10 tips to staying motivated during winter

Like many, I am affected by the changes in season, particularly, at this time of year. Even though I love autumn and winter, I know that as these dark mornings and evenings draw in, I have to try much harder to stay on track and keep motivated.

We all know it’s much harder to bounce out of bed on a chilly dark morning than on a warm sunny one! And whether you work for yourself, like me, have a team to motivate or customers to serve, you probably already know that getting out of bed with a positive mindset is key to having a productive day. 

So, why are so many of us affected by the change that comes around every year?

Well, during these months, we see less of the sun, and it has been proven that this lack of natural light throws us out of sync, partly due to the fact that the sun brings us our biggest quota of vitamin D. In fact, the Harvard School of Health found significant evidence that a major factor for people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is due to lower levels of vitamin D.

Of course, there are other factors that can cause us to experience the 'winter blues', such as poor diet, lack of exercise, stress over time, money or family obligations, stress over meeting important deadlines before the end of the year, etc. But the good news is that many of these things can be influenced by us, our mindset and our actions. So how do you know if you are suffering from the winter blues?

What can we do to stay motivated during winter?

1. Expose yourself to sunlight. An extra 15-30 minutes a day will work wonders on helping to boost your vitamin D level in turn improving your mood.
2. Get more exercise. You don’t have to hit the gym for this, you could simply take a walk during your lunch hour or before work.
3. Implement a morning routine. This can give you time to warm up for the day, which can help you to feel motivated and generally more productive.
4. Be aware of your diet. With the party season looming, it’s easy to get sucked into all late nights, drinking too much and neglecting your diet.
5. Speaking of drinks, limit your caffeine intake. Stick to one cup in the morning.
6. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Give your body time to re-energise.
7. Allow time for you to be by yourself, doing something you enjoy.
8. Plan ahead. Being organised can help to reduce stress and keep you on track.
9. Reduce stress. This has a huge impact on motivation and mood. Once you have worked out the root cause of the stress, you can work on diminishing it.
10. Set yourself achievable goals and reward yourself each time you get there.

Please, don't let these shorter, darker days hold you back. It might take some time, but soon you'll see how much more motivated you feel. Good luck!