I don't want to!

Motivation can be somewhat elusive - some days, you just can't seem to make yourself do the stuff you don't want to. But putting things off just leads to stress, frustration and a sense of guilt. If you could only stop procrastinating and start ticking off the chores on your to-do list, how much happier and productive your life could be!

Luckily, there's plenty of advice to help you be more motivated. Which strategy works for you will depend on the reasons why you're not motivated. For example, a lack of motivation can sometimes be caused by a low mood. If you're feeling dejected, Bach Flower Mix 65 can help to drive the dark clouds away and boost your willpower, so you feel more energised to get on and do the stuff you don't want to.

Here are a few more tips to help you do the things you've been putting off:

Break it down

Sometimes a chore you're facing can seem so overwhelming that you don't even know where to start. If this happens, you keep putting it off and accomplish nothing.

Whether it's renovating a house or writing a dissertation, try breaking down a daunting task into a series of small steps, then it won't seem so bad.

Prioritise!

And when you've mapped out the steps you need to take, decide which are the most important and get started on those. If you've got a pile of paperwork that you've been neglecting, pay the most overdue bills. If your house needs spring cleaning, begin with the room that's dirtiest, and so on.

Think about the long term effects

Sometimes, you know you need to change your habits, but you keep putting things off. For example, suppose you want to give up smoking but can't quite motivate yourself to do it. In this scenario, you're only harming yourself - you know that the longer you put it off, the more damage you're doing to your body. So when you think about how this might affect your future, ten or twenty years down the line, it can kickstart you into action.

Remember the needs of others

Does your partner keep asking you to give up smoking because they're worried about your health, or to clear out all your junk that's cluttering up the garage? Your lack of motivation may be causing resentment to build up in your relationship. You can overcome a lack of motivation to do something you don't want to do if you're doing it to please your loved ones.

Face up to your fears

Putting off doing the things you don't want to do certainly isn't always about fear, but being afraid can lead us to avoid events that we find stressful. Whether it's a job interview or giving an important presentation, facing challenges like these can lead to personal development and growth and help advance your career. But first, you have to be motivated to stop procrastinating. Go ahead and apply for that dream job; if you keep putting it off, you won't get any further.

Make a calendar

List your tasks for the day on a calendar, whether digital or physical. Every morning, you can see at a glance what you have to accomplish that day, and it helps to keep you on track. Ticking off each task as you complete it is satisfying and a great way to motivate yourself.

Keep your goal in mind

Not every aim can be achieved quickly, and these are the easiest ones to put off. For example, if you need to lose 20 kilos, you have to accept that it's going to take a while before you notice the scales moving. So it's essential to persevere and not to get discouraged. Visualising a future event such as a wedding or a holiday for which you look your best can really boost your motivation.

Be grateful for what you have

When you're annoyed or bored with a chore, whether cooking, laundry or vacuuming, practise gratitude for what you have. Remember that not everyone's lucky enough to have a house to clean or a family to cook for. Finding appreciation in whatever chores you're doing will help you to keep things in perspective.

Spoil yourself

When you've completed the task that you were so reluctant to start, reward yourself with your favourite chocolate, a glass of wine or a relaxing scented bath. Treating yourself when you've done something you don't want to is a fantastic incentive to do it quicker next time.

A final word

Our days can't always be filled with our favourite things, so we must learn to motivate ourselves to do the things we don't want to. Changing your perspective and considering your reasons for doing a task will help to kickstart you into action. And you'll appreciate the satisfaction you feel when you've ticked off your to-do list or completed a challenge.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/motivation-work-tasks

https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-get-motivated-to-make-positive-changes-in-your-life

Other articles

Signs you're slipping into a burn-out

Learn how to recognise the signs of stress and avoid slipping into a burnout or a bore-out

12 easy ways to get people to like you

Have you ever noticed that some people are instantly likeable? Many people believe that people will only like you because of natural traits you're born with: good looks, talent and sociability. But this is a misconception. Getting people to like you is within your control, and it's all to do with self-belief, knowing yourself and being emotionally intelligent. Here's what to do to be more likeable.

Mistakes as a Parent

Can we learn from our mistakes and develop a stronger, healthier emotional bondwith our kids? To help you identify your weak spots, we’ve rounded up some of the most common mistakes parents make.

7 Reasons Why Your Child is Underperforming

As parents, we often worry about a poor school report as much, if not more, as our kids do! And if your child's grades are slipping, you'll be looking for reasons and if there's anything you can do to help.

Fact or fiction? Is it truly healthy?

There's so much contradictory health advice out there, it gets confusing. One year, butter is said to be bad for you, and margarine is better. The following year, it's the other way around. One article says running causes strain on your joints; another says it's good for you because it increases bone strength.

Do you expect too much from others? Find out!

Most people are disappointed when others don't meet their expectations. But when you always expect too much, it isn't healthy, either for yourself or for others. If you often find yourself feeling let down by your loved ones or even by strangers, could it be that you have unrealistic ideas of how people should act?

Why not me?

It's natural to compare our own lives with those of others - weighing up the pros and cons of situations helps us make decisions. But there can be a downside when you find you're constantly comparing yourself with others, envying their seemingly perfect lives and wondering why they are luckier, more prosperous, and better looking than you.

Tips to balance your negative aspects

Everyone is unique, even in their own bad habits or negative traits. Here are some tips to balance those negative traits in our new article!

How to stop everything going wrong

Do you always feel that everything’s always going wrong? Find out how to stop this cycle of bad thoughts in its tracks. When you think positively, things will start to appear positive and you will eventually feel more positive and optimistic.

What makes it so hard to go back to work?

Millions of people furloughed for months are now being recalled to work. Others, who have been working from home throughout the lockdown, are returning to the office. And some jobs have simply disappeared: many people are facing redundancy and will soon have to cope with job hunting. Going back to work after an unprecedented length of time at home is quite a challenge.