3 ways to locate Flow When Lacking Motivation
Sometimes we make plans and realize there is not enough energy and inspiration to get us out of the door. We find ourselves frantically searching for stored energy – probably the leftover sparks from a week ago can get us throughout the day. When this sort of feeling and thoughts start to arise, you need to note exactly when this shift starts to happen and just what regions of our way of life are being impacted by it. To drag yourself back to a situation of flow, in which you become completely absorbed in an activity which brings you joy and pleasure, you have to find out what process works best for you to reach that point.
This process must ultimately nurture your well-being so your mind can invite creative pursuits to you with less resistance. When you are overwhelmed by all the activities that you simply feel obligated to fulfill, you begin to place aside the activities that provide you with pleasure. The ultimate reward of the mindful action and embodied effort may be the creative pursuit. Whether it be playing music, painting, hiking, reading, or redecorating your house, you deserve to be creatively absorbed.
Finding the best method to reignite your feeling of motivation and rediscover flow is about learning from mistakes. Here are a few methods to start the entire process of getting a process. Let's take the initial step together.
Add a brand new Practice to Your Routine
Schedule this new practice simultaneously every day. It can be as simple as waking up simultaneously every morning, making a daily bag, journaling and meditating at noon, or stepping outside daily to have the sun on the skin. Whatever this new practice might be, it has the possibility to become a daily ritual in your life. This in turn can help you feel more centered, organized, as well as in control. As you incorporate these changes over the course of several weeks, you will find that the energy accustomed to take these tasks on starts to feel distributed evenly across each day. Research shows that the repeating specific simple actions can lead to automatic action. You are able to siphon this energy and propel yourself toward another activity in the same area that needs motivation. For instance, after meditating, actually eat a healthy meal.
Set Small Goals Individually or Having a Friend.
We've all heard of long-term and short-term goals. These terms can sometimes come off as intimidating. However, comprehending the time that it takes to understand our goals can help us manage our time and action steps. Most significantly, for this exercise, you want to think small. Not just short-term, but small in size and in overall weight. Try focusing on creating a small daily or weekly goal which will eventually are a large goal once it is practiced accordingly. Examples to begin with can include eating more vegetables and fruit, exercising once per week, or finishing the first few pages of a book you're posting.
When writing your goals, use specific language (dates, locations, colors, numbers, feelings, etc.) and be sure you understand what can be accessed within a certain period of time (be it over the following day, week, or month). Remember the goals you need and what kind of meaning they bring to you. Consider the methods for you to treat yourself to inspire consistency and concentrate while you continue forward. Be also aware of which new habits and practices you can include to your routine to aid you in reaching your purpose, because these two processes collaborate closely with each other (refer back to tip 1).
Do you still require an extra push to create these goals out? If so, plan a physical or virtual date having a friend, member of the family, therapist, peer group, or coach to help solidify these plans. Sometimes that extra support can go a long way – so don't hesitate to people for assistance, guidance, or support! Remember, one little goal at a time. These little steps can create one big leap.
Write Daily To-Do Lists.
Before you want to bed, or when you wake up in the morning, try fleshing your day in pen. According to research in the field of productivity, writing out a to-do-list can be equated to some brisk warm-up. Planning with lists can actually lessen the burden around the mind from the worry of unfinished tasks.
As you are writing your to-do-list, using less-specific language than in your short-term and long-term goals is welcomed, however your tasks should still be specific anyway. Focus on including tasks you plan to complete within on that day, in addition to recreational, mindful, or creative activities you want to spend time doing too. Include the hour and priority of each task so you can follow together with your schedule throughout the day. So when you've finished an activity, cross it so it is no more inside your frame of interest; then, a small congratulations will be in order. If something isn't reached that day, you can always write down it and schedule its completion for tomorrow's list.
Example:
10:00 am – Wake up
11:00 am – Edit papers
12:00 pm – Eat Lunch
12:45 pm – Take a break (light reading)
1:30 – 2:45 pm – Tidy up room
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Watch lectures for class
4 – 6 pm – Prepare dinner watching a movie
7 pm – Call and appearance on mom
8 pm – Prep bag for tomorrow
8:30 pm – Relaxing activities
10 pm – Try to sleep by this time
Remember not to be way too hard on yourself! Applying these new practices may not happen overnight, or you end up picking them up and putting them down as needed – you need to be reminded that each step you are taking to fulfill an action is efficacious and matters. Attempt to follow one of these simple suggestions for a long time period and record your results using a journal or make use of the helpful tool found in this scientific journal (Box 1) for reference.
We all should feel like time is flying by as we become completely absorbed in a state which brings us happiness, joy, pleasure, and creative freedom. Flow is available to all of us; we just have to find a path that aligns with who we're and who we are becoming.
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