Has anyone managed to significantly change their energy and motivation levels?

[AlexaShutUp]

If so, please tell me how you did it.

I have always struggled to motivate myself. Don't know if I'm just lazy, if I lack will power or something else entirely. I have a lot of "potential" that I'm not fully using. I'm fed up of living a half life, though, and I want more.

How can I get my arse into gear?

Anybody?

I have by loosing weight. I became very focused on achieving this during the last lockdown and the difference it has made to be is unreal. So much more energy. I think I woke up one day as was sick of feeling sluggish and uncomfortable so committed

I find that having a break from social media/mumsnet/my phone, certainly results in me being more productive with my time.

Yes, by having a stern word with myself. Nothing to do with boring old weight loss, more like forcing myself to engage with hideously difficult work. I tell myself not to be pathetic, that I’ve done difficult stuff before and I can do it again, etc etc. Then I look forward to feeling smug when it’s finished even though the process of doing it is brain melting.

If I ever think, why do I end up with all the really difficult stuff, I tell myself that it must be because I’m so brilliant. (Even though I’m probably not, but it works as a motivator).

What is it that you want to do, but can’t motivate yourself to do?

I can shift it downwards

I need external movtivation and deadlines.
I don't believe arbitary self-imposed targets that have no real purpose.

I need a race to train for or my running is haphazard.
I need my inlaws to come over to purge the house. 2020 has been a disaster

Thank you Wowcherarestalkingme. Did you lose a lot of weight? It's good to hear that you feel better for it. How did you go about losing?

I lost over 2.5 stone in lockdown, but still have some excess weight to shed. Tbh, I'm disappointed and a bit discouraged that I haven't really felt much of a difference. Maybe I need to get my weight down further before I feel the benefits. I know exercise is important too - I do lots of walking but struggle to motivate myself to do anything more demanding than that.

I know that I'm never going to feel like doing stuff, I just have to push on and do it anyway, but I find it so hard to get going.

I find that having a break from social media/mumsnet/my phone, certainly results in me being more productive with my time.

That's interesting. I think I'm a bit addicted to my phone. Maybe I need a strategy for dealing with this.

Iamawombat, I definitely need a stern talking to! I think I'm very soft on myself for some reason. Need to toughen up!

In terms of what I want to motivate myself to do, I don't know...so many things! More exercise, projects in the house, more career related stuff, even making more of an effort to organise stuff with friends (post lockdown) etc. I just live in a constant state of inertia, and I'm fed up of it!

BogRollBOGOF you sound like me! I definitely need external deadlines and motivation, but I don't want to be like that. I want to be able to do things by myself, for myself, because I think they're a good thing to do. I just don't know why I find that so difficult.

One thing at a time. Pick the most manageable thing to make a start on. Maybe make the house projects your new year thing? The only items on your list that you can realistically attack at the moment (because you can’t do much social stuff ATM) is the exercise and the career.

Could you try a run this weekend? Give yourself permission to run/walk and to only do half an hour or whatever. Just do it, get your trainers on, force yourself out of the door, then you will feel great afterwards.

Do you mean changing career, taking more on in your current role or clearing your to do list?

Switch your phone off right now, leave it at home and go out for a half hour walk.

iamawombat, thank you, it's a good idea to try and break stuff down. I could go for a run this weekend and will try to motivate myself to do that. It's taking the first step that is the hardest part, but I will try and psych myself up for it.

I'm job hunting at the moment, after being made redundant earlier this year. I'm working in a temporary role for the time being but need to find something else soon. I'm finding it hard to knuckle down and get the applications done, though - I'm weary of the whole process. I just don't feel like I want to work at all at the moment, but that isn't really an option.

I'm ashamed to say that I'm also not giving 100% in my current role. My employer doesn't realise and is actually very happy with what I'm doing - they even asked me to stay on, though I declined (not the right role for me right now). However, I know I could do a better job if I put my heart and soul into it, so why don't I? It isn't that I don't care, more like some weird psychological block that gets in the way of me actually applying myself.

Switch your phone off right now, leave it at home and go out for a half hour walk.

Have promised to go for a walk with dd later, but I will take your advice about switching off my phone now and try to do something productive instead. Thank you all for your advice, I will be back later.

Sorry to hear about your job. Could you give yourself a break between now and Christmas and aim to get back on it in January? I don’t know about your industry but hiring in mine slows right down from late November.

If that’s realistic, you can absolve yourself of the guilt of not applying for more roles for six weeks. It’s that that will be dragging you down. Then after Christmas plan your strategy for January when roles start to be advertised?

If you don’t plan on staying in your current role, and your employer is happy with your work, give yourself permission to coast for a bit. Not sure how old you are but if you’ve been grafting away for 15+ years, maybe a bit of time where you’re ticking over is a good thing, just for a while until you find your next ‘proper’ job?

@AlexaShutUp I’ve lost five stone. I don’t feel anywhere near as sluggish in the morning. I don’t think it’s just the losing weight that has done that though. My food was awful before, full of fat, sugar, all beige and constantly over eating. Used to make me constantly tired and lethargic. Now my diet is better I have more energy so I think that has had more impact than the weight loss itself. I did it through slimming world