There are days when we lack the self-discipline to get things going, so here are 45 ways to motivate yourself everyday that aren’t just, “Because I have to.”
I won’t make this long.
You’re probably a bit like me – a chronic procrastinator, finds it hard to focus, a little (ha) scatterbrained, but a bubble of energy and wanting to experience everything. So your toes are dipped into everything, but because your focus is the size of a teaspoon you find yourself stretched thin.
Yeah, well, I get it. Sometimes motivating yourself can be really hard with that combination.
Whether you’re trying to motivate yourself to do housework, your homework, or study, this is meant for you.
So I came up with 45 ways to motivate yourself, others, and I’m sure that there is definitely one thing here that you can use. Get to it!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
Table of Adventures
1 // Soak in new information for 30 minutes daily.
You can start by trying to learn something new every day. I started using Optimize, a website that “[optimizes] every aspect of your life with more wisdom in less time” in topics like habits, willpower, leadership, etc. It’s a service that is free and recommended by some of the world’s best experts.
I think it’s great that I am able to get a rundown of books like Atomic Habits in 30 minutes and get the general gist of the book. It’s a fantastic way to motivate yourself to learn something while on your way to work or sitting around in traffic.
2 // Use the 5-second rule (and stick to it).
Sometimes all you need is a little push to help you to do anything. With the five-second rule you count down from five and once you’ve reached one, you then start the task you’ve been putting off.
3 // If you’re stuck, just start doing anything related to the task you need to do.
I noticed that whenever I need to clean, but I’m feeling like a bum that if I simply start a small part of the task (like picking up wrappers or throwing away orange peels), the momentum of doing that builds.
4 // Definitely plan ahead.
If I have my week (better yet day) planned out for me I can find at least one thing I am willing to do when I’m feeling a bit lackadaisical. From there the momentum grows (see point above!) and 9 out of 10 times I am able to finish everything I planned for myself.
I use a Happy Planner. It’s been the only planner that has ever stuck with me (yeah, I’ve tried Passion Planners and other variants of it and even bullet journaling) mainly because everything is laid out for me and all I have to do is prettify it with stickers. 🙂
5 // Create a schedule.
Be consistent with it!
Don’t create that schedule only to never do it. Start with once a week of a new thing and then increase it as you feel increasingly enthusiastic about it.
6 // Sometimes there are days when you don’t need motivation, you need help.
This doesn’t scream motivation, but in reality, it really can be. By asking for help, you are trying to get yourself out of a rut and that’s really brave.
Recognize those days and pinpoint a person who can help you get back on your feet.
It can be as simple as venting to them to whatever is bothering you and them wading through the junk to get to the root of your issue. You’re not lazy, you need a pick-me-up.
7 // Include a reset day.
No, not necessarily a rest day, but a reset day.
This is the day that you look at everything you’ve accomplished in the last week and decide how to change how you approach the next week. You look at everything from a work, personal life, and body perspective – or whatever works for you, but the more thorough the better.
For me, Sundays are perfect for this. It’s the night before the work week starts, so it’s a good time to reflect on things before you get started for that new week. Since not all of us have Sundays off, however, do what sparks joy.
8 // Do daunting things in small chunks instead of waiting until the last minute and stressing over it.
A great example of this is doing the laundry. Instead of waiting until the end of the week to get started on it, doing small loads throughout the week ensures that it doesn’t feel like a stress-filled activity. Remember to put on a timer so you can check your loads on time.
The point of this is to get the things you may not like doing as much (for me it’s cleaning) into bite-sized moments of an hour or less. The point is to take five-hour-long activities and spread them over your week rather than finding an excuse not to complete them.
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9 // Design routines that work for you.
Only you can figure out what works for you, no one else.
Whether it’s a morning routine, afternoon routine, or evening routine, find what keeps you going and start implementing them into your daily routine at a slow pace. Don’t rush into a routine because you’ll feel overwhelmed and, unfortunately, stressed out trying to cram everything into your day.
Experiment on a weekly basis and see what actually sticks and what you need to tweak.
It’s better to try everything, than to try nothing, and get something down on paper that you do effectively.
10 // Understand that you don’t have to do everything right now.
