I need help staying motivated. What are your tips that help you?

Question

I came up with something: I think about how I'm feeling way too often. Sometimes, I'll sit and feel sorry for myself and put off actual chores for hours because I go eat or do something dumb. If I found a way to focus on just getting things done, maybe I'd see some progress. Course, this also has to do a little bit with depression. It's a little difficult to not focus on feeling awful all the time, so I need to find a way to counteract this too. What are your tips on staying motivated?

Answer 1

ANGEL OF DEATH TECHNIQUE - for the fear motivated
Feed the homeless, hang out at Wal-Mart during the graveyard shift, watch "It's A Wonderful Life", take a walk through the Death Ward at your local hospital, shovel horse apples for a day, visit your local prison, walk around with a blindfold for an hour (have a friend by your side), check out your local unemployment office, stand on the highway with the Mexican immigrant guys waiting for work, sit in on an AA or Suicide anonymous group meeting.

APPLE OF EDEN TECHNIQUE - for the greed motivated
Walk all day through the richest neighborhood in your state, watch "Scarface", go to your local East Asian (Indian & Pakistani) gathering and see the kinds of wives that medical doctors get to marry, watch that show Extreme Makeover, follow hot girls/guys at the beach and see what kind of peeps they hook up with, the next time you deal with a customer service rep say you're a doctor and observe the difference in treatment, wrap a wad of $1 bills with a $100 on top and imagine it's all $100s - then swim in it, pay for a high priced stripper m/f and imagine that every day, try on clothing for a few hours at an expensive store.

HAND OF GOD TECHNIQUE - for the spiritually motivated
Meditate in a quiet area for an hour, volunteer at a camp for special kids, stand up for someone being bullied, stand up for yourself against the corporate machine by pursuing a complaint until conclusion, forgive an enemy in your mind for what they did to you (don't be stupid and hang out with the enemy because you can't change people just forgive in your heart), have sex with your significant other, go on a long bike tour (30 miles+), fast for three days only eating/drinking in the early evening.

Answer 2

Find a solution to the root of the problem: your depression.

How do you do that? Repair your relationships. Join a healthy church and make friends with positive people. Steer clear of the loser and those who rant and rave all the time. Try praying, it helps. And go to a fitness club. Exercise gives happy hormones called endorphins. You'll look and feel better too, and you'll pretty much forget about feeling awful.

Next, take stock of your life and make SHORT TERM, MID TERM AND LONG TERM GOALS. What do you wanna do? Dream big. Make a plan to get there.

I've noticed that some of the most common goals people have is to stay healthy, have more money so they can acquire a better way of living, and provide for their family.

One essential thing is to decide on what your purpose is. Everyone was put on earth with a purpose. Otherwise, why live?

The Power of Focus:

This book takes the reader through the key “Focusing Strategies” that have the potential to lead one to success. The authors break these focusing strategies into ten logical areas as follows:

Habits
Focus
Goals (seeing the Big Picture)
Balance
Relationships
Confidence
Asking for What You Want
Persistence
Decisive Action
Purpose

Look into this, and good luck.

Answer 3

There are many ways that people become motivated. The first step is always the most difficult because it's tough to know in which direction to take it. Lot's of people stall by asking everyone's opinion and judging which are good or bad ones. Truthfully, any of these answers worked for someone, which makes them all good. The best thing you can do for yourself is just take a step.

That being said, here are a couple of tools I've used to help manage my steps. There is a program called the Curriculum for Living put on by a company called Landmark Education. Some people are fanatical for this and others are fanatical against it. It worked wonders for me, teaching me a structure to become highly motivated and produce results I didn't know I could. Another, (free) thing to look into is a Web 2.0 application I've recently started using called Simpleology. It's a smart program that helps you manage things you need to get done, all your thoughts, and your time. But, like I said, these worked for me and you'll have to find your own way. First thing is to just take a step.

(P.S. Another thing to try is writing the result you want to accomplish and work backwards writing each prior step until you get to the beginning. Make sure that you understand how you would accomplish each step and record how you will know when it is.)

