How to feel motivated again when you are stuck in a rut

At some point in our life, we will fall behind. I can relate to this as recently, I had a couple of weeks when I simply didn’t feel like doing anything and was feeling unmotivated to achieve any tasks. Going back to the “new normal” brought me a lot of anxiety but luckily, this was only temporary, and I was able to overcome it. If this sounds like you and you currently feeling uninspired, procrastinating, and not able to do anything productive, keep reading. I will give you tips on how to feel motivated again whenever you are stuck in a rut!

Be kind to yourself

First thing first, we all have our ups and downs. When that happens, don’t blame yourself. Instead, allow yourself the right to not being productive. There is no point in trying to achieve a task when your mind is not a it, and particularly if you are trying to be creative. Alternatively, choose some activities that make you feel good and enjoy them. Treat yourself! You can’t expect to be productive all day, every day, so whenever you are feeling down, get some rest and do things you love.

Feel motivated again by setting up an inspiring environment

We all had that feeling of planning to do lots of things and ending up spending the day in bed (or like me, on the couch). If you are feeling unmotivated, it might be time to change your environment and set it up that it will inspire you in a positive way. In order to tackle this problem and overcome it, make it look like the beginning of something. If you are feeling unmotivated in your professional environment, maybe redecorate your office, buy some plants and make it look inviting. You could also reorganize your planner or set up a new routine. You could also declutter and clean your space. In a word: spice up your environment, make it look fresh like a new beginning.

Go back to your why

This is probably the best piece of advice I could give you because everything you started had a reason to be. When you are feeling unmotivated, go back to your why. Let’s take my example. Why did I start this blog? To write and share things I am passionate about. To communicate with people around the world. And with the hope to make an income in the long-term. You should get clear about why you want to do something, and most importantly, what is your next step to achieve it. Whenever you feel unmotivated, remember your final goal.

Review your goals

However, if your demotivation mindset is lasting, it might be time to think about your current goals. Has something changed? Do you still want to accomplish the same project? You will need to think about it in-depth. If your goals changed, update them. There is no point in working toward something you do not want anymore.

Also, to avoid feeling submerged by your goals, you should get clear on what you are trying to do. Maybe stick to one or two at a time: if you have too much on your plate, you might feel overwhelmed and therefore not motivated. With too many options, you might end up doing nothing. Instead, plan to achieve one goal after the other!

Find out the root of your demotivation

After you reviewed your goals and made sure that you are still working toward the same thing, you should think about why you are demotivated. Whether it is in your professional or personal life, this feeling doesn’t come without reason. It might be the symptom of a bigger problem. To address this, why not make a list of the reasons that lead you to demotivation. Do you feel overwhelmed? Bored? Scared to not be good enough? Do you feel like your hard work don’t give any results? Be honest with yourself, and don’t worry, everybody feel the same sometimes. Once you find out about the root of the problem, you will be able to plan your way out of this rut.

Find a new strategy to feel motivated again

Once you figure out why you are feeling unmotivated, think about how you could change your mindset. There are solutions for every feeling you may have.

Are you overwhelmed? Then, make a clear plan of your goals and the steps in order to achieve them. Are you feeling bored? You should create new routines or even set up a different work environment. Do you think that you are not good enough? Make a list of everything you’ve accomplished in your life (small or big). Scared to fail? Think again. This is all about mindset: you are capable of anything!

Start with small steps to reach your goals

Do you feel flat or burn out? The most important thing to do is to give yourself kindness and start with small steps. Whatever goal you have in mind, create action steps that will look easy to start with. Just force yourself to go through the first step, but choose something that you can accomplish quite easily. Give yourself time to improve and step out of your comfort zone.

Also, don’t forget to write down the goals you want to achieve. If this is something long-term, it is better to create small goals that will lead to your big goal. They will look more doable, and therefore you will avoid the frustration of not progressing fast enough.

Surround yourself with inspiring people

You should be surrounded by people who encourage and inspire you to do something different. Your true friends will be happy for your success. Also, with one of your goals in mind, why not browse the internet and look for inspiration?

Inspiration will come from people who achieved what you are trying to do or are currently doing it. Learn something from them. There are a lot of success stories out there, people who will give you tips and advice in order to achieve anything you want. Be curious and read books, magazines, and of course, blogs!

Stick with it and stay motivated

Life is made of ups and downs, and motivation will come and go. After you reviewed your goals and made sure that it is still what you want to achieve, don’t give up. If you are aiming for a long-term goal, you will experience bumps along the way. But if you stick with it and wait for your motivation to come back, you’ll get there.

Also, to hold yourself accountable, you should think about who you will let down if you don’t achieve your goals. Most of the time, the answer will be yourself. But if you still need motivation, why not get an accountability partner or tell your loved ones about your project. They will check with you regularly and you will be eager to make progress.

It takes some efforts and perseverance to get out of a rut and feel motivated again. However, if you give yourself some time, remember why you started and plan steady steps to reach your goals, you are on the right path. I hope that you liked this post, as always feel free to leave a comment or share it below!

A bientôt,