Motivation
Yesterday I talked about trying to hold more realistic expectations for ourselves and others. I know that that's a challenge for a lot of us right now. It's a struggle for me, and I hear from many of you that you're wrestling with it, too.
One of the things I hear is that some are feeling a lack of motivation. I've been told that it's hard to get even paid work done, much less personal tasks that we need or want to do. I'm also hearing concerns about getting students to do their online schoolwork. "How do I motivate my children," some of you ask, "when I'm having a hard time motivating myself?"
When you say, "I'm having a hard time being motivated right now," what I hear with my therapy ears is, "I may be struggling with stress and mood." And who would be surprised by that? The ongoing stress affects us all, and likely even more than we know. We're probably all grieving on some level, whether we perceive it or not. The depressed mood of sadness can make us sluggish, disinterested, or apathetic, and can limit our ability to concentrate.
Likewise, many are wrestling with anxiety now. While some anxiety can actually motivate us to act, poor concentration and procrastination are common features of a more anxious mood. What looks like lack of motivation may actually be the avoidance of anxiety.
Carrying stress can take up so much of our energy that we don't have enough to give elsewhere. The lack of structure in our day can be disorienting, and outside stimulus can be distracting. Without a boss or teacher to prod, peers to encourage, or an imminent deadline to lend urgency, it can be more difficult to work at our usual pace. The many distractions of home can make it harder to focus and stay on task.
To follow up on yesterday's message, while it may seem reasonable to expect that we can work as hard and as fast as in our pre-COVID days, that simply may not be realistic. But there are some strategies that can help us be more productive when we have to get work done for job or school. Here are a few ideas:
I'll have more to say about this tomorrow. For now, remember that everything we do these days may take more energy than it did in the past. This is a time to be gentle with ourselves and generous with our expectations. "We're all just doing the best we can" may be a mantra that helps you. It's certainly been helping me.
Until tomorrow, be kind to yourself and be well.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
One of the things I hear is that some are feeling a lack of motivation. I've been told that it's hard to get even paid work done, much less personal tasks that we need or want to do. I'm also hearing concerns about getting students to do their online schoolwork. "How do I motivate my children," some of you ask, "when I'm having a hard time motivating myself?"
When you say, "I'm having a hard time being motivated right now," what I hear with my therapy ears is, "I may be struggling with stress and mood." And who would be surprised by that? The ongoing stress affects us all, and likely even more than we know. We're probably all grieving on some level, whether we perceive it or not. The depressed mood of sadness can make us sluggish, disinterested, or apathetic, and can limit our ability to concentrate.
Likewise, many are wrestling with anxiety now. While some anxiety can actually motivate us to act, poor concentration and procrastination are common features of a more anxious mood. What looks like lack of motivation may actually be the avoidance of anxiety.
Carrying stress can take up so much of our energy that we don't have enough to give elsewhere. The lack of structure in our day can be disorienting, and outside stimulus can be distracting. Without a boss or teacher to prod, peers to encourage, or an imminent deadline to lend urgency, it can be more difficult to work at our usual pace. The many distractions of home can make it harder to focus and stay on task.
To follow up on yesterday's message, while it may seem reasonable to expect that we can work as hard and as fast as in our pre-COVID days, that simply may not be realistic. But there are some strategies that can help us be more productive when we have to get work done for job or school. Here are a few ideas:
- Choose your most productive time to work. One advantage of being at home is that you might be able to choose when you do your job or go to online school. Where that's an option, try to work during your most productive time of the day. When do you usually have the most energy? When does your energy wane? Use that information to help you decide when to work and when to take longer breaks.
- Set up a workspace that helps you focus. Take a look at your options here. Do you need to find another space -- or reshape the one you're in -- to remove distractions, allow for more natural light, or increase your comfort and access to the materials you need?
- Be sure that you have everything you need before you start to work. Whether it's a glass of water, a pen, or the details of the assignment, plan ahead to avoid the interruptions and distractions of having to go get something you forgot.
- Remove those things you don't need before you start to work. In particular, turn off your phone. And any other electronic device that you don't need for the actual task. Put them in another room to remove the temptation to take a quick look now and then.
- Break tasks down into smaller pieces. It's easy to become overwhelmed by large assignments, especially now. So look for ways to split them into their components, and just tackle one piece at a time.
- Tackle the most challenging parts first. It may be tempting to do smaller tasks or easier pieces first so that we can feel like we're getting somewhere. But we will only be more fatigued as we continue to work, which can make the hard parts feel even more daunting. Do them first and the lifting will be easier as we move through the task.
- Schedule small and big breaks. Set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes, then work without interruption until it alerts you. Stop for just a couple of minutes to stretch in place, take a drink of water and a few deep breaths, and either look out a window or let your eyes close for a moment. Then set the timer again and return to the task. Each hour, take a longer break to get up and walk around. A short walk outside can help you regain momentum.
- Decide how long you'll work, and plan something positive to follow. Set your ending point at the outset and choose what you'll do next to reward yourself for the effort. You might go for a bike ride or call a friend, sit with a cup of tea, or watch a video. It doesn't have to be anything big. Just give yourself the pleasure of an activity you enjoy to help you relax after the extra exertion of work.
I'll have more to say about this tomorrow. For now, remember that everything we do these days may take more energy than it did in the past. This is a time to be gentle with ourselves and generous with our expectations. "We're all just doing the best we can" may be a mantra that helps you. It's certainly been helping me.
Until tomorrow, be kind to yourself and be well.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
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