Piggybacking off of point eight, it’s important that you understand that doing everything right now isn’t going to be beneficial to you, at least not if you end up overwhelmed and stressed.
When you feel like you don’t have to do everything, you can divide your time more wisely to get the things that you can get done – done. My best advice is to take the top three most pressing things in your day and work on those. If you manage to get through them – great – do something else if you want or stop there.
It’s up to you how far you push yourself and your boundaries, but understanding that sometimes the secret to success is to work smarter, not harder.
11 // Take an enneagram personality test to understand how your mind works.
I honestly had no idea what this was until I decided to randomly take one. I thought it was basically another hyper-analyzed Myers Briggs and in some ways, it is. However, understanding your enneagram can actually help you to get to the root cause of (some of what you may consider) your previous failings.
It allows you to have an honest conversation with yourself and grow into the best person you can be.
12 // Know that every day you work on breaking your procrastination is one day closer to accomplishing your goals, however small (or large) they may be.
I think this one speaks for itself.
However, to expound, it’s a daily struggle you’ll have to overcome, but it really doesn’t have to be a struggle if you don’t make it out to be one.
Taking something one day at a time helps to break down the anxiety that normally pools in the pit of your stomach. And breaking a habit is the same way. Remember to reward yourself (within reason) after specific milestones.
Some milestones could be “1 week” or “4 weeks” or even “24 hours!” Strive to break up the monotony.
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13 // Just do the thing you’re avoiding without making an excuse.
I find that sometimes just jumping headfirst into a task without making up an excuse is the jumpstart I need. It’s simple and effective and you may be surprised with how much you actually get done!
14 // Stop making vague goals.
You need concrete goals. It’s why using SMART goals is so important – it gives you what you need to do and a deadline to hit them.
Some of the greatest entrepreneurs in business use them because they keep your progress in check, but it’s a great motivator to kick your butt into high gear to complete it on time.
15 // Evaluate what’s keeping you from getting shit done.
No, seriously, do it.
Take as long as you need (but not all day because then at that point you’re feeding into your procrastination again).
16 // Try to feel good before you get started.
It can be as simple as … I don’t know, putting together a small lego set by yourself or painting your nails.
Get out of your sour mood and into a happy, ready-to-hit-the-pavement mood instead.
17 // Recognize when you’re procrastinating.
Then take a deep breath, straighten yourself up, and get back to your task. Every minute counts.
18 // Think about your “tomorrow you.”
They’re still you, just a day away. That’s it. What do you want to have accomplished tomorrow that you can do today to set that up?
By forcing yourself to see what your future holds by holding yourself back from your tasks, you can make a better decision for what needs to be today so you’re not trying to claw yourself back to the surface for air.
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19 // Reframe your mind from the things you have to do to the things you can do.
I get it – it sucks when you’re being forced to do something that you don’t want to, however, what if you decided to reframe the thing you have to do to something that lo and behold you can do? Makes a world of difference when you turn the perspective on its head.
Instead of saying, “I have to work on this excel sheet, ugh” try “I can work on this excel sheet and learn a new, easier technique to help tomorrow me become more efficient at this next time.” Boom, progress.
20 // Just do it for five minutes.
Don’t tell yourself that you’re going to hard-stop at five minutes. Rather, get your task started and give yourself five minutes to get into the groove of things. Concentrate on your task – and only your task – and before you know it, you’ll be on minute 34 not realizing that you got a whole lot more done than you thought you would.
21 // Think of every day as a “non-zero day.”
A friend told me about this and it’s really fun and interesting.
Whatever you’re struggling to start, do at least one minute of it so that you can at least say you did something. While it’s not the best, especially if you have a large task or goal to accomplish, it’s a step in the right direction.
The day after you should challenge yourself to spend twice as long on it.
22 // Start meditating.
By centering yourself, and learning how to center yourself, you can quiet your mind and learn to get to the root cause of why you lack the motivation for a specific task. From there you can try to figure out what you need to do to make the task or goal a more enjoyable one.
23 // Write down the inhibiting thoughts that come to mind when you’re trying to get something done.
By writing them down you can start to process why you think the way that you do.
It can help you to navigate around those thoughts and ways to banish them for good. It could be your self-doubt or there may be an underlying issue that you need to take care of. Overall, it’s a great way to understand how you tick and find ways to get over them.
