Improving motivation

If you are finding it difficult to motivate yourself to start or complete important tasks, here are some helpful ideas.

Ideas to help you feel motivated

Plan and practise

  • Write out a plan with your personal and academic goals and priorities. Re-read them when you are not feeling motivated
  • If you are deliberately avoiding doing something, try to do it regularly. The regular practice will make it easier

Stay positive

  • Ask a friend that you trust to help you write a list of your good qualities so that you can read them when you need help to get motivated
  • Focus on working towards your goals instead of feeling happy only after you reach a goal. This will help you to get started on a task
  • Try not to worry about things that go wrong. Concentrate on your successes instead and just keep going
  • If you are feeling bad about a situation, imagine the worst thing that could happen. Really exaggerate your imagined ideas about what could go wrong and then laugh at them. This will help you to put yourself and your current situation in perspective
  • Give yourself time to change. Forgive yourself for making mistakes and focus on what you can do next

Ideas to help you work productively

Getting started

  • The sooner you start, the sooner you will finish. Starting early gives you more time to recover from mistakes
  • It's OK to be a little bit nervous or tense. Use that energy to get yourself moving
  • Do not expect to be excited and motivated about every task. If it is not your favourite task, just focus on starting and then making regular small progress until it is finished

Be kind to yourself

  • People have different styles of working. Some need competition to do their best, while others work better at their own pace. Respect your work style and try to work in the type of environment you need to do well
  • If you have a long, difficult task, make it as comfortable as possible. Do it for a short while, in a location you like or with friends around you. Wear comfortable clothes or whatever you need to keep yourself feeling positive
  • When you have done something that you feel good about, reward yourself with a treat. You deserve it

Remember your goals

  • Pause every now and then to remind yourself why you have chosen to take on certain work and what you expect to get out of it in the end. It will help you to focus
  • Before you stop work at the end of a day, complete a task or achieve a goal so that you feel good when you begin your next day

Resources