Motivation; keeping it moving.
Motivation is something I continually chase.
Today and this last, long, weekend are no exceptions. Don't get me wrong, I actually was able to accomplish a lot over the four day weekend. I managed to relax, clean a little, cook, work on several quilting projects, finished a book, and spent a lot of time with my husband. But as with most people, my motivation can come and go as it pleases. For days when it wants to wander off, I keep five steps in mind to help get it back in my corner.
As always, I feel that I could have done more. And this brings up my first step for me keeping my motivation at my side: I don't think of all the things I could have done. I know this sounds strange, but it's happens. On even my most productive days, I can let myself down by thinking of the things that I didn't get to, didn't finish, or didn't complete enough steps in. The negativity and guilt of "you could have done more" often outweighs what I did accomplish. This might be due to part of my persona that tries to perfect things and completely forgets about how long things actually take to be completed and done well. This step reminds me that I'm human and it's ok to focus for a moment on what I DID get done.
This brings me to my second step: lists, lists, lists. I prefer to keep my lists in several ways depending on my mood and how crazy that week / day is. My favorites are bullet journaling, sticky notes that live on my desk and To-Do boards, and the small dry erase board on the fridge. I mainly use the first two for daily and weekly items; the fridge is primarily used for shopping lists and important things for the house and long time line items. For me, seeing what I need to do on a daily basis and weekly basis helps me organize my time in a loose way. Also, who doesn't love crossing items off a to do list? (And yes, it's ok to write down things you've done that were not originally on the list just to cross them off. Progress is progress, and should be celebrated.)
Third step, music, lots of it. Besides itunes and pandora, I love to use youtube and my record player. Whatever system and whatever genres work for you, allow your ears their delight. Music for me varies on my mood and project, ranging from 70's rock, early jazz, orchestral, and various more modern music as well. I'm allover the board, but it works for me, what can I say?
A fourth step is treat yo self. Seriously, this worked wonders for me in college. I like to set up a simple work-reward system. The system can be as simple or as complex as you like. Find whatever small item or thing(s) make you happy and get you through the work on days in which you feel you can't be bothered. I can get 'stuck in my head' a lot, so for my reward it's what I call "guilt free time." Time that I can do or not do things as I please without feeling bad about it later. When I was in grade school, it was erasers. I have no idea why but those little brightly colored shaped erasers where the best things ever, kudos to my mom for figuring that one out early. I usually stick to two different versions of work-reward. The first is on a daily basis, sometimes bi-daily basis. For example: I do work around the house, on the inter-webs, and in the studio in the first half of the day, and my reward is usually, watching Youtube videos with lunch for 30 minutes to an hour. It's simple, but it's my block of guilt free time I use to appease my laziness. Repeat after lunch with working on items around the house, more studio work, and any other random items life throws my way. This time my reward is more guilt free time afterwards to read, watch tv, or do whatever I like. The one I mainly used in college is the weekly reward. Working on projects and papers all week and on Friday or Saturday would be the reward. My reward then would range in activity but it boils down to guilt free time. Having a pampering half day with face and hair masks and doing my nails or watching videos online on Youtube or Netflix, shopping, or simply just sleeping in until noon.
The fifth step, which can be combined with the forth if you like, is celebrate. For me this is usually more along the lines of mental positive reinforcement. I usually just take a few minutes to myself to admire, and lightly critique what work or step of a project I've completed. It can be difficult with constantly creating and getting new ideas, so take a moment to pat yourself on the back; you deserve it.
If you have any other insider tricks on keeping motivation in your corner, please share with the rest of us who sometimes have to track that baby down.
However you keep motivation with you throughout your day, may it ever be in your corner, cheering you on.
Today and this last, long, weekend are no exceptions. Don't get me wrong, I actually was able to accomplish a lot over the four day weekend. I managed to relax, clean a little, cook, work on several quilting projects, finished a book, and spent a lot of time with my husband. But as with most people, my motivation can come and go as it pleases. For days when it wants to wander off, I keep five steps in mind to help get it back in my corner.
As always, I feel that I could have done more. And this brings up my first step for me keeping my motivation at my side: I don't think of all the things I could have done. I know this sounds strange, but it's happens. On even my most productive days, I can let myself down by thinking of the things that I didn't get to, didn't finish, or didn't complete enough steps in. The negativity and guilt of "you could have done more" often outweighs what I did accomplish. This might be due to part of my persona that tries to perfect things and completely forgets about how long things actually take to be completed and done well. This step reminds me that I'm human and it's ok to focus for a moment on what I DID get done.
This brings me to my second step: lists, lists, lists. I prefer to keep my lists in several ways depending on my mood and how crazy that week / day is. My favorites are bullet journaling, sticky notes that live on my desk and To-Do boards, and the small dry erase board on the fridge. I mainly use the first two for daily and weekly items; the fridge is primarily used for shopping lists and important things for the house and long time line items. For me, seeing what I need to do on a daily basis and weekly basis helps me organize my time in a loose way. Also, who doesn't love crossing items off a to do list? (And yes, it's ok to write down things you've done that were not originally on the list just to cross them off. Progress is progress, and should be celebrated.)
Third step, music, lots of it. Besides itunes and pandora, I love to use youtube and my record player. Whatever system and whatever genres work for you, allow your ears their delight. Music for me varies on my mood and project, ranging from 70's rock, early jazz, orchestral, and various more modern music as well. I'm allover the board, but it works for me, what can I say?
A fourth step is treat yo self. Seriously, this worked wonders for me in college. I like to set up a simple work-reward system. The system can be as simple or as complex as you like. Find whatever small item or thing(s) make you happy and get you through the work on days in which you feel you can't be bothered. I can get 'stuck in my head' a lot, so for my reward it's what I call "guilt free time." Time that I can do or not do things as I please without feeling bad about it later. When I was in grade school, it was erasers. I have no idea why but those little brightly colored shaped erasers where the best things ever, kudos to my mom for figuring that one out early. I usually stick to two different versions of work-reward. The first is on a daily basis, sometimes bi-daily basis. For example: I do work around the house, on the inter-webs, and in the studio in the first half of the day, and my reward is usually, watching Youtube videos with lunch for 30 minutes to an hour. It's simple, but it's my block of guilt free time I use to appease my laziness. Repeat after lunch with working on items around the house, more studio work, and any other random items life throws my way. This time my reward is more guilt free time afterwards to read, watch tv, or do whatever I like. The one I mainly used in college is the weekly reward. Working on projects and papers all week and on Friday or Saturday would be the reward. My reward then would range in activity but it boils down to guilt free time. Having a pampering half day with face and hair masks and doing my nails or watching videos online on Youtube or Netflix, shopping, or simply just sleeping in until noon.
The fifth step, which can be combined with the forth if you like, is celebrate. For me this is usually more along the lines of mental positive reinforcement. I usually just take a few minutes to myself to admire, and lightly critique what work or step of a project I've completed. It can be difficult with constantly creating and getting new ideas, so take a moment to pat yourself on the back; you deserve it.
If you have any other insider tricks on keeping motivation in your corner, please share with the rest of us who sometimes have to track that baby down.
However you keep motivation with you throughout your day, may it ever be in your corner, cheering you on.
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