Now that we are all home, it feels like we have all the time in the world yet no time at all! The lack of motivation in this new environment has been taking a toll on my productivity and desire for success. It is so easy to fall back onto the couch with the goal of procrastinating school work and other frustrating obligations. Now is the time to change that mindset and push through the last few weeks of school so that life can feel that much more enjoyable again!
Think of the things that you have always wanted to achieve. Imagine your life in a place where you feel proud of yourself each and every day. My biggest struggle is dealing with procrastination and fighting the urge to get distracted. If you are one with a lot of thoughts always swirling around in your mind, these tips may be a great way to help squash the procrastination bug and quickly achieve your quarantine goals.
1. Make a Time-Stamp List
A time-stamp list is an easy way to force yourself to stay on track. These small time increments are a great way to give yourself very attainable goals. I like to try and mark out an hour block for each activity to keep the scatterbrained side of me happy! I like to jump from one task to the next, so by starting my day with an organized time list the task doesn’t seem so long and daunting. If you look forward to your workout or favorite TV show during the day, try to scatter those blocks of time in between your work so that you have something to look forward to.
The best way to increase motivation is to see your success. By giving yourself small achievable goals, you will be able to see more success in a shorter amount of time. Although the same amount of work is being completed, it is a great way to trick your brain into feeling accomplished faster. Planning out your day the night before through a timed out list is not only a great way to hold you accountable, but a great opportunity to stay on top of online assignments and easily forgotten tasks.
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2. Have a Wake-Up Buddy
I know we all love to hit snooze a billion times before lugging ourselves out of bed during quarantine.This by far has been the most successful tip for me because it forces you to be held accountable for your actions. Grab a friend or family member and agree on a time that you should both wake up and start your day. When your alarm goes off call your friend and start chatting! It's a great way to wake up and get your brain to feel a little more alive. Engaging in conversation right away is like a little burst of caffeine to get you out of the late sleeping slump.
You can take turns calling each other or have a race to see who calls who first! It's a fun way to keep in touch with your friends while keeping your distance and can really help boost productivity! Motivation doesn’t come out of thin air so briefly discussing your goals and plans for the day with your friend is a great way to light that spark inside to get moving. So instead of sleeping in until 2:00pm let your friends be your alarm clock and get through the sleep deprivation together!
3. Something on your mind? Write it down Immediately!
Are you the type of girl that is thinking of a billion different ideas while I am doing a completely unrelated task? Same here! The single most distracting thing is my own brain and thoughts getting in the way! What I do to combat this is to write down my ideas right away. Even if it interrupts my current task, I am able to come back to it later in full and not waste any more time thinking about it.
While trying to get through an online lecture, I may be daydreaming about a future business idea, recipe to make, or even a place I would love to travel to. When I feel myself slipping into a different area of thought I dive into it instead of fighting it. Stop the train of thought and just write down a general statement of the idea in a separate list. This is a great way to keep track of all of your thoughts and trust yourself that you will actually get back to them. This is a great way to physically put your thoughts aside and return to them later at the end of the day.
4.Get Dressed!
This is a really simple fix to make you feel a sense of normalcy. It is OK to wear comfy clothes that may not look the best, but test the waters by putting on a loose fitting pair of jeans or even a cute form fitting top! I promise you that changing your clothes into something that is somewhat presentable will make you feel more awake and less lethargic. You will feel fresh and most importantly, smell fresh! You will be surprised by the power of a good outfit and how it can change your outlook for the day! So put on those booty pants and get your day started!
5. Cut out some time on Social Media
Instagram has been the death of all motivation for me during this crazy time. I am sure we have all fallen victim to the distraction of TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and even Facebook just to avoid doing what we should be doing. The screen time has been taking over our lives and it is time to break the habit of excessive social media. I love social media and think it is a great way to keep up on everything, but once you notice that you closed out of the app only to open it again a minute later, something needs to change. I try to limit myself by turning my phone completely off for the hour of intense work that I need to complete, and then allow myself time to browse after my harder task has been completed. This really helps me to live in the moment and away from distraction.
6. The 21 Day Challenge - Imagine what your life would be like if you achieved your goals!
When you do a task or routine for at least 21 days it becomes a habit. Test yourself and try to pick one thing that you really want to achieve. For example, I want to achieve my ideal weight goal and improve my workout routine. Now that we have the days to schedule however we want them, there is no excuse to be lazy.
Push yourself to a complete 21 days of a certain routine to see if you can do it! Whether it be waking up at 9:00am for 21 days straight or going for a morning walk, use the time at home to accomplish the little things that you have always wanted. No matter how big or small, you will still be further along than before. To power through, imagine what you will be like if you could accomplish this routine.
Picture your new summer body or the song that you can play on the guitar that you have always wanted to learn. Picturing your greatness is what will motivate you to achieve it and get your body ready for a new routine.
Motivation is never a constant in life, so do not get discouraged if it may seem like others are further along than you are. Everyone has their own battles and difficulties when it comes to achieving their goals and dreams, so try not to compare yourself to the success of others. Try to inspire yourself through watching videos of successful individuals in your industry or someone that you admire.
REALLY dream about achieving your goal. The bigger your dreams are, the bigger your desire for success may be, so don’t be afraid to dream big! Be proud of your accomplishments along your journey and know that hard work will always pay off, even if it’s not in the way you had imagined! Be strong during this time and use it as your free gift to explore your dreams in a way you never could before!
With Lots of Love,
April Ann