Having great ideas is one thing, but keeping the momentum is another. I often find myself losing motivation to get things done. The most common time for this is after a day at the office, I get home, and all I want to do is change into my track pants and relax. It’s really easy to slip into a state of apathy and begin that pesky cycle of procrastination.
What’s the easiest way of digging yourself out of this mini-rut and getting back on track to your goals?
Music
The #1 sure-fire way to get myself revved up is to put on some inspirational music. Now what type of music works will largely depend on your mindset and what you usually enjoy listening to. Everyone has different tastes and different emotions linked to memories of certain types of music, so this will vary widely from one person to another. Some of my examples are below.
If I’m tired and lackin energy on a lazy afternoon, it’s funky 130bmp minimal techno that usually does the trick. Simply because it has just the right amount of energy to get me moving without cramming my brain with information overload.
For a different perspective, sometime it’s the negative thoughts that are holding me back. Everything seems too hard when you can’t stop thinking about how “that person” frustrates you, or “this person” won Tattslotto and it’s not fair.
If I’m angry or depressed about something and it’s holding me back from doing anything productive, a bit of alternative / metal (Evanescence, Disturbed, etc) gives me the chance to work out a bit of that misplaced emotion and come back to a more focused center of energy. After a bit of rocking out to some grunge, I usually settle back to a place of calm focus, which opens my mind to the possibilities laid out in front of me.
Excitement
Sounds too easy, but getting “re-excited” (I like making up new words) is the most sure-fire way to boost your energy level and get you dancing around the room again ready for action. I find that looking up some people that are doing what I want to be doing is a good way to achieve this.
Blogs, books, documentaries… anything that makes you think “wow, that’s going to be awesome when I’m doing that” will start your brain ticking along in the right direction again.
It’s often good to start at the beginning, so if you’re following someone’s blog about creating wealth for example, then dig back through their archives and read some of the posts from when they were at a similar place you are right now.
This helps to remind you that it IS possible, it’s NOT too hard, and it CAN be done!
Exercise
A bit of fresh air or active movement can make all the difference to lift that lazy feeling in your bones. Whether it be taking the dog for a walk through the park, going for a run around the block, or even just doing some push-ups and sit-ups on the hallway rug, any activity that gets your pulse rate up a little will stimulate blood flow around your body (including your brain).
You might find this can clear your mind, solve a problem, or dissolve writers block completely. I find I have some excellent ideas when I’m exercising, and my train of thought is second only to when I’m in the shower.
Shower
This is a magic trick for me, as soon as I step into a nice hot shower, the ideas come like falling rain. My mindset at the time will dictate how productive this session becomes. If I’m hung up on something negative, this flow of thought will generally allow me to work through it and come to a relatively peaceful outcome in my mind.
If I’m clear of stress, the shower time becomes an idea factory, and I’m usually rushing to write them down as soon as I step out from under the water.
Natural Light
Letting some natural light into your life is something a lot of people underestimate. Light is needed for our wellbeing, and when this part is neglected, it can have some crazy results. The worst part is we don’t usually realise that this is the issue to begin with. It’s easily forgotten.
Open the curtains, air out the room a little, then make a cup of tea and go outside if the weather permits. Sit in the sun for a while (or sit under cover and watch the rain). Ponder the universe, and let the beauty of nature work it’s magic on your soul.
So there you have a few tips on how to get the mind and soul smiling again. A good solid combination of these has been know to work miracles on my mindset.
What techniques do you have that get you up and running? Please share them in the comments!
It’s nice to get some simple answers to motivation. The read itself was quite refreshing haha! Well done man 😉