Motivation is a highly individual thing. If you are having trouble getting yourself motivated, it might be because you are using someone else’s favorite method for motivating themselves. They might be into fast cars. Going out and buying a sports car that goes 200MPH might be the right motivation for them because unless they are driving fast and near the edge of their abilities, they just don’t feel as alive. Going for that kind of drive on an empty road in a place where there is no speed limit gets them up early and allows for them to do their best work. That doesn’t mean you should start shopping for a Ferrari.
It also depends on what the motivation is for. To get motivated for a run, it might just take the right headphones blasting your favorite hype music. That might not be as effective at motivating you to stay focused at work. It will almost certainly have the opposite effect. So when it comes to recommending the right motivation, note there is not a one size fits all solution. And you will want to have multiple motivators on hand to suit the moment. Here are a few motivational tips to get you started:
Health and Fitness
We need motivators for health and fitness because it doesn’t come naturally. Not everyone loves the idea of setting up a home gym and punishing themselves with lifting weights that would rather stay on the floor. Those weights are always fighting against you to get back to their natural perch. It could be that the only thing you need to motivate you is the thought of training for the Olympics. You can better visualize the outcome by adding competition bumper plates to your weights. These give just the right visual boost to make you want to get in there and do battle with gravity.
Of course, your home gym will need more than dead weights. Spare some room for stretching on a quality yoga mat. Grab a few hand squeezes while you’re at it. No home gym is complete without a heavy ball or two to help you work that core. Bear in mind that few things give you a better pound for pound workout than the humble, inexpensive jump rope. Granted, you can pay through the nose for a good one if you really want to. But middle of the road will do just fine. Just remember to add the branding and visuals that are most likely to motivate you to use all that equipment.
A More Productive Workday
Sometimes, it is even more difficult to get motivated for a typical day of work than it is for a grueling session in the gym. This can be especially true if you work from home. The problem is that a typical workday is eight hours as opposed to a workout session that might last 20 minutes. Second, being at home comes with a lot of distractions that can be difficult to manage.
Regain your motivation by flipping the script and getting the best standing desk you can afford. You don’t have to stand for the entire 8 hours. But just standing for 5 to 10 minutes per hour can make a real difference in your energy level. You might also opt for a better chair for the time when you are sitting. Maybe spend more than $45 on the chair that will support you while you are earning your living. A new kind of desk and a better chair are surprisingly good motivators for doing better work.
A Better Role Model
Have you tried but had a hard time quitting certain bad habits you know are bad for you? Sometimes, quitting seems out of reach. For many people, the thing that got them over the top was not health benefits or financial stability. It was the fact that they wanted their kids to do better. You cannot lecture your kids out of a bad habit that you also have. What you can do is demonstrate a better way to live. What we see in others informs us of what we can expect from ourselves. When your kids look at you, they are seeing their future. Make it a good one.
If you are having trouble getting motivated to be more fit, productive, or a better role model, try home gym accessories, a standing desk, and seeing yourself through the eyes of your kids.
