Staying motivated in challenging times

As the season changes from autumn to winter, days grow darker, nights draw in - and winter blues can appear. Especially with the world as it is at the moment.

This can heavily impact our motivation, as we strive to move forward, perhaps seeking a new career direction, or some personal development, improving our health, resolving friendship issues, or just getting going every day. 

Finding ways to bring brightness and light into our lives can make a big difference and give us the confidence and motivation we need. You may already have strategies for doing this - for some, it is music, for others exercise, travel, creativity...

Here are three more tips that you may not be aware of that can really have an impact and help us make a shift.

1. Find new ideas

There's a saying that if you keep doing the same thing, you get the same results. So if what you're doing isn't motivating you, it will keep demotivating you until you make a change. This applies in any situation - from revision to office routine, to how you behave in a relationship, how you approach your fitness or your career path. 

If you're struggling with ideas for how to get out of your rut, try taking a different approach.

Ask yourself: what could I do that would be completely unlike me? This will give you a new perspective, opening your mind and bringing in new energy. It might involve looking at how others are approaching things or things you've seen and done in the past. You don't have to act on the idea, but it will get your brain looking for new ways. You'll be surprised at the inspiration the universe throws up!

And new ideas mean new energy and motivation. They mean curiosity and interest, accompanied by warm positive feelings to help you go and explore and be creative, perhaps finding something that you do want to try.

2. Reconnect with your authentic self

Sometimes we are so set in our ways that we don't realise that we have gone off course. Taking a moment to reset can do wonders. Remind yourself of your values - what's important to you in your life? Our values drive us, and when we operate in line with them, we are happy, make good decisions and can motivate ourselves. When we neglect a value, we feel off, and our motivation goes down. A classic example is when we work too hard and neglect exercise. But there are much more subtle drivers that can be at work.

Try writing down what your values are: from honesty to adventure to success to creativity. And if you're not sure, think about your best friends and colleagues, because they will have the same values as you.

Then apply those values to your problem areas: if you are struggling to get going when working at home and have remembered that teamwork is really motivating for you, then how can you get that into your life? Go to the library or back into the office for a bit? If music is really important to you, how can you introduce that into your working day? Set your boring revision to a tune! Play music in the background! If you love being outside and are uncomfortable in an institutional environment, why are you working in an office??!

Reconnect with yourself and notice the options it makes possible. Again, you don't have to follow them straight away, but the idea that they could happen will invigorate you.

3. Just do one thing!

And to make sure you get going each day, try this surefire practical motivator. It's a trick that takes the nightly "to-do" list one step further: when you write down things you want to achieve the following day, choose one of them, and decide it will be the first thing you do. It might be before your shower, your dog walk, your breakfast or simply what you will start with when you sit at your desk. Just commit to doing it - and make it achievable and realistic. You'll find this particularly powerful for those jobs that are not your favourites!

And when you've done the task, notice how good it feels, and how it sets you up to do more things in the day.

Use these three strategies to help you focus on light and positive energy while the season changes. You can move forward whatever the weather!