It’s every human’s dream – to be firing on all cylinders day in day out as we pursue our goals. However when we try to accomplish this we are inevitably reminded that we are not machines and there comes a point where continuing at the same level of intensity is simply not realistic. There are many factors that can cause us to stop striving, there is the obvious burn out, but more often what we find is that somewhere along the road our motivation wanes and we can’t find the impetus to strive at the level we were once at.
So the question must be asked, what do we do when motivation wanes? When we know we need to study. When we know that the assignment must be completed, but in the present we can’t muster up the courage to even start.
The first thing to do is to be kind to yourself. It’s not your fault, it’s simply the human condition and it happens to everyone. It is at this time that you need to treat yourself as you would one of your good friends. This friend would be in need of encouragement. If you have a friend who is struggling with motivation, the last thing you would say to them is that they are lazy. You would try your very best to find words that will encourage them to action.
To get back into our study groove, what is often needed is momentum. Newton’s first law of motion states that a body in motion will basically continue in motion unless acted upon by an external force. Lack of motivation is like that external force, it causes our study groove to cease. In order to get our groove back, we have to build momentum again and start moving. We start moving by taking the smallest possible action that our level of motivation can muster.
When you lack motivation the task of studying or completing an assignment seems overwhelming. The task seems like a mountain that is impossible to climb. With kind self-talk, what you need to do is encourage yourself to start with activities that require the least energy possible. For example, if you have test on the horizon that you need to study for, instead of thinking about all you have to cover, simply encourage yourself to sit at a table with your study material present. Then commit to reading the first paragraph of the content that needs to be covered. This may build momentum and cause you to study even more of the content.
Alternately sometimes we lose motivation because our study routine has become boring. It is in this situation that you may want to mix up how you review your content. If you typically study from your notes and textbook (which is what’s usually best), but lack the motivation to get yourself in the frame of mind to do so, you may want to watch a YouTube video on the topic. Or you may want to just call up a friend and ask them to walk you through the details of the content you need to recall. A study routine can become monotonous and boring and it is in these situations that adding variety to your routine may inspire you to get your focus back when you have lost it.
So we see that there are two main ways to address a lack of motivation.
1. Take baby steps and do just what your level of motivation can bring you to do and hope that momentum takes over.
2. Add variety to your routine. This change up in how you approach your study session may inspire you to continue working inspite of your prior lack of motivation
Remember we all struggle with motivation from time to time. Just be self-aware and know when it’s happening and apply the above techniques to get you back on track.
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