It's not always easy to stay motivated to do your work. Sitting down for a three hour stretch of writing can seem like a daunting task on some days- especially when you've got other things going on in your life. But there are better ways to motivate yourself than cracking open that jar of Nutella. Here are a few things I've used to motivate myself in the past.
1) Get an accountability buddy. If you don't have anyone to keep you accountable to your workload, get creative with it! It could be anything from texting your friend that you'll meet for coffee at a certain time if you've finished your writing, or posting on Facebook that you'll do something embarrassing if you haven't gotten work done by the end of the week (I wouldn't recommend this- trust me).
2) Set deadlines. A lot of people get their work done in a short amount of time because they have looming deadlines. Use this to your advantage! Set deadlines so that you have to get things done relatively soon. This will help motivate you and keep you sane.
3) Take breaks. Even though it might seem counterproductive, take breaks. When you're working, stop every once in a while and check Twitter, Facebook or your favorite blog. When you hear a familiar song playing on the radio or see an advertisement that you know won't make you work any harder, look away from your screen for a moment and take a break. There's always time to come back to it later!
4) Reward yourself. Whether it's a new pair of shoes, a date with your best friend, or going to the gym when you finish your work, reward yourself for doing well. It might seem like a small thing, but it's all about the little things in life.
5) Don't compare yourself to others. This is probably one of the most important ones- there is no competition, just learning and growth! You're doing what you need to do for YOU to grow as an individual. If you look at what other people are doing for a moment, and realize that they have very different lives than you, this can be really motivating.
6) Change your environment. This is a lot easier said than done, but if your work environment isn't as conducive to your work as it could be, change it. You might find that you get more done when the TV is on or if you change the furniture around in your room. Whatever works!
7) Think of the big picture. This is something I've learned a lot from psychology, but it's also one of the most important things to keep your motivation. Think about why you're doing this- why are you writing? What do you want to accomplish? This can help trick your mind into thinking that work IS fun.
8) Do something productive for yourself. It doesn't matter what it is- take a bath, go for a walk, or go shopping with a friend. Every little thing counts!
9) Get a reward. I'm guilty of this one myself- sometimes when I do something well, or something big happens in my life or in the world, I reward myself with little treats. This helps keep my motivation high and it's kind of an incentive for me to want to work!
10) Finally, stop thinking about your "to do" list. One of the biggest things I've learned about motivation is that there's no way you can be "one step closer" to your goal. You're either working on it or you aren't. It sucks, but it's true. So when you think about your work, don't think of it as something you have to do- think of it as something that will make your life better!
I hope this has helped some of you! I know it can be hard to motivate yourself, especially if you're a Taurus like myself.
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