The irony of how long it took me to write this blog post is actually hilarious. It’s been in my view since the beginning of the month and on my to-do list every day this week, each day getting pushed to the next.
It is now Friday afternoon, 3 pm and I am NOT finishing this week until it’s done!
The coincidence of my lack of motivation, or should I say the height of procrastination, and the title of this blog post was actually quite fitting because now I feel like I’m writing out of personal experience and not coming at you as some hot-shot summo-productive woman. I actually have stuff to say!!
This wave of “unproductivity” hit me really bad this week. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, I didn’t feel like exercising, I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing, I had a lack of discipline when it came to eating healthy, it took me waaayy longer to tick things off my to-do list than normal, and, and, and…
Can you relate?
If you’re reading this today and can relate, I feel ya! 100%. Here are a few things that helped me get back on track this week. I hope they help you too.
1. BREAK BIG TASKS INTO SMALL STEPS AND SEGMENTS
When you look at your to-do list and see this huge task that needs to get done, it can be very disheartening and cause you to procrastinate getting it done, if it ever gets done at all. I like to take tasks like that and break them up into smaller parts; then just start with the first step. Even if you only get one thing done, you’re closer to the end goal than you were yesterday (and that’s the most important thing).
2. JUST START
This is one of my favorite quotes because it’s so flippin’ true. When you don’t feel like doing something, talk yourself up, tie your hair in a bun and just get started. It’s always so better than you thought it was going to be and once you get on a roll, you’re generally good to go (like I am right now, writing this post #cantstopwontstop).
3. START YOUR DAY OFF THE RIGHT
For me, this is starting my day at the feet of my Saviour. First thing I do when I wake up, is grab a cup of coffee, my bible and spend time in prayer + reading His word. It renews my mind, puts my priorities back in order, and gives me the wisdom, strength, and peace to tackle whatever the day has in store.
4. START THE DAY EARLY
Set your alarm for super early and just get going. You’d be surprised how much you can get done at the early hours of the day and how little distractions there are. My favorite thing is to get started before anyone else in my time zone wakes up. That way it feels like I’m always one step ahead of everyone else for the day.
5. SWITCH OFF YOUR PHONE
Yeah, yeah… you know how distracting Instagram and WhatsApp can be when you’re trying to get something done. Switch your phone off, take it to another room, and don’t go and get it again until you’re done with the task you’ve chosen.
6. SWEAT EVERY DAY
Even when you don’t feel like it, do something each day that gets your body moving. For me, it’s running, spinning, and yoga but it could be anything for you… maybe a walk around the block, Kayla’s BBG, or a class at the gym. Whatever it may be, get your heart rate going and the blood pumping. It will do your body, mind, and soul soooo much good!
MDK Yoga Coming Soon
7. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT INSPIRE YOU
Make sure that the people in your life are motivating you to reach your goals and adding inspiration to your life. One of the biggest and hardest decisions I’ve had to make this year is cutting ties with old friends who aren’t uplifting. It hasn’t been easy but it’s been worth it.
Remember to keep those motivating people in a healthy place in your life. You’ll start to feel defeated if you always compare yourself to them and where they are at. Remember, it’s your journey and no two people are the same. I guarantee you their life isn’t as amazing as it seems.
8. GET OUTSIDE AND PUT SOME GOOD MUSIC ON
Simple as that, and helps so so much.
9. GIVE YOURSELF GRACE
A daily reminder to me of God’s grace we’re freely given and the grace we need to give to others and ourselves in return.
The nice thing about working for yourself is that when you’ve hit a wall, you can take it easy and know you can pick it back up the next day. Remind yourself that no one is super productive all the time. Listen to what your body needs and take note. If you need an extra hour in bed, maybe it’s a good idea to take it. If you’re getting tired of running, do some Pilates or a new class at the gym instead. Be mindful of where you’re at and what you need. You’ll know… if you listen
10. DETERMINE THE UNDERLYING FACTOR
This is something that was HUGE for me this week. It’s not common for me to feel this out of it. Monday was understandable. Tuesday too, I guess… but by Wednesday and Thursday, I really started to ask myself why am I feeling this way and what is causing it? If it’s something more than just a lazy day, figure out what that is and start to take the steps to deal with that.
LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ME THIS WEEK:
11. REEVALUATE WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND WHY YOU’RE DOING IT
Is it really important to you?
Is it what you want to be spending your time and energy on?
Is it something someone else can do for you? Might cost you a bit of money but it’ll relieve stress and allow you to focus on other things.
Is it time for you to let it go and/or would you rather be moving in another direction?
The reason I was feeling so unmotivated this week was that I had too much on my plate. It was starting to make me feel lethargic and unmotivated to do any of it because I just couldn’t keep up. Once I realized this, I started handing off more work to a few individuals who work for me and even hired someone new to take over some of the stuff I am currently doing, but just don’t have time for and they are things that are completely draining my energy.
“You give life to what you give energy to”
What gives you energy? Focus on those things. It is the most exhilarating, motivating thing in the world. When you’re passionate about what you’re doing (and don’t get me wrong, work is work) but when you really enjoy what you do and you’re excited about where it’s going to take you in the future, you’ll feel like you can conquer the world, baby.
And you can. You just need to take the steps to get there. One at a time.