How motivated are you to get up every day and keep doing what you are doing? I’ve heard from a number of people that their motivation is slipping. I can relate. When the pandemic began, I had lots of projects and work to catch up. But now, as the days have fallen more dully into a routine, motivation is waning. So, I looked at the science to give me some answers. How do we stay motivated?

Motivation has to do with making change versus staying the same. It’s that push to get to the goal. It requires visualizing the end with the steps to achieve it. In that process, the pros for making change must outweigh the cons.

One thing that helps begin the process is to schedule a time to do what you need to do. A schedule makes it more likely that you will follow through. If you wait for inspiration to suddenly strike, well, you might be waiting quite awhile. Add to your schedule a few rituals. For example, wake up at the same time, go for an early run, get dressed and begin your work. When you have a routine, you tend to stick to it better. Routine takes away decision making and helps you get moving. You just do it. Perhaps the lack of routine is why so many of us are struggling right now.

When you start your routine, make it easy. Put on your shoes. Get your coffee. Move to the study table…you get the idea. Next, follow that routine every day. Now, consider the Goldilocks Rule. Remember, in the story of Goldilocks, the porridge was not too hot or too cold, but just right. The same idea applies to challenging yourself. If the challenges are reasonable but not boring, you will stay motivated longer. A series of small but doable challenges, leads you to work in the “flow.” Flow is a mental state in which you become so focused on the task that everything else takes a back seat. It’s what athletes call peak motivation. When challenges are not too hard or too boring, but push you forward and you find yourself cruising along.

To keep that flow going, remind yourself that the discomfort you temporarily feel will eventually disappear. Just keep chopping away at the thing. This is called chunking, meaning you do parts of it in chunks not all at once. Reinforce each”chunk” that leads to the end goal. To sustain this, check in with those internal motivations so important to you – why this will better your day, your family, your work or life. Focus on the fact that when you come to the end of the task, you will feel accomplished and very good that you persevered. This type of mental focus brings discipline to overcome obstacles and stay with a task. Think like Churchill, never, never, never give up! Now, get going!