Many individuals my age have told me that they do not have the motivation to do x, y or z. Having no motivation at a young age is normal since your body is going through changes, and the lack of motivation can be related to many mental illnesses. Motivation can only get you so far; once that feeling of motivation is gone, that’s where the real work begins. Motivation is important and sometimes, you need it to do certain tasks. However, for someone trying to achieve success, motivation should not be what drives them. Although motivation is one factor in chasing success and your goals, no one should completely rely on motivation to get them there. It is self-discipline that gets one far in life. This article will teach you how to gain more motivation to complete certain tasks.

Step 1: Just Start

It’s easier said than done, I get that, but if you’re going to procrastinate and have a lack of motivation to complete a certain task, it might be related to the size of the task. A large assignment to complete is a large task, many individuals like you or me may procrastinate or lack motivation to start since the assignment is so big, and we feel obligated to make a lot of progress right away. That’s not the case, you have to realize that projects and assignments take a prolonged period of time, instead of avoiding the task, split it up into manageable sections and just start. Start from where you are and with what you have and you’ll start seeing progress. I personally use a 5-minute rule; I get a 5-minute timer running and I start with a task. Once the 5 minutes is over, I either still feel tired and unmotivated, or I start liking the task and start doing more of it to finish it. This is like exercise, the first few minutes of a workout may feel like hell, but once you start doing it, the endorphins kick in and you start enjoying what you do. Likewise, just beginning a task and doing it for 5 minutes, may get you farther than you thought which may increase your level of motivation. So go ahead and just START!.

Step 2: Clean Your Environment and Workspace

As mentioned in many of my previous articles, a clean workspace and environment are important for motivation. Your brain releases hormones and pleasure hormones once your room is clean and those hormones can act as motivation to complete other tasks. A clean environment can also create a sense of success and organization. A clean environment and workspace can also make for a happier workspace.

Step 3: Give Yourself Proper Rewards & Consequences

When there is no consequence for poor work ethic, and no reward for good work ethic, there is no motivation. — Anonymous

Giving yourself proper rewards and consequences is important and it can make your tasks more valuable and worth completing. Proper rewards are important since your brain releases a hormone called dopamine, which is the pleasure receptor. In other words, rewarding yourself will release dopamine and give you pleasure and that pleasure would be the motivation you need to start and complete other tasks with full effort. Consequences are important when completing certain tasks as well since consequences can motivate you to complete certain tasks. Some consequences I apply to myself are limited phone usage or a decreased amount of time within my breaks. Consequences and rewards may allow you to understand and complete tasks as well as create a proper routine that would allow you to maximize your time.

Step 4: Avoid Distractions, Especially Your Phone

This step is self-explanatory however, this step is crucial when trying to increase your productivity. Avoiding all distractions and setting up your work environment with only the essential things to help you finish work is important! My work environment consists of two books, one laptop, one monitor and a gaming keyboard and mouse which are essential for me. The simple workspace I have created has allowed me to avoid distractions and put my full focus on tasks I’m completing. Your workspace may be clean and distraction-free however, the laptop, that you complete your work on may have distractions. You can use the full-screen mode (f11 on keyboard) and enter into a full-screen mode to avoid all distractions or you can download chrome extensions that would block certain websites and apps while you are working. By avoiding your distractions, you would build up a tolerance for what distracts you. For example, I used to be addicted to my phone and I was not able to complete any work while my phone was within reach. I moved it out of reach and soon enough, I was able to work with my phone in my room since I have built a tolerance for my phone usage.

Step 5: Set Small & Attainable

Be realistic about your capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. Before you start working set, realistic goals that you can actually attain. Small but realistic and attainable goals can impact you in many ways. Small and realistic goals can allow you to complete and manage your work and tasks much more effectively, and small and attainable goals would give you time to rest and complete work. Small goals that are attainable would also allow you to feel happier throughout the day since completing tasks would release dopamine and dopamine would motivate you to complete more work. Before I start to work I always set realistic expectations and goals, and once I achieve those goals, I properly reward myself, this has motivated me to complete a significant amount of work and throughout the years, I have been able to push myself and work on my weaknesses and strengths. I use this chrome extension called Momentum. Momentum has a simple UI for a new tab and contains the weather, the main focus, a daily quote and most importantly a to-do list in which you can write down your goals for the day and have it organized all into one tab! Momentum has allowed me to organize my day throughout and it’s easily accessible and easy to use!

Step 6: Review Your Goals & Progress

There have been numerous times when I have not felt motivated enough to finish tasks such as projects and homework. During those times, I have learned to review my goals and the progress that I have made. By doing this, the task at hand may not feel as daunting. Instead of asking yourself “How to do a task?” ask yourself , “Why you are doing it?”. The reason and purpose behind why you are doing your task will often motivate you. Your goals and progress should be measured and always recognized and celebrated. Celebrating the small wins that you experience in life can make a big difference in your attitude. The small wins in life will always teach you to appreciate the little things and these small wins can also motivate you to do great things! I celebrate small things that occur my life; This has taught me to appreciate the small things in life. In times of low motivation, I have always found motivation while thinking of my small wins and progress.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, motivation can only get you so far. You should focus on building self-discipline because it is as important as motivation. Self-discipline has allowed me to develop habits and stay motivated. These tips provided can allow you to be more motivated and eventually develop self-discipline. I hope everyone reading this article finds the information helpful! Send this article to someone who needs to become more motivated!

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