Keeping The Motivation
It happens to everyone. We start something new so full of hope and, expectations, and then, slowly but surely it starts to fade. That new hobby falls victim to career demands, the workouts become less frequent and we fall back into our old ways. So how do we combat this? Habit tracking and bullet journaling have taken social media by storm over recent years, promising to be the way to stick to new ventures, the ‘check-in’ you need to stay motivated. Most of the time, it’s just a way for you to waste money or countless hours tracking your life; time and money that can be spent on living your life. I’m not here to say it’s all bull, but there are much easier ways.
Bullet journaling and habit tracking; although I do feel they are a waste of money, the process and intention behind them are great tools for motivation. Bullet journaling is almost an umbrella term given to writing about your day, however you chose to do this is up to you. It can let you see patterns of stress, sleeplessness, fulfillment, joy or you can use a journal to record memories and high/lows of your day. By tracking our days and what drives us, we can replicate these in times of low motivation. Personally, when I really don’t feel like doing something, I need the threat of it going wrong. For example, I didn’t want to walk to the grocery store in the dark to pick up dinner, but the thought of trusting my boyfriend to pick up a DIY salad bowl for me, my ass was off the couch!
In my experience, most people are results driven. We see the number on the scale dropping, or our bank balance increasing and we find renewed motivation to keep going. We put our time and effort into continuing the cycle and achieving bigger goals. When I first started as a Personal Trainer I was still working full time and I told myself I couldn’t leave until I had 8 sessions a week. By giving myself a determined number, I had to get there to free up more time to devote to my business. Full disclosure, I left a little before I achieved my eight sessions a week and used my remaining three weeks holiday pay to devote my time to clients. Not everybody has this luxury and it is important to use tools to determine where the best solution lies.
By starting with the end goal – knitting a scarf; we can look at the steps we need to take to get there. Looking at the end gives us our long-term goal, and we can break down the process of getting there. Start with a knitting class, or a YouTube tutorial, buying needles and wool, starting with a small piece to gauge the time taken. All of these small steps build up to knitting your first scarf. Then we change the goal; knitting a blanket. These steps are all interchangeable to your situation. Taking the process into the gym; your last set. You’re tired, feeling fatigued; take a breath. Have you had enough of a rest period? Do you feel ready? Picture the end goal. Get ready. Brace. Go.
Breaking down a gym session into small increments allows you to focus on one thing at a time, get the big lifts out the way first, work into isolation moves then find some form of cardio you enjoy. I know, easier said than done! I have been floored with little motivation many times, and perhaps the best thing I’ve found is to look ahead. How will I feel when it’s all over? When I get that release of endorphins, when I feel strong and ready to take on anything – that’s what pulls me through. Always look to the future, the past is already done, a short-term memory is your best weapon when it comes to beating the slump.