Answer 4

That being said, here are a couple of tools I've used to help manage my steps. There is a program called the Curriculum for Living put on by a company called Landmark Education. Some people are fanatical for this and others are fanatical against it. It worked wonders for me, teaching me a structure to become highly motivated and produce results I didn't know I could. Another, (free) thing to look into is a Web 2.0 application I've recently started using called Simpleology. It's a smart program that helps you manage things you need to get done, all your thoughts, and your time. But, like I said, these worked for me and you'll have to find your own way. First thing is to just take a step.

Answer 5

I was taught at a counseling workshop that people are always waiting for motivation in order to act, but that it is taking action that brings motivation.

It is not your feelings that will take you where you want to go, it is your actions.

But, your feelings are real and overwhelming. Here's a way to deal with overwhelming feelings and thoughts: make an appointment to think about the things that are upsetting you. Keep it. Every day. Every day at 4:30pm, say, sit for one hour in a specific chair and think and feel. Give yourself that time. Then, at other times during the day, when thoughts or feelings that bring you down and sidetrack you occur, tell yourself - Hey, I have an appt. to think about this, I'll think about this then.

Remember, you're not trying to trick yourself. Keep that appointment.

A couple of other things - The Road Less Traveled is a wonderful book wherein Dr. Peck posits the idea that depression is a naturally occurring prompt in adult lives (obviously not major depression) to examine ourselves, our discontents, and make necessary change. Maybe you need to be thinking a lot. But focusing on how bad you feel, rather than on what YOU need to do to feel better, will just keep you feeling bad.

Also, I've read that the way we feel about ourselves is equal to the amount we wish to accomplish divided by the amount we actually accomplish. I think mathematically, that's meaningless, but the point is that we feel bad when we don't meet our own goals. We should have realistic goals and we should take steps towards our goals. That's self-loving, not just thinking all the time about our feelings.

Dr. Peck, again in The Road Less Traveled argues that folks that procrastinate are less happy than those who don't, because those who do procrastinate always have hanging over their head - while they're supposedly having a good time - the knowledge that they are behind.

Getting things done first is a way of being kind to ourselves.

Good Luck! And later you can share the things you learn on this painful journey.

Answer 6

Depression is a very difficult thing. I used to get depressed alot over little things. Like I gained a few pounds, or I get down because I'm not where I want to be in life. I find things that I love to do and focus my free time on those things. It helps me to make a list of what I NEED to do and then what I WANT to do. If you combine those things and alternate between the two, it may help. For example, i'll make a list like this: 1. put laundry in 2. get my nails done 3. finish laundry 4. meet friends for lunch 5. clean room 6. go see a movie... also, with my weight, I focus on my positive aspects and exercise in the way I want to. Instead of going to the gym, which I hate, I'll walk around the mall, or grab my bike and head to the boardwalk. Whatever you enjoy doing should be your motivation for the things that are not so fun.

Answer 7

I read this some two years before, "Work is a great anti-depressant" and conversely having no work depresses a person, but that is only the first stage or 'tip of the iceberg' , at second stage you'd feel jealous of other people around you who you think are happy, in the next stage where-in you would be thinking more negatively, you'd start to think bad about other people hoping bad thinngs would happen to them, and then there are more stages to follow till you might reach a stage where you become an anti-social element.

Now if you sit down relaxed, composed and try to understand where all this negativity in one's life starts from; you'd understand it arises from a simple situation of not finding work or something interesting - it could be any work(not thats the clue) - is probably the main reason for a person becoming negative by the day.

There is another important aspect aswell for being content with one's life, which is called as 'Rational Thinking' and knowing about 'Positive thinking'. Now I am not saying you must think positive - that would be as dumb as eating your own hair - What I am saying is for you to try and find out what is Positive thinking - you need to read some books for this - I was feeling some what depressed some time before, before I chanced upon a book. This book tells me that most of our miseries arise out of some 'Irrational beliefs' or IBs that have got stuck into our thinking and value systems, Now all a person need to do is first identify the IBs in his thinking and in his behavior and next step is to challenge the so identified IBs and through challenging these IBs one can rationalize his own thinking until he is 'Rationally thinking' all the time.

As I sum it up in very simple terms for you, you need to do two things immediately - not even as soon as possible - 1. Find some work 2. Start knowing about 'Positive Thinking' and 'Rationalising your Irrational beliefs'

I think that should help.

