1. Make Your Bed Every Morning
I’m sure you have seen those random articles telling you why making your bed every morning is the best way to start your day. I’m here to say- it really is! Starting your day off with one small success encourages you to keep moving and complete more tasks.
2. Declutter Your Life
If your cup is already filled to the brim with tasks, responsibilities, long to-do lists and even tangible things that aren’t really necessary, any little unexpected event will cause your cup to overflow, and you won’t be able to handle it! My biggest tip here is to clean up your life: don’t be afraid to say no to opportunities that may seem great right now, but you don’t have the appropriate resources or energy for; make a plan to get tasks done (don’t procrastinate!!!); and consider going through your closet to donate things you don’t need or use anymore. I always feel so refreshed after decluttering my physical space, which in turn motivates me to get work done.
3. Keep an Agenda
Whether you prefer a physical, paper agenda, or you prefer your phone calendar, keeping a schedule of appointments, tasks, and important dates it critical to 1. keeping your life organized and 2. having a visual reminder to keep you on task. Spending a few minutes every day to check your agenda or calendar and organize your day-to-day tasks will help you go about your day more efficiently and remind you of important tasks to be completed.
4. Make daily goals, but don’t create a minute-by-minute schedule
While I preach all the time about keeping an agenda or schedule, unless you have time sensitive appointments or meetings, try not to create a minute-by-minute schedule. Of course if this is what works for you and makes you most motivated- go ahead! For me, I always find that I can’t quite estimate the best amount of time to complete tasks, and if I can’t stick to my schedule, then the rest of my day will be thrown off and I get discouraged. Instead, I spend some time in the morning, or the night before, thinking about the tasks I need to complete, I think about the most efficient way to complete the tasks, and then write them down in the order that I need to complete them that is reasonable and manageable.
5. Treat Yourself
This pretty much speaks for itself! If I have a long to-do list of boring tasks that need to be completed, I’m not going to feel motivated to get it done – unless I get a treat after I finish it. It sounds silly, but if it works then it works, right? Examples of “treats” I give myself are: watching the sunset on the beach, going out to eat, taking a stroll through Target, watching a movie or show, and going to the book store.
6. Create Occupational Balance
Burnout is real, and if you spend day after day working or studying without any breaks, the more quickly you are going to become unmotivated, frustrated and thus, burnout. It is incredibly important to create the optimum occupational balance in your life in order to remain motivated when it is time to get work done. An important thing to remember is to take preventative measures. If you are already starting to feel unmotivated or burnt-out, chances are you should have taken a break loooong before those symptoms started.
OT Caroline 