How to Make Yourself Work When You Don’t Feel Like it

If you wake up every day and are completely focused, energized, and motivated, PLEASE tell the rest of us your secret 🙂

For the rest of us, there are many days or weeks or months where motivation escapes. If you find yourself there some days, then this article is for you.  Below I share three tips and hacks to get yourself doing the work.  And doing the work is what is going to make you successful.

3 Tips to Make Yourself Work

Here’s the bottom line:  You just do it. That’s right, there’s not a lot of magic. But, you can hack your mind a bit to make it happen.  Here are 3 tips that will help you get over the hump to make yourself work, even if you don’t want to.

1. Commit to a Morning Routine

Quite simply: start the day off right. Find a ritual or routine that works for you, whether you are a morning person or not. The author/playwright Somerset Maugham had this to say about being inspired to write:

“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.”

Admiral William H McRaven, a real hero and Navy Seal implores you to start your day off by simply making your bed.  Why?  Here’s what he has to say:

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. If, by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that’s made. That you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”

The morning routine can the BIGGEST ally for you to get going and work. It is for me, and you can find my routine here.

I doubt there is one single routine that resonates with everyone, so find yours.

2. Pick 1 Thing to Focus On

Pick that single most important thing for the day. If you get NOTHING else done, make sure you know the #1 priority for the day, and make SOME PROGRESS on it.  Even if its small progress.

Having a #1 priority for the day does 2 things for your mind:

1. Creates a focus point. Lack of motivation can result having “too much to do”.  Cut it down to the single most important thing for today.  This helps your mind get motivated to do it.
2. Provides a means to reward yourself.  Making progress feels good. Motivation can build from the simple act of making progress on that single important thing.

3. Create a Small List or Time Period to Complete – Then Reward

Rewarding yourself may seem pedantic, but it’s proven to work. Create a small task list, or if its creative work, a time period may be more appropriate.  Just make yourself finish that list or time, and then give yourself a little reward.  Eat lunch, or a snack, or take a walk, or get your workout in. You’re hacking your brain by giving it incentive.

Conclusion

This article provided a few hacks that you can apply to make yourself work:

1. Commit to a morning routine
2. Pick 1 thing to focus on
3. Create a small list or time period to complete, and then reward yourself

Motivation is a fleeting feeling, and success comes from doing the work everyday.  You will need to make yourself work to reach the goals you have set.  The bottom line is you have to do it anyway, regardless of your motivation level.

A snippet from Admiral McRaven’s address to the University of Texas graduating class where he talks about making your bed can be found below.