Answer 8

WOW! You sound like me. I live by this quote, "Motivation doesn't create action, action creates motivation." I know it is easier said than done, but when I wake up, I focus on one task at a time. People tend to look at their day and think this is too overwhelming. If you take it one task at a time, then the stress tends to go away.
I have been reading a book called "The Secret". It has helped my entire way of thinking about everything, including motivation. I am clinically depressed as well. But, I have learned that although it may be a chemical imbalance, saying that you are depressed is like sending a signal to your brain that says I can't deal with this. Don't let that be your crutch, I did for so many years and if I could take it back I would!
If you would like a friend to talk to about this stuff, feel free to contact me! Good luck with your journey and God Bless

Answer 9

If I were you or in your situation, well I will do the exact opposites. You know instead of thinking about your feeling way too often, well reduce the time and start think positive about the things that you think or know that it motivates you. And also stop feeling sorry about your self, and put this in your mind that you are the best in the whole world. And remember, anything happened an hour ago its already past. You know time comes and goes, so anything that happened just forget about it and move on with your life and start doing the things that you think that will make a difference in your life. And avoid the things you've done that lead you to this situation, and just be happy think your the best in every move you make. Thank you.

Answer 10

I am a lot like that too, I focus on how bad I'm feeling and how sorry for myself I'm feeling and then I don't want to do anything. But, and I know I read about this a thousand times and didn't really believe it (or didn't want to), but regular exercise has really helped me a lot with all sorts of things. I feel like I have more energy, even after I work out so that I get more things done in the evening instead of always sitting around watching tv, and I feel a lot better emotionally too. I've tried to make it a habit (I've heard that it only takes like 21 days to make something a habit) by going three times a week, and I noticed that when I don't work out or do something on the weekends, I feel tired and yucky all weekend, so I try to take the dog for a walk or something. I've gotten out of my routine the past couple of weeks b/c it's been so nice, but I plan on getting back to it today! Anyway, I hope this helps

Answer 11

Following are some of the steps that would help u stay motivated:
1. Keep telling urself repeatedly that this is what i ought to do at the moment and thus i have to concentrate on it so that i can do it well.
2. Identify the source of ur depression and then try dealing with the problem by talking to ur family members and friends.
3. If u feel angry at times coz of ur inability to focus u should vent out ur anger, but in ways that are harmless or constructive. U may punch a pillow, shout it out loudly, if a person is making u angry, start playing darts by sticking the person's photo on the board.
4. If u are uncomfortable in telling ur problems to anyone, u can always write down ur feelings. Infact i would advise u to maintain a personal diary in which u write down all the happy and sad moments of ur life.
5. Indulge in ur favourite hobby everyday for atleast 15 minutes.
6. Frequently gorge on chocolates as they are natural antidepressants.
7. Spend sometime with nature everyday. Take a walk in the park early in the morning and breathe deeply as u do so.
8. Get hold of a good book on yoga or meditation so that u can read and perform it.
9. Laugh a lot. Watch ur favourite cartoons on tv or some hilarious comedy show.
10. Exercise is also very important. Jogging, swimming, a game of lawn tennis all will help u beat stress and cope better.
11. If u feel like cryng go ahead, never suppress it. Cry ur heart out.
12. Get adequate amount of uninterupted sleep. 7 or 8 hours sleep at night is a must.
All these steps will help u remain calm, active, positive and happy.
When u are working or studying keep the following steos in mind:
1. Sit on a table and chair when working.
2. The room where u sit should be well ventilated and well lit. 3. Declutter ur desk. Keep only what is important and keep the other things in their proper place.
4. Do not keep any distractive material close to u, like magazines or newspapers. Do not listen to music while working, it divides ur attention and thus reduces productivity.
5. The room where u work should not be too big. Try keeping 3 pieces of cardboards- one in front of u and the other two on either sides. When u restrict ur field of vision, ur concentration improves.
6. Before u begin working, take a newspaper article and circle out all the e's.
7. Have 12 almonds at breakfast and one glass of warm milk at night coz milk also promotes sleep.
8. Set small goals for urself. Reward urself and give a pat on ur back when u achieve ur goals. Setting small goals is like moving on the ladder to success.
All the best. Take care.