How to Motivate Yourself When You are Really Not in the Mood

There are days when you wake up motivated and ready to take on the world. And there are days when you just don’t feel like doing anything.

We all lack motivation sometimes. Not because we are necessarily lazy. It’s just that sometimes you are tired and feel like you deserve a day off, especially after working hard the previous day.

I have been having these days more often lately. Days when I want to crawl into my bed after a long tiring day at work, order pizza and binge on Netflix. I have watched more movies and TV shows than write blog posts in the last couple of weeks. And wake up next morning feeling guilty and mad at myself for wasting a productive evening/day.

The guilt conscious is so high at times that I get demotivated and fall into the rut of unproductive days.

But how do you find the motivation to come out of such a mindset? How do you improve your productivity, complete all the tasks that you are supposed to be completed, and keep constantly growing?

Over time, I have managed to understand what triggers my productivity up.  What prepares my body and mind into working? It’s crucial to know what helps you keep motivated about working and make sure you give yourself more of that every day.

Here’s what works for me to motivate myself when I am really not in the mood to work-

How To Motivate Yourself

1. Exercise

Working out doesn’t just affect your body. I find exercising every evening gives me the energy to work on my personal things after work. It releases stress and tensions and makes me feel more focused all over again.

I do chores, cook, get my next day’s Instagram post ready and work on my future blog posts every evening. I notice my productivity doubles when I workout.

For someone who sits all day at work, any kind of physical activity helps from getting lazy and relieves tiredness.

Being active also helps me control my anxiety and helps me sleep better at night.

You won’t always love the workout, you will always love the result

2. Declutter your workspace

Whenever I don’t have a mood to work or when I am in a rut, the first thing I do is clean my desk and light a candle.

Uncluttered workspace helps me to think more clearly, the soft aroma from Chesapeake Bay Candle rejuvenates my mood and I feel more focused to tackle my tasks.

I always prefer mild base notes of woody accents, sandalwood and warm amber for a mysterious, tantalizing aroma that expands my horizon, transport me back to long days spent on a mountainside hike, walking through the woods, or lounging on a sandy shore while sitting in a closed wall room. I have listed my favorite Candles from Chesapeake Bay Candle Heritage Collection at the end of the post.

Starve your distractions, feed your focus

3. Writing down the tasks you want to achieve every day

With multiple things demanding your attention, it’s easy to get lose track of tasks.

Writing key things you want to achieve every day will help you better plan your day and prioritize your tasks.

I personally love busy and organized days. Accomplishing tasks one after the other boosts my confidence and inspires me to work further.

Before I was introduced to Bullet Journal by my bestie Akhila, my to-do lists were everywhere- from sticky notes to notebook planners, to iPhone notes, to apps like wanderlust.

Now I have everything (my exercise tracker, everyday task list, blog post planner, etc.) all in one place, totally customized in the format I want. My love for stationary and pens has increased fourfold after starting bullet journal.

The first pic is my daily task spread, I write all the tasks I want to accomplish in a day. I fill the boxes once I complete them. At the bottom, I have a tracker to track my Food (F), Water (W) and Exercise (E) routine.

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going

4. Manage your time accurately

When you are swamped with work or when you want to accomplish more than you can. Time management is very crucial.

Assign a time limit for each task, and use a timer to help you stick to it.

I follow this whenever I am on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook or browsing any shopping site. It’s very easy (esp. for me) to completely lose track of time when you are on the internet.

You can use this technique for every task by following the original Pomodoro Technique -by setting the timer for 25 minutes for every (or batch) task and when the timer is off, take a five-minute break then repeat the process. Once you complete 4 tasks with Pomodoro technique, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.

Either you run the day, or the day runs you

5. Learn new things and keep yourself updated

Learning new things in the field of your passion will help you grow while constantly advancing will inspire you to work even harder.

Being informed also gives you an assurance that you are on the right track and helps you plan your next steps towards your goal.

Ex- Staying up to date on the latest fashion trends, designers, and fashion houses, and the technology taking over the industry, helps me to stay on top of my game and motivates me to constantly reinvent my style. Similarly, learning about numerous essential oils helps me concur better DIY’s.

Whether if it’s your job, or a hobby that you want to excel in, allocate some time for learning- best way to do is read books, articles, blog posts that resonate with your goals or make the most of your time by listening to podcasts while working/commuting/cooking/exercising.

To earn more, you must learn more

6. Accept Compliments and learn to reward yourself

How many times have you responded saying “not really” or “you are just being kind” or “It’s no big deal” when someone complimented you or your work? (Raising both my hands).

Some of us (esp women) are really bad at accepting their awesomeness no matter how high or low our self-esteem is.

When a kid is complimented for trying something new, they try even harder next time. Similarly, compliments motivate us to push our boundaries and to try even harder.

In a world full of comparison and negativity, receiving compliments is our advantage. Don’t brush off those treasured moments but use them as a catalyst when you are demotivated and want to give up.

You’re capable of amazing things

Also, believe in your ability to do anything and encourage yourself by celebrating every milestone you reach towards your goal

7. Dress up

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up

That’s my motto in life. Dressing up changes a lot of things for me- my confidence, body language and it’s a way I leave my first impression on others.

The days when I don’t feel going to work, I dress up extra nice or wear something new to lift up my mood.

The thing coffee does to people, fashion does to me 🙂

Some days I try “no mirror dressing”- where I try to style a new combo without looking at the mirror. You should try it. It’s funny how much mirrors take away our imagination.

I hope you find this post useful since I get asked a lot on social media on how I stay motivated. These are all the steps I take to ensure I get maximum out of my day.

Candles Showcased in the post from the Chesapeake Bay Candle Heritage Collection

1. Driftwood and Amber– This is my favorite scent. The aroma of coconut oil with driftwood, amber, silky gardenia, and cashmere-infused vanilla smells heavenly.
2. Wild Lemongrass– I am sure, this would smell like a fresh morning after a lemongrass scrub bath. The smell of aromatic Lavender, cool garden mint with the essence of wild lemongrass complemented with thyme and coriander.
3. Cypress and Oak– The refreshing fragrance transports me to a morning walk in the woods. Invigorating spearmint and eucalyptus blend with woody balsam, oak, and lavender.
4. Leather Mahogany– The elegant complex of zesty citrus and raspberry balanced with a spicy floral heart of Jasmine, lily, clove and complemented by rich notes of black amber, leather, and sandalwood.
5. Aqua Marine– I loved the waterfall scent candle from their Fall collection. This one has a similar composition of lemon zest, lily, and seagrass which smells like a morning breeze.
6. White Gardenia– If you like floral scents, this one is for you. I usually don’t prefer scents with high notes of Jasmine but this one is most soothing and best smelling floral candle I have ever tried. It smells like a flower garden- filled with jasmine, orange flower, and gardenia.
7. Sea Salt Coconut– Another favorite of mine. I love coconut smell and the combination of coconut with marine sea salt is like a breath of fresh air.

Don’t decrease the Goal. Increase the effort!

This how to motivate yourself post is done in collaboration with Chesapeake Bay Candle. All choices, opinions, and thoughts are my very own. 
Thank you for stopping by and reading my post, it means the world to me!
Love, 
Surekha