How to increase your self-motivation
In this blog post I share five concrete tips on the topic how to increase your self-motivation so you feel unstoppable in achieving your goals! It was published by the Swiss online magazine for women, read the German version here.
Has your motivation evaded you momentarily and you are wondering how you can boost your self-motivation? Especially in times like these when we are working from home it can get really challenging to constantly keep the motivation up and stay focused.
The good news – your motivation is like a muscle. The more you work it, the stronger it gets! But how?
Five tips on how to increase your self-motivation
TIP 1 – Move your body in the fresh air
Movement releases endorphins, the happiness hormones in our bodies. If you are currently finding yourself in an unmotivated low, nothing seems to inspire you and you start questioning yourself, then it’s time for a quick break outside.
Grab those sneakers and take a walk or a run around your block, even just five minutes will make a difference. The fresh air increases oxygen levels in your body and brain, instantly lifting our energy levels, motivation and ability to focus.
TIP 2 – Don’t overload yourself with work
Our motivation is like a rubber band. If we overstretch it, it rips. If we overload our work plate, the mountain we have to climb is too high, leaving us utterly unmotivated in the end.
Instead, to increase your motivation and keep it consistent, set yourself specific and small goals. Instead of wanting to do five workouts per week, start with working out twice a week and celebrate yourself for staying consistent! You can always increase the frequency from there.
TIP 3 – Detach yourself from toxic influence
This can be negative influence from outside, for example through pessimistic people, or also negative influence from within you, for example through constant self-doubt or comparisons with other people. In the long run this can really hamper your mood and deprive you of your motivation.
Be mindful of the people you surround yourself with as we are the result of the five people we surround ourselves with! Surround yourself with people who spread positive vibes and leave you feeling energised, and especially also watch your own internal dialogue. Would you speak like this with your best friend?
If no, it is high-time to create a more loving and supportive internal dialogue. Learn how to stop self-sabotage with my free 4 day video training here.
TIP 4 – Reduce distraction
Are you checking your inbox or your social media feed every five minutes, or perhaps even both? This addictive behaviour which many of us have with our digital devices has been exactly calculated by the large companies behind those digital technologies (1), and it takes an extra dose of willpower of the individual to create healthy routines which increase productivity and motivation, and eliminate distraction.
Set yourself fix times during which you check your inbox, for example at 8am, 11am and 4pm and designate a place in your home to store your mobile phone during the day – every room apart from the one in which you work is well suited!
TIP 5 – Create a support network
If you share your goals with somebody else, your chances to stay motivated and achieve your goals increase by 65%. (2) And it gets even better, if you have an accountability buddy for your goals, your chances increase to a whopping 95%. (2). In order to increase your motivation, share your goal with at least one other person.
If you would like to keep your motivation levels up in the long-term, pick an accountability partner to support you – this could be a group focused on the same topic as your goal, committed friend, or a coach with whom you regularly discuss your progress and resolve potential hurdles.
Whilst our motivation can occasionally feel like an elusive concept, it is good to know that we can train our motivation just like a muscle to achieve our goals. Already by starting with only one of these five tips you can increase your self-motivation, good luck!
Keep me posted:
Send me an email on [email protected] or a direct message on Instagram or LinkedIn to let me know how you get on with your motivation!
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