Feeling lazy is actually quite draining and depressing. Do you regularly find yourself feeling so lethargic that even the simplest task seems like a challenge? It can be difficult to motivate yourself, especially after a bad day or when you’re stressed, exhausted, or tired.
Here are some simple ways you can motivate yourself when you feel lazy.
1. Promise yourself a reward
When you are feeling lazy, it is easy to procrastinate everything. To get rid of this procrastination, promise yourself a reward. You can make a deal with yourself to enjoy a lazy activity you love after you have finished a task.
For example, you can tell yourself, “I will enjoy that cheeseburger or 3 episodes of my favourite show immediately after doing this assignment”. This will cause you to look forward to accomplishing your tasks.
2. Start slow.
A relaxed start can make things better. Instead of jumping into a task fully, start slow and increase your pace steadily. Even a long distance runner starts his/her race slowly and then increases their pace.
Doing this will make your mind adjust and not get intimidated by the amount of work you have to do.
Getting started, even if it’s at a slow pace, is a whole lot better than not getting started at all.
Set yourself small attainable goals that will not be overwhelming for you.
When you’re feeling lazy, plans and goals can be overwhelming causing anxiety.
Take the stress out of living and ditch the long-term goals and plans for now and focus on small attainable goals.
3. Just get started.
They say, “The best way to begin is to begin”. So, just begin. Clean your desk. Pull out your work. Do the dishes. All you need to do is get started.
You can start by taking a shower. The sensation of running water will leave you feeling refreshed.
You’ll feel more alert and ready to go do the next thing. The momentum of getting started increases your motivation.
So if you really don’t feel like doing anything, start with something small things and work your way up.
4. Watch a motivational video.
When you have very low energy and are not interested in the task at hand, you need motivation in the form of an external stimulus.
Try to watch a 10-15 minute motivational video. Motivational videos will pump you up at least for some time and make you feel charged up.
Watching motivational videos has a great impact on our mind, body and soul. Have you noticed that whenever you watch such videos you are filled with lots of energy?
This is because your mind is coated with some positivity for a while. However, it is important to note that motivational things are merely an external stimulus and may soon fade off. A quote by Zig Ziglar states, “People say motivation does not last, well, neither does bathing…that’s why we recommend it daily”.
Therefore, it is good practice to daily coat your mind in such positivity as you move further in life. Eventually you will find that your motivation starts to come from within you.
5. Act like your role models.
You obviously have people that you look up to and would like to measure up to. When you are feeling low, read about the biographies of these people, watch them and listen to them.
Discover what they did when they faced challenges and what helped them to overcome them. By the time, you are done, you will definitely be feeling pumped up for action.
6. Remember your past accomplishments.
Try to remember a time when you had felt down but managed to overcome it and accomplished your tasks? How did it feel?
You obviously felt so good about yourself. Focus your mind on how you will feel after finishing something and let these thoughts flow through your mind instead of your failures.
Write down these accomplishments so you keep focused on them and motivate yourself.
Consider using a journal of some kind since it’s easy to forget something that you have already done.
7. Ask for help.
Do not feel ashamed to ask for help. You can have either your co-workers, friends or family help you do a task.
After all, doing a task with another person makes it fun and easier to accomplish.
Asking for help is a struggle sometimes because usually people do not want to be perceived as needy. But doing so might be just what you need to motivate yourself and get your work.
So, if you have exhausted all your potential solutions and you are in over your head, don’t be afraid to reach out.
Try these 7 tips every time you feel unmotivated and it will help you get some energy back and fulfil your tasks.
