputable essential oil companies as well!
5. Turn on some upbeat music.
Truth be told, I did get a little bit done today and this was one way that I did it: "Alexa, turn on Upbeat Music." My girl came through with some Motown and I got the living room picked up...not swept, but at least it doesn't look like a tornado went through. Sometimes just listening to music that I like helps to motivate me to get things done! And I love that I can use my Amazon Fire Stick to have Alexa just play it for me, without commercials or interruptions, and I can usually find music that I like!
6. Take a bath or shower.
Girl...Take A Shower! That should be the title of a new book about getting motivated to do shit around the house! When you haven't taken a shower recently, you feel really blah. Now, I'm not even saying to take a bath with bath bombs or with epsom salts or anything. Of course, if you are a bath person and you want to use bath salts, I really like Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt with Eucalyptus or Lavender. The scent is relaxing but not over powering. So at this point, just get in the shower or bathtub and clean yourself up. And then when you're done...
7. ...Put on some regular clothes.
You know, like you're going to actually go somewhere. Right now I am in leggings and a t-shirt...that I wore to bed. When I dropped the kids off this morning, I threw on a sweat shirt and a big coat and no one knew that I didn't even have a bra on. But I'm still sitting here with my pajama/lounge clothes on. I need to go get dressed
8. Do a few exercises.
I get it, if you aren't motivated to do house chores, or call the insurance company or even take a shower, the last thing you want to do is exercise. I follow this adorable girl on Facebook, Lindsay Brin, and she just put this little video up about getting your momentum back. She suggests that just doing 5 minutes of exercise could help give you a jump start! It's worth a try, right? You can find more of her videos at her website, www.momsintofitness.com or you can get some of her DVD's HERE
9. Warm up or Cool Down.
If you are too cold, you probably don't want to do anything because all you can think about is how cold you are. And vice versa, if you are too hot, all you can think about is how hot you are! Alleviate this by putting some more clothes on, or taking some off, or jumping in the pool, or running around, or anything that can help you get warmer or cooler. Right now, I feel a chill and am sitting her hunched over to try to stay warm. I need a sweatshirt!
10. Pray or Meditate.
Sometimes just sitting down and having some quiet time where you can clear your mind and talk to God or to your higher power, you can really help to reset yourself. I particularly like reading Proverbs 31:10-31 in my bible. It really motivates me!
11. Just take it slow.
Some days, it doesn't matter what you do, there is still just no motivation to be found. On those days, I just do one little thing at a time. Maybe you don't accomplish anything that is on that list that you thought up and wrote down, but maybe just get something done. Heck, write it on your list and cross it off to prove to yourself that you can get stuff done!
I hope this helps you with your non-motivated day. I just took a bath and meditated/prayed, and then got dressed! I'm feeling much better now. Let me know what you did and if it helped! Or let me know if there is anything that you do that helps to motivate you!