Especially during the busy and distracting holiday season, motivation can be as fleeting as warm weather. Thankfully, science offers some secrets to staying motivated, no matter what. Try incorporating these into your day, and see your determination soar:
Treat yourself
You’re probably already motivated by a big-picture goal, whether that’s opening a business or getting a promotion. While I wholeheartedly encourage aspirational goals, I can attest that they don’t happen overnight.
Science says that 75 percent of what we do is motivated by rewards—so if you’re wondering how to stay motivated for the long-haul: offer yourself some rewards in between. So treat yourself (within reason) to keep your determination in store (whether that’s a bottle of wine or just a nice bath).
Take a break
Arianna Huffington once said, “If we cannot disconnect, we cannot lead. Creating the culture of burnout is opposite to creating a culture of sustainable creativity.” She should know, given that she once split her head open after collapsing from exhaustion due to pulling multiple all-nighters.
Even robots need to recharge their batteries, and it’s natural for us to need a break every so often. If you’re trying to accomplish big things, a lack of downtime might be the culprit for your lack of motivation. So don’t be afraid to take a vacation or even a long weekend off if you’re figuring out how to stay motivated.
Trick yourself
I’ll be the first to admit that forming positive habits isn’t easy, and that motivation can be faltering. Thankfully, you can “trick” your brain into viewing healthy habits as additions to your life (rather than a hassle). For example, if you’re wondering how stay motivated when waking up early, you can view it as an additional 2 hours of productivity (instead of 2 hours of lost sleep). Studies show that this is one of the best secrets to staying motivated.
Do you have any tips? Share them with me on Twitter!
