Do you know that feeling of complete mental exhaustion? It often comes when your alarm rings on a Monday morning or around 3 o’clock in the office. Suddenly, you just can’t find the drive to get up and exercise, or power through work for the last few hours. Does this seem familiar? Lacking motivation can really put a damper on your day, week, or life. Interestingly enough, one of the main symptoms of depression is a lack of motivation. What can anyone do to combat this?
In this blog post, we will address:
- What causes your lack of motivation
- What to do to get your motivation back
- Daily practices to improve your motivation
If you don’t feel like reading the full article, check out the TL;DR at the bottom of the page.
Exhaustion? Boredom? Or Mental illness?
So many things demand our energy – deadlines, home life, school, relationships – and depleted energy mixed with constant burnout is a recipe for losing your motivation. If this continues, it can lead to bigger mental problems. It is important to balance all of the demands so that you feel life is manageable. Analyze what is causing your lack of motivation. Ask yourself the following questions:
Am I exhausted?
What to do:
Plan to get between 7 and 9 hours of quality sleep every night, and make this goal a priority. Have a wind-down routine. This could include reading for 30 minutes before bedtime or limiting your use of electronic devices the hours before you sleep.
Recognize your exercise limits and stay within them. If you can’t walk after a workout, it may be a good idea to lessen the intensity of each session.
Practice some self-care. Regularly prioritize activities that help you relax and unwind. For some, this could be relaxing in the bath. Others may enjoy reading a book with a warm drink. Whatever you choose, allow yourself to rest.
Am I bored/uninspired?
What to do:
Try switching up your routine – take a different route on your commute or create a set a new challenging goal.
Be sure to have a reward that is exciting enough to give you the extra push you need to meet your goals.
Rediscover your inspiration. Accomplishing this can vary greatly from person to person. Many enjoy strolling through nature or going on a hike. Others unleash their creativity with painting, drawing, or other artistic mediums.
Are you overwhelmed or stressed?
What to do:
Take a break. Step away from your obligations and allow yourself time to breathe. This could be as simple as taking a walk during your lunch break or as complex as going on a nice vacation.
Analyze the number of commitments you have. Are there things you do that aren’t serving you? Or are there things that demand more than you can give? Sort through these things, then set some boundaries for the time you can give them.
Talk to someone. An empathetic friend, family member, or therapist can do wonders when you are feeling overwhelmed.
Is it something more?
Maybe your lack of motivation is bigger than not sleeping enough or being uninspired at work. Lack of motivation, energy, or interest could also mean a mental illness is at work. Check out this graphic to see which mental illnesses commonly have a lack of motivation as a symptom. (This graphic is only to help inform and educate, not diagnose.)
What to do:
It may be time to talk with a mental health professional if you believe your lack of motivation could be due to a mental illness. Click here to connect with a mental health professional from Strive!
Daily Practices to Improve Motivation
Looking for something to do right now that will improve your motivation and give you your moxie back? Try one of these:
- Go for a walk
- Journal your thoughts (or start a journal)
- Practice some positive self-talk – try saying things like “I am good at what I do, I have all the energy I need, I have great power within me.”
- Create some art
- Visit a museum, zoo, aquarium, or aviary
- Plan a vacation
- Try something new
- Call a friend
- Make a plan to regularly include self-care into your schedule
- Take a bath
- Go for a swim
- Start on a project and plan to only work on it for a specific amount of time (30 minutes, an hour, etc.)
- Think about a project you want to get done, and plan an exciting reward for when you complete it
- Stretch out
- Change gears for 10 minutes. If you are struggling through a work task, stop. Then complete another short task before getting back to the original one
- Focus on deep breathing for a few minutes
- Envision what it would look like to complete your task
Final Thoughts
It is important to recognize that these are great options for an unmotivated moment, but it is very helpful to regularly include activities or tasks that inspire, excite, or encourage you. To accomplish this, plan to build a consistent self-care routine. You can also create a good support system for when you are down. Try to have good sleeping, eating, and exercising habits. Often, a lack of motivation stems from vague or unfulfilling goals. Practice good goal-setting techniques, and reward yourself for a job well done.
A lack of motivation can make it hard to get out of bed or be interested in your daily activities. With a little effort, you can push through these difficulties and find joy in the day-to-day again.
TL;DR
Setting challenging goals, changing up your routine, or stepping away are good ways to get your motivation back. Be mindful of the mental illnesses that could cause you to lose your motivation and prevent you from getting it back. These include depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or schizophrenia.
Related: Is This Cool? Your Guide to Defining, Setting, and Maintaining Your Boundaries
Motivation and Schizophrenia:
https://www.verywellmind.com/understanding-avolition-379999
Mental Illness and Lack of Motivation:
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