Absence of Motivation: 10 Productivity Tips

Are you struggling from an absence of motivation?

The busier you get, the less motivated you may become. Your career, family and friends are all important factors in your life. These things take up most of your time, and it can become easy to neglect your self-care if you put all your time and energy into your job or relationships. If you’ve suddenly lost sight of your goals and aspirations, a major absence of motivation will follow.

It’s time to find a healthy balance that will allow you to prioritize your career, relationships and yourself, because without the right mental and physical health, you’ll find it harder to tackle all the things life throws your way. You don’t have to struggle through a life with an absence of motivation — you can find it today.

So, whether your lack of inspiration is related to work, your relationships — or, most importantly, yourself — stop struggling with an absence of motivation with these 10 unique ways to get your butt in gear.

Practice Positive Affirmations

Negative thoughts may be a part of your lack of motivation — be honest with yourself, are they? If so, push any negative thoughts away, and focus on the positive. If you feel bogged down or overwhelmed, write down positive affirmations.

No matter what’s got you down, figure out the things you need to change in that area of your life, then write them down, over and over if you can. This practice will help shift any negative thoughts to positive ones — and keep them there. Positive affirmations can also motivate the people around you.

Start With an Icebreaker

Meetings are undoubtedly a huge part of your day if you work in an office or even from home. Nowadays, most careers are filled with morning staff meetings and other meetings to brainstorm, go over strategy and provide updates. Stop dreading meetings, especially if you’re the one hosting them, and start with an icebreaker to loosen everyone up and make the meeting more exciting.

Reward Yourself

Set up a solid rewards system that excites you about upcoming tasks and goals. Doing so will give you something to look forward to, even when you face challenges. Keep it consistent, and use things you want to do or buy as your incentive. It’s best not to get in the habit of using food as a reward, because it can be a slippery slope. Use other things, like that new pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on, or a trip to the spa.

Create Your Own Opportunities

Feeling like you have lots of problems, and no solutions? Create a list of your biggest concerns, then analyze how you can turn each problem into an opportunity. Take it one by one until you’ve turned all your problems into new and exciting opportunities. You have the power to reframe your problems.

Keep Yourself Organized

Organization can become the root of all stress, which leads to a lack of motivation. If you feel like your office or home is disorganized, stop what you’re doing and get things in order — no one is going to do it for you. Keep a daily to-do list, get rid of clutter and follow a schedule to become more productive.

Change Your Surroundings

Sitting in the same conference room or office day by day can become uninspiring because of the lack of atmosphere. You’re under the same fluorescent lighting with the same window looking out at the same parking lot. Switch up your location, whether it be outside at a picnic table, a sitting area in your office or even a coffee shop offsite. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to keep yourself motivated.

Believe in Yourself

It all starts here. Say goodbye to self-doubt, and hello to the self-motivated person you want to become. This habit is especially important in the long-term because obstacles will come your way and try to distract you from your goals — which is when you really need to use that positive attitude to push yourself to keep going.

Understand Your Why

It’s hard to use up all your energy and resources to pursue something if you don’t truly understand why you’re doing it in the first place. Sometimes, you’ll lose sight of the “why” in what you do. To reignite your motivation toward your goal, remind yourself of the “why” when you lose sight of it.

Plan an Agenda

Always create an agenda for participants to follow in meetings. Having a plan will keep everyone — including you — on track with the discussion and make sure your meeting is productive. Improv meetings often go all over the place, which can lead to stress and a lack of focus on what’s important. Use an agenda to keep everyone focused and motivated.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Life isn’t always fun, but you can strive to add more enjoyment to it. Don’t just make your week all about work. Remember, you work to live, not live to work. If you’re spending lots of time at the office, make yourself take a lunch break, and go somewhere fun with co-workers. Everyone can use a break every now and then. If you’re having trouble getting yourself to the gym, create a killer playlist to make it more exciting. Whatever it is, make it fun and enjoyable.

You’re the only person who has the power to reignite your motivation to increase productivity. Reframe your challenges, understand your “why” and believe in yourself above all else. Use the above 10 unique ways to kick your butt into gear starting today. There’s no time to waste. This is your life. Live it, and remember — you are badass.