Lately there’s been so much going on in my life, finding the motivation to get through my to-do list has been slim-to-none. And productive Mondays? Forget about it! I mean let’s be honest. Who ever is motivated to get through a Monday is not human…or they’ve drank 10 pots of coffee….. But seriously, if I happened to come upon a genie and he said he would grant me one wish, it would be to get rid of Mondays. I.Hate.Mondays!
With that being said, I have too much to get done NOT to be motivated. These are five things I’ve been doing to help me get through my never-ending lists, and as it is Monday, I figured there was no better day to share.
1. Use the Pomodoro Technique- The gist of this is that you work 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break and after 4 “pomodoros” you are rewarded with a longer break. You can either use your own timer, or get the handy-dandy app that keeps track of how many pomodoros you have completed and your most successful day.
2. Make a Fun Drink- Whether it’s iced coffee or tea, a delicious smoothie, a juice or a protein shake, I’ve always found myself to be more energized with a healthy, yummy drink in my hand. Check out my drink board on Pinterest for some ideas (or make the one pictured below-raw oats, frozen banana, almond butter, Greek yogurt & milk)
3. Dress the Part- Aka, put some clothes on! I know this may seem obvious, but lots of people (myself included) don’t want to get out of their pj’s which consequently makes it hard to accomplish anything other than sleeping. So if you’re to-do list says “gym time”-get your workout gear on. If you need to clean, put on your cleaning clothes. And getting dressed like you’re going out and about (i.e. doing your hair, putting on some make-up,etc) will give you the boost you need to accomplish your goals.
4. Pump up the Jams- Being motivated while listening to Michael Buble swoon? Ya, that’s not going to happen. Make yourself a fun playlist, something that will get you moving and maybe even singing and dancing ( a little Spice Girls never hurt anyone!). This is one of my favorite playlists that gets me moving (and yes maybe there are some LFO & Aqua songs…don’t judge!).
5. Reward Yourself- With anything in life, if you work hard, you should get rewarded. So after you cross a few things off your list, give yourself a break and take a nap, catch up on reading (50 Shades anyone?!), journal, bake cookies, do some Facebook stalking, run around in circles… basically whatever makes you happy.
What are some ways you motivate yourself?
