Motivation
What is motivation?
Motivation is the driving force behind our actions. Motivation helps us move closer to our goals and helps us complete small daily tasks such as getting out of bed in the morning, doing laundry, or paying those annoying bills.
So why don’t I feel motivated?
There are many reasons why individuals may not feel motivated. Some of the more common reasons are as follows:
Lack of Clear Goals
Often people who do not have clear goals or direction can lack motivation because they don’t know what to be motivated for. Or alternatively, some people set unrealistic goals, making them far too big, setting themselves up for failure by giving up before the goal is achieved.
No Discipline
Motivation is a learned behaviour, and unfortunately, it can be hard to do the things that we don’t want to do. Strategies for self-discipline often come from those around us such as friends or family. If we weren’t exposed to this early in life, it can be really difficult to teach ourselves as adults.
Lack of Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is when we engage in an activity or a task because we enjoy it and get personal satisfaction from doing it. Extrinsic motivation on the other hand is when we do something to obtain an external reward. If we lack intrinsic motivation and there is an absence of reward for completing a task for activity, the likelihood of finding motivation to complete the task is low.
Feeling overwhelmed
It is easy to avoid tasks and procrastinate if you feel like you have too much going on. You are likely to lack mental clarity and the ability to efficiently plan.
So what can you do to increase your motivation?
- Create SMART goals! This will give you direction, help you feel more organized and in control, and in turn feel capable and motivated to achieve your goals
- Break goals down into manageable chunks. Have multiple smaller SMART goals to reduce overwhelm. Resist the temptation to set huge goals like buying a house!
- Consider use of a list – ticking off the tasks or activities as they are completed leads to feelings of accomplishment and a sense of mastery, increasing our sense of control and agency
- Schedule tasks to ensure work/life balance is maintained
- Reward yourself each time you complete a task
- Use the Premack Principle! Complete the less desired activity or task by creating an opportunity to engage in a more desirable activity or task immediately afterward
- Consider taking time to check in with your feelings – acknowledge how good it can feel to progress toward a goal
- Reflect often – check in and review your goals often and acknowledge your progress, however small.
- Create positive habits. Over time and with consistency, you can create healthy habits.
- Start small - small changes can lead to big results! The more we have small successes, the more likely we are to continue working towards our bigger goals.
Sometimes, it can be more difficult to find motivation and this can really take its toll. If this sounds like you, please reach out to the friendly team at Progressive Psychology on 0477 798 932 to make an appointment with one of our psychologists today.
Lauren Hall is a Provisional Psychologist at Progressive Psychology