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24 // Listen to a playlist that gets you revved up for success.
For me, that’s checking out Lofi Beats or the Focus genre on Spotify. I especially love the Reading Adventure playlist that seems to have a little of everything that I need in terms of tempo. Some songs are slower and others are upbeat, perfect for when I’m right in the groove of a great thought.
Another suggestion is the Lofi Fruits Music Mix (also on Spotify, although maybe it’s on other streaming platforms, meh, I dunno).
25 // Remind yourself why you care.
You are filled with a drive that only you can remember. Remind yourself of that feeling and remember that there’s a reason why you started what you began. Now finish it.
26 // Begin your day being productive.
There are many wealthy people who swear by getting things done as soon as they wake up. Not only do you get a lot more done, but as the day progresses the little things that you otherwise would have waited until the evening to do are now done.
Maybe waking up at 5 am isn’t that bad? LOL JK, I won’t even try. I like my sleep, although, this tip can still work for us sleepyheads, too.
27 // Take a nap.
I’m serious.
Take one.
Limit yourself to 20-30 minute naps. Studies have shown that naps in this range can sharpen focus, lower stress, and reduce fatigue. Honestly, sounds like a win in my book.
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28 // Don’t get stuck on problems.
Remember points 4 and to plan ahead and create a schedule? I do it for this exact reason.
I don’t like getting stuck when I’ve got a lot of blog work to get done. If I do, I get frustrated, and that then feeds into my anxiety, and then it feeds into my self-doubt and I will not allow myself to think lesser of myself for even one second.
When you come across a problem that can’t be solved in a timely fashion – move on. You can get back to it at another point in your day when your mind is clearer and filled with different (more conducive, really) thoughts to get the problem figured out.
29 // Track your time.
I don’t know about you, but I opened by saying that I’m scatterbrained (which is 100% true). Like … my idle time can be 40 minutes before I realize what’s happening and I’m slithering back to my tasks ashamed that I sat on Tik Tok watching Gen Z dance trends for that long.
Well, another friend recommended Toggl Track. It works on all of my devices and it comes up with how much time I’m actually working on things and when I’m being a bit of a lazy bonehead.
It keeps me honest and maybe that’s something you need, too. Plus, it’s free!
30 // Build the habit intrinsically.
It takes roughly 21 days to build a habit, so why not turn your project into a habit? Tell yourself that you need to get it done and your mind will slowly shift towards your project being part of your day-to-day life.
I noticed that once I thought of my blog as my business that it became a natural habit and I would work on my blog all the time. Even if it meant reading up on something for 20-30 minutes daily. I do whatever it takes to learn and grow in the world of blogging.
I may be slow at times, but I get it done.
31 // Use the Pomodoro Technique!
Po👏🏾mo👏🏾do👏🏾ro👏🏾!
This technique has saved me hundreds of times. When I was taking classes for pre-med and I could not find the will to even live, Pomodoro came to save the day.
Research shows that working for long hours does not make us productive and this is a great way to break up those long hours of monotony.
If you’re unaware of the technique, it’s basically 2 hours split into 25-minute chunks with 5-minute breaks in between for a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes. After the last 25 minutes is up, you then get 30 minutes to relax, decompress, and you can start over again.
This is perfect for those days when you’ve got homework coming out of your eyeballs and don’t know where to start.
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32 // Tell a friend what you need to do.
For some reason, this works on me every single time and I don’t know why.
So, I knew I had to bring it up to you.
I have many mornings where I’m awake but don’t want to climb out of bed to prepare for my day that I’ll sit around and text a close friend of mine. Without fail, if I say, “I need to get up and pee, but I don’t want to.” I do it!
I don’t know why! I think it’s because I don’t want to disappoint my friend by not getting out of bed, but it works! And I don’t even notice it until I’m doing the thing I was complaining about in the first place! Amazing.
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)
33 // Set up a good night routine.
And not your regular night routine, but one that takes into account how you actually want to feel at night before you sleep.
Set aside the time to unwind properly. When you are going to bed with little stress, you wake up refreshed and ready to go for your day.
