Why we lose motivation and procrastinate.
In life we all experience losing motivation. Some of the main reasons for losing motivation are burn out, disinterest, comparison game, impatience, overwhelmed and fear of failure. So, why do we lose motivation and procrastinate so much?
Therefore, lack of motivation turns into procrastination. The cycle of procrastination is a vicious cycle; we become overwhelmed on the things we need to complete, with the lack of time we have, leading to stressing out more and can’t figure out how to move forward.
Motivation drives us to achieve what we need to get done; therefore, we need to focus on trying our best!
The key for motivation is having control – other words ‘Locus Rule’.
Locus rule is the degree whereby we believe we have control in life. This concept can be divided into 2 types:
- External – outside factors are the reason why we did well
- Internal – we did well because of our hard work and got the outcome
Ultimately, we need to build our belief and appreciation of our hard work, therefore taking on an internal locus control.
It’s about taking that first step! You preoccupy yourself of thinking you need to do all these things but are not putting actions to your words or thoughts! Don’t underestimate taking the first step! One line can lead to a whole paragraph!
Tips to get you motivated and stay motivated!
Chunking that to-do list
Feeling overwhelmed by the to-do list we need to complete?! We cannot be motivated if we feel overwhelmed.
Write all the things you need to do for the day, week etc into a list.
Then break it into chunks that go together. Finally choose the most important one and focus on that one thing! Short term goals can lead to big term goal.
Take schedule breaks
Taking schedule breaks is better than random breaks.
We can set a timer or use apps like ‘self-control’ to stop us from getting distracted for a excessive amount of time.
The ‘Pomodoro Technique’ can help you set regular breaks. Follow the instructions below:
- Decide on the task that you’ll work on
- Set the timer for 25 minutes and work on the task
- Stop working and take a 3- to 5-minute break,
- Repeat Step 1 to 3.
- After four short breaks, take a 15- to 30-minute break
Remember routine!
Eat, sleep, study and repeat doesn’t need to be stressful!
Ensure you have a good diet, drinking water and complete some self-care to get you through this time!
If you are feeling pressured or need someone to speak to, contact My Family Psychologist for a confidential chat about how we may be able to help.
We have support tailor-made for adults, teenagers, children, families, and couples so do not hesitate to get in touch to see how we can support you.
You can contact the My Family Psychologist Offices between 8 am and 8 pm to book an appointment.