7 Simple Things You Can Do Today To Increase Your Motivation Levels
Fuel your motivation with positive activities
We all know the feeling.
We get up in the morning and feel uninspired. Our days seem repetitive, and we lack clear-cut objectives. That’s where positive, motivation-boosting activities come into play.
No matter your talent, motivation will never be a given. Even the most productive overachievers have to motivate themselves from time to time.
We all fight the same fight.
Whether you’re building a business or trying to better yourself, you’ll have to wrestle an invisible enemy. And this enemy spreads doubt, self-criticism, and discouragement.
The fight is arduous, recurring, and relentless. What sets successful people apart is that they win the fight on most days.
So, how do we conquer our inner impediments?
Many people try to come up with magic recipes for bolstering their motivation, but I believe that motivation ensues through simple, positive actions.
By finding daily motivation boosters, you’ll stand a chance of winning the fight on most days.
On this basis, here are seven simple things you can do today to increase your motivation levels.
1. Start your day with motivation-boosting habits
Mornings are crucial to ensure productive days.
I recently completed an experiment. I followed the same morning rituals for 61 days straight and noticed clear surges in motivation.
By starting my days with a plan, I felt inspired right from the getgo.
I knew that certain productivity-furthering habits — cold showers, meditation, organization, breakfast, and reading — would kill my morning moodiness and pump up my motivation levels.
Consequently, identifying your best morning habits will help increase your motivation levels before encountering the grind of your daily life.
2. Express gratitude
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people underestimate the effects of daily gratitude.
No matter where you are today, you should be thankful.
You might not have achieved all your objectives, but you have made progress. People believe in you, and if they don’t, you’ll have the opportunity to change their minds.
And finally, be thankful to live in an age where all the wisdom of this world is just a few clicks away.
Daily gratitude operates a powerful mindset shift.
Instead of being overly critical, you start to see the bigger picture. In short, your attitude becomes more positive.
3. Do one hour of self-improvement
Aside from the right attitude, motivation is also the result of growth-furthering activities.
In this context, small daily acts of self-improvement can have a domino effect. By stacking one activity on top of another one, motivation inspires motivation.
In short, one act of self-improvement fuels your motivation for the next one.
To keep it ambitious yet realistic, I favor four simple acts of daily self-improvement
- 20 minutes of exercise,
- 20 minutes of reading,
- 10 minutes of mindfulness, and
- 10 minutes of journaling.
These four habits aren’t difficult to implement, but they will help you stay motivated on unproductive days.
4. Revisit a positive memory
When you feel disheartened, revisiting positive memories can get your back on your feet.
Take out your journal and look at past achievements.
If you feel demotivated because your business isn’t growing, revisit the memory of your first sale. Remember how far you’ve come and how amazing your first taste of success felt.
If you’re having a tough time with your significant other, remember the first butterflies you experienced with that person.
And if your physical shape isn’t on point yet, look at old pictures and consider how much you’ve changed for the better.
5. Help someone
Helping other people is a great way to boost your motivation levels.
No matter how small, the act of helping someone will give you a positive feeling. And this positive emotion can act in favor of your mental drive.
Whether it’s helping people with their luggage on the train, life-coaching friends, or tidying up your parents’ kitchen, helpful actions carry a dual advantage.
On the one hand, they contribute to someone else’s wellbeing — ensuring gratitude and positivity. And this positivity can feed your motivation levels.
In short, help someone to generate positive energy. Use this positive energy to increase your motivation levels and harness the power of other people’s gratitude.
6. Celebrate a small win
Much like helping other people, celebrating small wins is essential to increase your motivation levels.
In this regard, we can utilize little achievements to fuel bigger quests.
Let’s take the example of writer’s block.
You might not be motivated to write a 2000-word article today. Start with a 200-word paragraph.
If you’re proud of that paragraph, you’re eager to write another one. And that second paragraph screams for a third.
Before you know it, your 200-word paragraph turns into a well-written article.
Where did this newly-found motivation originate? Did it come all at once? Was it a momentary surge in productivity?
No. It came from starting small and celebrating mini-results.
These mini-results don’t do the job by themselves, but they safeguard the motivation you need for the bigger projects.
7. End your day with positive thoughts and a clear mind
Finally, ending the day right is paramount to secure a productive morning.
In this context, today’s motivation started yesterday night.
When it comes to night routines, everybody has to find their best habits. Some people prefer watching TV while others empty their mind with classic literature.
There is no supreme formula, but a combination of relaxation and preparation usually does the trick.
As such, try to prepare the next day before going to sleep.
Arrange your outfit for tomorrow. Don’t leave your room in a messy state. And be sure to check your to-do list before getting ready for bed.
Finally, once the organizational side is complete, ensure tomorrow’s motivation by relaxing your mind.
Find activities that shut down your mind at night, like listening to soothing music or reading fiction.
A proper night routine increases your motivation levels in two ways.
First, it improves the quality of your sleep — preventing morning moodiness.
Secondly, it helps to carry today’s motivation over to tomorrow, giving your mindset a head start when the sun rises again.
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