The best advice I can give you for a night routine worth its weight in gold is to put your phone down 15 minutes before you sleep. Your mind needs the opportunity to decompress from the overstimulation it’s been given throughout the day, plus, you’ll be able to fall asleep a lot faster if you have trouble sleeping.
34 // Clean.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, this is a very long list. So long in fact that it will take me a few days to complete. However, it has taken me roughly two hours to get from point 12 to this one (I’m honestly impressed considering I can be so unfocused).
The reason behind it? I decided to tidy up my apartment. This is basically a combination of points 3 and 20 (in a nutshell – just starting and letting the momentum roll), and it worked like a charm.
35 // Find places where you can focus.
When I find myself completely out of sorts, I head to my local coffee shop, the library, or to Panera Bread. These are the three places where I know my mind goes into automatic focused mode and I get a lot done.
As of right now, after tidying up, I set my apartment up in a very cozy vibes sort of way (Christmas lights, YouTube video of a roaring fire, and candles – yes, I’m romancing myself). It spurred me into a working frenzy and I’ve gotten so much done.
36 // Spite.
Pure spite.
I have a friend from college who does Jiu-Jitsu out of spite. She gets better – out of spite – all because someone told her women couldn’t do Jiu-Jitsu as well as men. Now she’s a black belt and bustin’ balls on the mat. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The moral of the story is that your anger and frustration have energy and you can use that energy to achieve your goals.
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37 // Create a mantra.
There’s a lot out there that you can take for your own.
- “Good things take time.”
- “Success is not an activity, but a process.” – De Philosopher DJ Kyos
- Nature has given us all the pieces required to achieve exceptional wellness and health, but has left it to us to put these pieces together.” – Diane McLaren
Or, you could make one up for yourself – whatever floats your boat.
38 // Get angry.
A little different from spite as spite is meant more about getting back at someone.
Rather, when you’re stuck in a perpetual rut it can be a great idea to just get angry about your situation and to do something about it. Being angry can be a really great motivator to get the ball rolling.
39 // Turn your task/goal into a challenge.
If your task would take three hours you can try to cut that time in half.
You can turn it into a game, too, if that makes more sense for you to do. My boyfriend would probably try to turn it into a Dungeons & Dragons scenario to keep him motivated.
40 // Keep track of your accomplishments, look at them often, and remind yourself what you’re fighting for.
Not the same as tracking your time, but rather doing exactly what it says. Track your accomplishments.
For example, when you’re working out, there are certain milestones you try to achieve. By keeping a ledger of what milestones you do achieve you can then see your accomplishments in plain view and therefore work towards your next one!
41 // You may have multiple mountains in front of you – focus on one mountain at a time before trying to climb the next one.
It can be disheartening to see all of the things you need to finish. Rather than see all of them at once, compartmentalize them as much as can you, and work on one at a time before moving on.
You may not be able to do this all the time, but combine this with the Pomodoro technique and you can create magic in your everyday life.
42 // Done is better than perfect.
Perfectionism can be crippling when it comes to starting something and I completely understand that feeling. But, done truly is better than perfect any day of the week. You can perfect something later if necessary.
43 // Give yourself permission in the middle of your task to take a break.
You need breaks when you’re working hard on anything.
It’s important for your mind to decompress and relax. Overworking yourself creates undue stress which affects your health which can set you back in so many ways. So take it easy – it’s okay to do so.
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44 // Think about the end result.
By visualizing the end result of my task, goals, or dreams, I feel the urge to do what needs to get done. It’s a great motivator to think about what you are working towards.
For example, I have a dream of going to medical school. Therefore, I need to do well in all of my science courses, do well on my MCAT, school interviews and collect hours of shadowing to be accepted into a medical program. There’s a lot of steps but taking it one step at a time will get me to the finish line.
45 // Don’t give up.
It can be really hard to get started, I understand, which is why you’re trying to find ways to motivate yourself. However, no matter how long it takes you to get motivated never give up.
Every day you keep trying is another day to give yourself the opportunity to do great things.
You Can Do This
Keep pushing yourself to greatness, you’ve absolutely got this.
Successful people have moments when they can’t concentrate either, but they have pushed through and achieved greatness.
I hope you have the motivation to do better in life whatever that may be for you. You’re gonna do great, sis.
Keep going!
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