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A significant first step in bettering your life is setting a goal, which could be anything from obtaining a degree or finding a new career to reaching a new level of physical fitness. However, it can be difficult to follow through on our goals, particularly on days when we are feeling unmotivated. Therefore, how can you fulfill your obligations when you don’t feel like working hard?
One important skill that can help people finish their work and increase productivity in their professional lives is focus. You may reduce distractions and accomplish your goals by learning concentration techniques.
Everybody gets demotivated occasionally. Try one of these scientifically supported techniques to get yourself back on track toward your goal when you’re feeling demotivated.
- Put your goal on the calendar.
- Make working toward your goal a habit.
- Plan for imperfection.
- Set small goals to build momentum.
- Track your progress.
- Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.
- Embrace positive peer pressure.
- Practice gratitude (including for yourself).
- Do some mood-lifting.
- Change your environment.
- Remember your “why.”
Self-motivation tips
Examine each of the aforementioned suggestions in further detail, including explanations of the research underlying the self-motivation strategies.
1. Put your goal on the calendar.
Setting an external goal, like a target date, can help you become more motivated internally. Put everything you want to achieve on the schedule. It’s possible that the goal you’re pursuing has a deadline. Examples include studying for an exam or enrolling in a course that has a deadline.
If this structure is missing from your objective, you can add it by choosing a realistic date for achieving it.
Do you want to do a marathon or 5k? On or close to your desired date, register for a race. Thinking of getting a degree? Find out and note the application deadline. Do you need incentive at work to acquire a new skill for your career? Enroll in a course and establish a completion deadline.
Setting a goal date keeps you motivated and allows you to monitor your progress because you can always see how far you still have to go. Your performance may be significantly impacted by this.
Tip: Setting a target date
When determining your goal date, be reasonable but avoid giving yourself more time than you’ll require. According to studies, we occasionally think that longer goals are harder, even though they aren’t. Procrastination or quitting may become more likely as a result.
2. Make working toward your goal a habit.
Feeling driven is no longer as important when you develop a habit of working toward your goal—an automatic conditioned response. How may a behavior be made into a habit?
Find a trigger.
To initiate the action you wish to develop into a habit, pick something you currently do every day, such as eating lunch or cleaning your teeth. Compose an implementation goal or “if-then” plan.
For instance, your if-then strategy might resemble this if you wish to establish the practice of studying for a class each day:
My Maths homework will take five minutes if I pour my first cup of coffee.
To increase workout consistency, it could resemble this:
If I get up and brush my teeth, then I will immediately put on my workout clothes.
This plan could be more likely to be carried out if it is created and put in writing [3].
Start Small
It should be noted that the aforementioned examples do not guarantee that you will view two hours of class videos, study six textbook chapters, or work out for an hour.
Starting is considerably easier when the work is little, and on days when motivation is low, getting started is frequently the hardest part: Spend five minutes studying or getting dressed for exercise [4].
According to The Science of Self Help, these seemingly little activities can prepare your mind for the task at hand, allowing the follow-through—a longer study session or a full workout—to occur more effortlessly and with less mental resistance.
3. Plan for imperfection.
While it’s wonderful to feel enthusiastic and certain about reaching your objective, it’s also easy to be overly hopeful. It’s acceptable that not every day will proceed according to plan. Life occurs.
Making plans for challenging days is one strategy to increase motivation. Make a note of all the factors that could stand in your way as you consider your objective. This could contain the following if you’re enrolled in an online course:
- Not being able to access the internet
- Being interrupted while studying by a phone call
- Bringing a sick child home
- Feeling stuck on a challenging idea or task
Some challenges you may face if your objective is to run daily include:
- Rainy conditions
- Damage
- Illness
- Getting asked to stay late at work during the time you usually run
Although we are unable to foresee every possible scenario, we are able to anticipate the challenges that are likely to arise occasionally given our particular situation.
Make a plan for overcoming the problem after you have your list. How can you prepare for the possibility of losing internet access? Perhaps you could find a coffee shop in your area that provides free Wi-Fi, or you could save a few lecture videos to your computer or phone for offline viewing.
You now have a strategy in place to maintain the momentum when that difficulty arises, rather than becoming discouraged and losing motivation.
Keep in mind that for certain problems, skipping your assignment is a completely appropriate strategy.
The WOOP technique
Try the WOOP approach, which was developed by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen, if you need extra inspiration. This represents the words “wish,” “outcome,” “obstacle,” and “plan.” What do you want? What would happen if that wish came true? What is the biggest thing preventing you? How can you get beyond that challenge?
4. Set small goals to build momentum.
“Make your bed first if you want to make a difference in the world. You will have completed the first task of the day if you make your bed every morning. In addition to giving you a tiny sense of accomplishment, it will motivate you to do more tasks.
This guidance was provided by Naval Admiral William H. McRaven in 2014 when he spoke at the University of Texas at Austin’s commencement. The ex-Navy SEAL had a good idea.
Numerous minor victories, particularly early in the process, might generate momentum that can propel long-term success, according to research. Start by segmenting your primary objective into more manageable parts. Getting a new job could be a major objective. Creating a portfolio website, updating your résumé, getting certified, or going to a networking event are examples of smaller objectives.
