How to Move Past a Lack of Motivation in Life

 

Motivation is that thing that keeps us moving on a daily basis.

 It’s what gives us a reason to wake up in the morning. It’s that extra boost we get when that metaphorical finish line seems so far away. It’s the major difference between a productive day and an uneventful or wasted day.

As important as motivation is to our everyday routine, it doesn’t come free. We’re not given an unlimited amount of it and it’s often hard to come by. In times of need, you’ll have to search deep down inside yourself to find that motivation. Sometimes, you’ll have to work hard for it.

It might not be easy, but it is possible and it’s very much required. Without that motivation, it’ll be difficult to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling lifestyle that’s full of positive emotions. Instead, you’ll constantly feel down on yourself and you’ll struggle to find any sense of purpose in life.

So, are you experiencing a lack of motivation?

If you’re experiencing a lack of motivation in life, don’t panic. You’re not alone and there are millions of people that are fighting the same fight every single day. Better yet, there are a wide range of ways you can dig deep down to find that motivation and purpose in your life again.

The main thing to remember is to never give up. When most people lose motivation, the first thing they do is give up and lose sight of what matters most to them in life. Not only does this act as a roadblock, but it makes it much harder to get back on track when motivation resurfaces.

Instead, you need to keep pushing -- with or without motivation. Eventually, that motivation will come back and you’ll once again have a sense of meaning in life. Until then, remember that everyone faces these moments of strife and hardship. You’re no different than everyone else.

 

Tips for Moving Past a Lack of Motivation

When you experience a lack of motivation, it might seem like the whole world is crashing down on you. Although it might feel this way, it’s far from the truth. You might’ve lost sense of direction, but you’re far from being lost and simply need to find a way to get back on track.

Don’t worry, we have some tips that might help you in your journey to finding that motivation you once had. These are universal tips that can help anyone in life and they’ll help you obtain much more than just motivation. It’ll also help you find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in your life.

1.    Small Tasks Make Big Accomplishments

 

One of the main reasons people start to lose their sense of motivation is because they set such big goals for themselves. It’s not that setting big goals is a bad thing, but they definitely make that finish line seem further away than it actually is. It’s like an optical illusion that tricks us.

To combat this, you should always find a way to break those big goals into much smaller tasks. This will not only make the big goal seem more reasonable and attainable, but it helps act as a guide to eventually reach that goal. Treat each small task as a step to a bigger destination.

What will happen is you’ll start to accomplish those small goals one by one. With each accomplishment, you’ll gain a little more motivation, confidence, and pride in your work. By the time you reach the end, you’ll be much more satisfied with the hard work you’ve been putting in.

2.    Never Forget the Reason Why You Do It

Another major reason why people lack motivation is they forget the reason why they do whatever it is they’re doing. We all have things we want to accomplish in life and we all have different reasons for chasing those goals. We should never lose sight of these reasons.

Without a reason for doing something, you’ll quickly lose that sense of purpose. The things you do on a daily base won’t hold any weight and you’ll find yourself scratching the bottom of the cookie jar more often than not. Instead, you must remain honest with yourself every single day.

If you find yourself losing grip, don’t panic. Take a step back and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? What were the reasons why I started this journey?” Don’t pick back up where you left off until you have that deep, honest conversation with yourself to get yourself back on track.

3.    Be Present In the Moment -- Every Moment

Practicing the art of mindfulness is extremely important when reaching for the stars with your goals in life. It’s the practice of being present in the moment and not wasting a single second of the day. When you’re mindful of what’s going on around you, you’re at peace with the world.

Most of us fall into the trap of either getting too far ahead of ourselves and being addicted to the future, or falling behind in life and getting stuck in the past or what could’ve been. To be honest, many of us are victims of both of them at the same time and this can be extremely damaging.

What we need to teach ourselves to do is accept the past for what it is (and learn from it), while being excited for what the future has in store (since it’s on us to make something of it). This will give you the peace of mind to love the present moment for what it is and achieve what we want.

 

4.    Take Breaks When They’re Needed -- Relax

Believe it or not, a lot of your lack of motivation could be due to the fact that you’re overworking yourself. It’s important that you not only make time for your goals and what matters most to you, but it’s also important to balance that with ‘me time’ and give yourself a chance to relax daily.

Scheduling breaks throughout the day is one of the best ways to stay motivated on a daily basis. It gives you an opportunity to reset, recharge, and refresh your mind, body, and spirit before you begin on your journey again. It’s something most of us don’t do enough of.

Treat those breaks as a reward for your hard work. Use them to look back on what you’ve accomplished thus far, as well as the next steps that need to be taken. Take a deep breath, relax, meditate, grab yourself a healthy snack, and keep yourself hydrated -- you got this!

 

5.    Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

The final tip we have when you’re living with a lack of motivation is to not be afraid to ask for help. Motivation is something that comes and goes in everyone. While most people know how to pick themselves back up in these situations, not everyone has that skill and some need help.

There’s no shame in reaching out to a mental health professional if this lack of motivation is starting to take control of your life. When your quality of life is decreasing and you need some direction and guidance, there are multiple different forms of therapy that are designed to help.

If you’re unsure of what to do and want help finding a therapist that understands what you’re going through, feel free to contact our good friends over at BetterHelp. They specialize in helping people just like you find the right therapist in their local area, so contact them today!

 Mental Health Awareness Series with BetterHelp

This article was written as part of a series of collaboration with BetterHelp, an online portal that provides direct-to-consumer access to mental health services. With Covid19 on the rise and the impact on family, we feel that the need to create awareness on Mental Health is important to the community. Do share this post with your love ones.