Motivation is something that most of us take for granted. We normally don’t think of motivation until we realize it’s missing. You might have the desire to work out, declutter your home, or learn a new skill but we never seem to get started.
Sometimes we just need a little push to get started. In this post, I’m going to show you how to increase your motivation immediately using a few simple motivation tips.
Note: This page contains affiliate links, which means that if you buy something using one of the links below, I may earn a commission.
What is Motivation?
Simply put, motivation is the desire or willingness for someone to do something. Without motivation, nothing can be accomplished.
You won’t reach your goals or meet your self-imposed deadlines without the motivation to take action toward them. Unfortunately, motivation is often what is lacking in the fulfillment of desires.
We all have lists of things we hope to accomplish. These lists contain big goals, daily tasks and everything in between. Learning how to increase your motivation will boost the likelihood of checking more items off your list.
How to Increase Self-motivation
In a perfect world, we all would get started on our projects right away. But maybe you’ve been procrastinating for days or even weeks.
You might even be down to the wire on a deadline that can’t be moved. The threat of not completing the job on time should be enough to motivate you to get moving, right?
Wrong.
Often, even knowing the consequences that exist for not completing a task aren’t enough to push us forward. Fortunately, there are some tangible steps you can take in order to give yourself a boost when your usual routine isn’t working.
Keep reading for some of the best ways to improve your motivation fast. Adding even a few of these to your bag of tricks may help you to overcome that slump when you need a motivational jumpstart.
Visualize the End Result
One way to convince your brain that an activity is worth starting is to visualize the end result. Picturing the rewards and visually seeing the end result of a task can bring good feelings and excitement. These positive feelings can improve your focus and motivation.
Visual media is a great way to help you look ahead. Consider adding an actual visual such as a photo, magazine clipping or other images to motivate you.
Vision boards, Pinterest boards, or even images stored on your phone are ways to give yourself a visual of a finished product. This is especially helpful with tasks like redecorating, DIY project, or even fitness goals.
Get Active
Just getting your body moving is a great way to get motivated. When you sit in the same location with little scenery change you might feel drained. Exercise increases mental clarity and decreases stress.
Taking a brisk walk or heading to the gym for a workout on your lunch hour can be just enough of a jolt to get you in prime thinking mode.
Relax Your Mind
In some situations taking a step back can increase your motivation. A quick rest can restore your clear thinking.
If your brain is feeling cloudy or you’re experiencing a mental block, a short nap might be a better course of action than exercise.
Put your head down on your desk or stretch out on the sofa in your office for 10 or 20 minutes. When you wake up from this power nap, you should be feeling rejuvenated and ready to work.
Listen to Music
Music affects your mood. Upbeat music can lead you to start tapping your toes and feeling more alert.
If you are able to work with background noise, having music playing while you work can keep you productive. Try playing a mellow playlist or instrumental songs if you find fast pace music distracting.
If you require silence in order to concentrate, put on just a few of your favorites to shift your mood, and then get back to work.
Grab your favorite headphones and this unlimited music service and you’ll have all you need to motivate yourself with music.
Leverage Positivity
Where you find a lack of motivation, negative thinking is usually not far behind. Eliminating negative thoughts and replacing them with positive thinking can foster an instant boost to your motivation.
Changing the way you think is always the first step in making any type of change in your life. Adding positive affirmations to your daily routine can help with retraining your brain to leverage positive to increase your motivation.
Are You Motivated Yet?
It’s time to get excited! Each of these motivation boosting tips can be tailored to fit your personality, preferences, and lifestyle. Experiment a bit.
Use the ones that work for you, and throw out the rest. You’ll likely be surprised by the significant effect a simple action can have on your productivity.
By taking these actions you can increase your motivation at work, motivation to study, or motivation to work out.
Leave a comment and share your struggles with motivation. Are there any tips you can share that have helped you get moving?
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Money is always a good motivator for me. As long as I know I’ll get money and develop in some sort of way. Thanks for the post!
You’re welcome Blue! I’m motivated by money as well. Especially when it’s my own business.
Love your ideas for motivation. It’s definately hard for me to get motivated so I need to try these out!
Thanks Serena!
Upbeat music is a great motivator for me! Making a list and checking off small items also helps.
Hey Tracy! Music works for me when I’m working out. The right song helps me finish that last mile of my morning walk.
Music always motivates me when I am not feeling “it”. I can that is one of the quickest ways I have to get back in the saddle so to speak. Great tips for other options too I will have to give them a try too.
Thanks Jen! A good song is powerful!
Great ideas. I need to have a “reward” to get motivated..lol
Lol… plan a special treat for yourself as a reward for finishing a task. My reward is always new shoes. Lol
What great timing – I was actually feeling pretty unmotivated to blog (you know those days?). After reading this post, I definitely feel ready and more motivated to get working!
Hey Lesley! I definitely know those days. I’ve used all of these tips at some point in my blogging journey.
This is just what I needed today! Thank you!
You’re welcome Jenn!
what a neat topic!!!!
Thanks Jessica!
These are some good tips to get motivated. Personally for me, working out really helps clear my mind and focus better on things that need my attention. Another way I stay motivated is by writing down my goal and why I need to achieve it 🙂
Thanks! It’s amazing how good a nice workout can make you feel. I’m usually super pumped and ready to tackle my day after my morning walk.
Thank you so much for this post Shawn…
I’ve been through a bad patch recently… But now every morning when I wake up I say out loud.. “get up, get moving, get motivated!!!”
It just sets the tone for my day… I’m doing much better now… thanks to positivity and music…
*ppsst and awesome blogs like yours that just exude happiness*
This means so much Halima! Starting your morning off with a positive mind really does set the tone for the entire day. And I know it’s not always easy. I’m happy to hear that you are doing better and I’ll continue to throw happy content your way.
Thanks for being apart of the HWS fam.
Shawn 😉
Thank you sososo much
Have an awesome Monday
You Too!!!