3 ways to boost motivation

It’s Monday after a holiday for many of us. That’s the hardest kind of Monday. Stomachs are full. Mind is in relax-mode (hopefully). Maybe hearts are heavy from saying goodbye to family. Getting up early and mustering the motivation to care about anything is a real challenge.

I have struggled with motivation a lot throughout my academic journey. More than I expected. And I could never figure out why or how to help.

Through the years, I’ve learned three deceptively simple ways to boost my motivation and I’m here to share them with you!

1. Reward yourself.

Us humans are very reward-driven. We like things that make us feel good! Yes—the ideal situation is that we are inherently motivated to do our work because we love it. But sometimes we need a little extra push. I find this especially true with writing. So promise yourself mini rewards for each task, or a big reward for a solid day’s work.

Here are some ideas:

- Favorite snack

- Favorite drink

- Social media break

- Reading break

- Walk

- Phonecall with someone you love

- Time to do your favorite hobby

- Time to workout

- Time to watch your favorite show

- That thing you’ve been wanting to buy (I’d save this for a big accomplishment but hey, do you!)

2. Pair tasks with things you enjoy.

Make difficult tasks more pleasant by pairing them with things you enjoy. If I’m really struggling to get going on something, I’ll make myself some tea or grab a coffee so that I can happily sip on my drink while I work. Writing is tough but writing in cute coffee shops is, well, cute! I look forward to writing time now because it means sitting at a coffee shop with friends (a la writing group). If I’m bummed about running analyses on data, I’ll throw on my headphones and play my favorite songs while I work. You get the idea. Make the experience more enjoyable!

3. Break tasks down into tiny goals.

Nothing stunts my motivation more than the fear of a large, daunting, overwhelming task. Obviously the whole project needs to get done, eventually. But for any given moment, focus on a small achievable task you can complete that ultimately gets you to your final goal. It’s nice to think about the bigger picture. But it’s not always helpful in terms of day-to-day productivity and functioning. Make yourself a long list of really, really small tasks. Not only will they feel more achievable, but it’s super rewarding to check off a bunch of boxes. The act of completing those small tasks is also reinforcing. You start to feel a sense of accomplishment that becomes inherently motivating. A good reminder that you really are capable of mastering your goals!

I know-- these tips are simple and not groundbreaking! But trust me, they go a long way. As you move through your day, try to implement these and see if your motivation changes. If you have other tips to share, I would love to hear them and add them!

Good luck out there, friends!

Natasha