Naturally, setting goals at the beginning of a new week, month, or year might boost motivation [9]. We have a tendency to mentally separate ourselves from any perceived flaws in our history while associating these temporal milestones with fresh starts. We refer to that as a motivated Monday.
5. Track your progress.
It can be really inspiring to see improvement [10]. There are a lot of tools available to assist you in tracking your objectives. A calendar or to-do list that allows you to mark off days or tasks as you finish them could serve as this. Alternatively, you may use a free service like Trello, which lets you make a customized digital task board to divide your main objective into smaller, daily, weekly, monthly, or even annual goals.
Drawing a progress bar on a piece of paper or poster board is an additional choice. As you approach your objective, fill it in and hang it somewhere you’ll see it frequently.
Describe a Smart Goal?
SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—can occasionally be the greatest ones.
6. Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.
Receiving recognition for our efforts is gratifying. But incentives can also boost output and motivation. Giving oneself a reward for accomplishing major objectives and little benchmarks may increase your enthusiasm and satisfaction with your work [11].
These benefits don’t need to be substantial or expensive. Take a look at this short list of suggestions for rewarding yourself:
- Take a little rest.
- Take a stroll outside.
- Savor your preferred snack.
- Go through a section of your preferred book.
- Take some time to meditate.
- Play a segment of your preferred podcast.
- Arrange a get-together with your friends.
- Engage in an online game.
- Visit a free attraction or museum.
- Take a long shower or bath.
- Give a friend or relative a call.
Spend a few minutes making your own reward list so that you’re ready to celebrate your wins, big and small.
7. Embrace positive peer pressure.
In the end, you are the one who works hard to accomplish your objectives. However, others can be a powerful source of inspiration.
Even while working alone, research indicates that having a sense of belonging to a team can improve performance, engagement, and perseverance [12]. Depending on your objective, this could entail signing up for a virtual challenge, professional organization, gym class, jogging squad, or study group.
According to a different study, discussing your objective with someone whose viewpoint you respect can help you become more dedicated to achieving it [13]. Think about discussing your professional goals with a supervisor or mentor. You may discuss your fitness objectives with a coach or fellow gym patron you respect, or your educational objectives with a teacher or academic advisor.
8. Practice gratitude (including for yourself).
It could appear that being thankful would result in complacency and acceptance of the current situation. However, some research has indicated differently. Gratitude-related emotions can:
- Encourage personal development
- Make us feel a part of the team and connected to others
- Increase motivation over time, not just during the thankfulness practice.
- Encourage a desire to give back
- Boost sleep quality and mental and physical well-being
There are numerous approaches to cultivating an attitude of thankfulness. Take the first five minutes after waking up to list all the things for which you are thankful. Even better, record them in a thankfulness diary. Are you very thankful for anybody in your life? Send them a thank-you note in writing.
9. Do some mood lifting.
Increased productivity and better work quality and quantity have been associated with positive moods. This does not imply that you must always be upbeat—that is not feasible. However, a little mood boost can be sufficient to get you started if you’re feeling lethargic about pursuing your objective.
Are you looking for ways to improve your mood? You could attempt:
- Get some sunshine or spend some time in nature.
- Check out some adorable animal images or movies on r/aww.
- Watch amusing YouTube videos.
- Workout.
- Take on a different persona (the Batman effect).
10. Change your environment.
A change of location might occasionally provide you new perspective and motivation as you tackle your task. This is known as the novelty effect, which is a temporary increase brought on by changing your surroundings.
Study at your local library if you typically do it at home. Do you regularly use your computer to watch lectures? Try downloading them on your phone so you can view them at a park outside. Try a different running route or a different workout.
11. Remember your “why.”
Keep searching until you find your ultimate “why,” or the fundamental principle that motivates your objective. To further solidify your “why,” set an alarm for yourself each morning to remind you to take a moment to imagine what success would look like and what it would feel like to reach your goal. Why is this goal important to you? Why is that reason important to you?
Conclusion
Motivational strategies can help you stay on the path you’ve set for yourself. Empower yourself to achieve your career goals, big and small, with Entri App. Get unlimited access to more than 7,000 courses, hands-on projects, and certificate programs to enhance your resume. Get started with a seven-day free trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you stay motivated and focus on your goals?
Staying Motivated and Achieving Your Goals
- Visualise your life when you achieve your goals.
- Reflect on the contrast between where you are and where you want to be.
- Consider what could get in the way of you achieving your goals.
- Plan how to navigate setbacks.
- Repeat the process.
What are 5 tips for setting career goals?
5 Career Goal-Setting Tips for the New Year
- Set goals within reason. The main problem with resolutions is that a lot of them are outlandish.
- Be specific.
- Set milestones and deadlines to mark your progress.
- Try something different.
- Go easy on yourself.
How does motivation affect career development?
Motivation is the engine that fuels career growth. It drives individuals to set and achieve ambitious goals, increases productivity, encourages continuous learning, and fosters resilience in the face of challenges.
