Monthly Tip
February 2022
Monthly Tip
Motivation in the Age of COVID-19
TO Blog
Carving Out Time
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Motivation in the Age of COVID-19

We all struggle with motivation sometimes. With many schools and workplaces moving back and forth from in-person to virtual, it can feel like we have lost progress in getting back to “normal.” The next few months will be cold, and the days will still be short, but we need to use this time wisely to complete our work and keep moving forward. However, what if we find ourselves playing videogames or sitting on the couch avoiding our work instead? When we perceive a task as too challenging or tedious, we tend to lose motivation and seek every opportunity to avoid it. In the age of COVID-19, where our schedules are still a bit erratic and life is anything but “normal,” it can be hard to maintain motivation to complete tasks that we just do not view as important. Here are some ideas to help you regain that momentum and productivity to make it to spring break and beyond.
Find an Intrinsic Source of Motivation
Figure out why you want to accomplish a goal or complete an activity. Why is it important to write that long report or understand a difficult math concept? If the answer is all about other people and their expectations of you, you may find that this is not enough to pull you forward. Instead, think about what completing the task could mean for you. Here are some general intrinsic motivators:

  • Gain autonomy. Sometimes we need to complete tasks to gain or maintain autonomy. Being able to rely on yourself, control your own life, and work independently can feel fantastic. If you see that you can indeed write that long report or ace that algebra test, you start to feel more confident in yourself and in your abilities, which can make completing the next task on your to-do list easier. 
  • Increase self-efficacy. Mastering a skill or concept can be difficult, but feeling competent and capable can increase your self-efficacy and bring you a sense of pride. Putting in hours of hard work is not easy, but you learn something new at each step. With every milestone that you reach, your confidence soars.
  • See the bigger picture. Try connecting the task that you need to accomplish to a bigger purpose. What good can your task bring to the world or those around you? What skill can you improve on by completing a less-favorable task that can be used later to accomplish something more meaningful? By looking at the bigger picture, you can see how a seemingly superfluous task can actually help you to reach other goals. 
  • Reduce mental energy. Focus on how wonderful it can be to cross an item off your to-do list or how relieved you feel when some large project can no longer take up your mental energy. Not having to direct so much mental energy towards a task can feel incredibly rewarding!  
  • Reflect. Reflect on times in your life when you were able to accomplish something difficult and try to relive those positive feelings. While the situation may have been different, those positive emotions that you experienced can work as a strong motivator to complete your current task.
Find Ways to Make Unappealing Tasks Fun
Not every task we need to complete is enjoyable or easy to link to a greater cause, but with enough creativity, most tasks can become palatable. Here are a few ideas on how some tasks can be altered. 

  • Work with others. Do your work with a friend or get an accountability partner. Simply sitting with another person or checking in with them can help you to accomplish a task. 
  • Gamify the task. Turn a task into a game or competition. Breaking a task into smaller pieces and rewarding yourself when you reach milestones is a fun way to complete objectives. Sites like Habitica are designed to help gamify your life and obligations so that you can accomplish them more easily. 
  • Celebrate small victories. Whether you eat a piece of chocolate, watch a short YouTube video, or just pat yourself on the back, it is important to acknowledge when you have made progress! That positive reinforcement can help you to cross the finish line as you continue to work on your task. 
  • Use the Pomodoro method. Give yourself a 5-minute movement break after working for 25 minutes (we will NEVER stop recommending Pomodoros!). Physically removing yourself from the task for a short period of time can help you to recharge and not feel as though it is taking all of your energy to complete it. 
  • Track progress. Track your progress to see how much you have accomplished. A whiteboard, a notebook, a spreadsheet – these visual tools offer clear markers of your hard work, which can inspire you to keep moving forward.
Build Awareness
Motivation is complicated. It is rarely consistent and is very individual. Sometimes, it can be helpful to ask yourself questions to better understand why you do what you do. 

  • Why are you procrastinating? 
  • When do you struggle with a task? 
  •  What assignments or projects are most difficult and why? 
  • How does your avoidance manifest?
  •  Why are you not interested in the task? 

By building awareness of when and why you are avoiding a task, you can put into action the strategies described earlier. However, it is important to remember that motivation is very complex and not everyone will benefit from simple tactics. If you are feeling depressed or anxious, you may want to consider talking to a mental health professional.
Final Thoughts
At Thinking Organized, we recognize that motivation can be difficult to hold on to. We help students and adults find and build motivation to accomplish their dreams. Need to set goals? Start here. Need to find ways to initiate a task? Start here.

For more information on motivation, you can check out Psychology Today’s page on the topic. We also recommend Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success for learning how to motivate and praise your children.
TO BLOG
Carve Out Time

It’s hard to remember a time when my to-do list was empty. As a working mom, it can be hard to balance what I need to accomplish to be a successful professional, with what I need to take care of in my daily life. This certainly was the case for me in the fall of 2020, when I returned from maternity leave and found myself working full-time from home. The boundaries between work and home life felt blurry, and taking time for myself felt like a luxury. New mom or not, COVID or not, student or not, most people can relate to feeling like a 24-hour day just isn’t enough. Although everyone’s life circumstances are different, I’ve found that carving out time for all parts of my life is essential to keep me feeling healthy, sane, and more productive. 

One way I manage my time is by creating a to-do list that’s synced with my digital calendar. Although many people choose to use separate calendars/lists for work and personal tasks, I’ve found that integrating them allows me to better visualize my day, ultimately making me more productive.