How to stay motivated

Staying motivated has become more of task for most than the actual goal they are trying to accomplish. When your to-do list is pushing novel length, creating sustainable motivation is key in keeping sanity and achieving goals in a timely matter.

Remember why you’re doing it

This could be a number of reasons, depending on your situation, but take a moment to really analyze why it is you are doing a task and focus on a few good motivators. Some of the most powerful reasons are personal gain, material reward, achieving more or simply the feeling of accomplishment.

Make it fun

Different people may have completely opposite feelings toward the same task. It is all about preference, but when it comes to things having to get done you don’t always get to pick what you want to do. What you can do even before you start working on the task is ask yourself how you can make it enjoyable. We all know that something fun never lasts long enough and when that something is work, there is nothing wrong with that.

Break it down into steps

This is the easiest and most effective way to stay motivated. Looking at a goal in smaller more manageable pieces is not only a good way to prioritize certain tasks, but is a great way to keep up momentum on a chemical level. That’s right, science tells us that each small success we have triggers a release of dopamine that can help with our concentration and motivation to continue.

Reward yourself

I said the last point was the easiest, but I realize now I was lying. Let’s be honest, there is nothing easier than rewarding ourselves. It can also be very effective. Before you start a task define what will justify you getting a reward and what that reward might be. In the mornings I often reward myself with another cup of coffee after finishing an edit. But, were I to start making exceptions from time to time, (I’m not done yet, but coffee would help me finish faster”) then I would be in trouble.

Know when it’s not working

Failing to stay motivated happens and there is no shame in it, but it is not a good excuse to not reach your goal. It is however, the opportunity you need to readdress your motivation. Learning to create your own motivation takes time, but refer back to my earlier points until you get the job done.