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10 Ways to Get Motivation and Start to Work

     Do you ever think to yourself, “If I only had the motivation, I could get so much done.” Well, today we are going to talk about 10 ways to get motivation. Some of these you may have heard before, but keep reading. There may be some new angles you haven’t thought about before!

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:16-17

prayer journal open to Current Requests

1. Pray and Receive Strength

     Do you know the most important thing you need when you are lacking in motivation? The help of Jesus! Do you know how I know this is true? Itā€™s because the help of Jesus is always the most important thing you need, no matter what!

     Remember, when God gives you something to do, He also gives you the strength for it. Every time. What we have to do is receive His help and thank Him for it.

     If you have something to do and are feeling unmotivated, instead of relying on how you feel, talk to the Lord about it. Tell Him how you feel. Then thank Him that He has provided you with the strength to do it. Even if you donā€™t feel strong enough, thank Him by faith. The strength He gives you is His ā€“ not yours. Thank Him that He is going to help you do the task He has given you to do. And, get started!

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 

Isaiah 40:28-29

Notebook, hot drink, and something sweet to eat

2. Choose a Reward

     Another thing that can be helpful when you are not motivated is to plan a reward for yourself. Choose something that you will reward yourself with when the job is done, or if itā€™s a long job, when you have made significant progress.

     Is there something that you are really wanting to do right now that is keeping you from being motivated to do what you need to do? Decide how much work you have to get done before you can spend some time doing the thing you want to do.

     Rewards can come in all forms based on what you like. Maybe it is spending a few minutes reading the book you are in the middle of, going for a walk outside, eating a snack, or baking something. It may take only a few minutes, or you may choose a longer reward sometimes. Pick what fits you and will motivate you!

Vintage record player

3. Listen to Audio

     Sometimes you can motivate yourself by building the reward into the job. If it is a job that doesn’t require concentration, you might want to listen to an audiobook, music, or a podcast. You could also take the time to just enjoy a quiet moment and talk with the Lord and meditate on His Word. Of course, there are many activities where you need to focus, but there are also quite a few jobs that do not need much focus and can be made enjoyable by giving your mind something good to think about.

Tea for two

4. Seek Accountability

     Accountability is powerful. One reason the Lord put us into families and gave us circles of friends is because we need each other. If you are struggling to do the things you need to, tell someone what you need to get done, and have them check up on you to see if you actually did it.

     You might be able to exchange accountability with someone. Help keep them accountable with their jobs as they do with yours. This is a great way to encourage each other in walking with Jesus and redeeming the time!

Minutes glass with pink sand

5. Set Deadlines

     A great way to discover motivation is to have a deadline. You know how when a deadline is approaching, you kick into panic mode and make a lot of progress? Itā€™s not good to live in panic mode, but sometimes it is helpful to set a deadline for yourself. Plus, if you set your own deadlines, you can get things done before you get down to the wire and panic.

     I like to set goals that give me deadlines. Setting monthly goals makes the end of the month your deadline. These goals can be broken down further into weekly and daily goals. When you know that time is ticking and your to-do list is going to remain unfinished if you don’t get busy, that can go a long way toward motivating you to begin.

Little girl clothes on the clothesline

6. Switch to Another Task

     Sometimes you may not actually be lacking in motivation; you just need to do something different. Maybe you need to switch to a task that takes less brain power so you can rest mentally. Or, maybe you need to find a job you can do while sitting down so that you can get off your feet.

     It could even be that youā€™ve worked on a project so long that you just need to let it rest. Instead of trying to force it to come, you may find that if you switch to something else, it will flow a lot better when you come back to it.

7. Take a Break

     Along that line, there are times when you do not need to switch to another task. What you need is to rest. You may think you are lacking in motivation, but the problem is that you are actually lacking in energy and need to rest.

     Itā€™s not laziness to rest when you need it. Itā€™s actually good stewardship ā€“ both of your time and your body. When you take the time to rest and recharge, you will probably get more done in the remainder of the time that you actually spend working. Itā€™s better to rest when you need to rather than to continue on trying to work and not making progress but still tiring yourself out.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31

Girl with backpack looking down the path

8. Get Some Fresh Air

     If your work has you cooped up inside most of the time, then what you need may be some fresh air. Try going for a walk or even just sitting outside for a few minutes.

     Fresh air and sunshine can go a long way toward recharging and motivating you. Enjoy the time that you spend outside. Soak up Godā€™s creation and think about your surroundings. Lay aside distractions and be present in the moment, rejoicing in the Lordā€™s goodness and what He has done!

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Psalm 8:3-5

Clock, coffee mug, and glasses

9. Don’t Depend on Motivation

     There may be times when you have a distasteful task to do and just canā€™t seem to get motivated. Did you know, we donā€™t have to rely on motivation? Thatā€™s right! Instead of waiting for motivation to come, you can start without it. Depend on the Lord and be willing to work for Him – even doing the less than pleasant things. Remember, Jesus was willing to do lowly things, and He is the Son of God.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Philippians 2:5-8

10. Just Get Started

     Yes, just get started! Even if you donā€™t feel like it or arenā€™t in the mood, if itā€™s what you need to do, then do it! You may be surprised. One of the best ways to get motivated is simply to start. Often, you will probably find yourself getting interested in whatever job it is if you just start. The beginning and talking yourself into doing something is often the hardest part.

     So, instead of letting your mindset and emotions hold you back, lead them in the strength of the Lord and let your mindset and emotions follow you. They may complain at first, but if you keep at it, they will probably decide that youā€™re going to do it with or without them and they might as well accept it!

Simple Takeaway

  1. Trust in the Lord, and go in His strength.
  2. Find ways to make the job more enjoyable or choose a reward for when you finish.
  3. Switch jobs or rest when you need to. Start and don’t wait for motivation.

Let’s Chat!

     What helps to motivate you? Do you think any of these ideas would work for you?

     Until next time, seek the Lord and get started on what you need to do!

In Christ,

Bethany

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3 Comments

  1. Such a perfect post for my week. šŸ„° Thank you, Bethany!!!! All these points are so great!!! I especially Love ā€œ Pray and Receive Strengthā€ and ā€œDonā€™t Depend on Motivationā€!! šŸ˜ After youā€™ve applied these two Iā€™d recommend having the mottto ā€œJUST DO IT!!!ā€ It feels so good to have the task accomplished once youā€™re done!!

    1. Aww, I’m so glad this post was great for your week, Rachel! Yes, it’s so true that we often make something complicated when we just need to seek the Lord’s strength and then DO IT!! Often, the jobs aren’t nearly as bad as you are expecting once you start, and it’s such a relief to no longer have them hanging over your head, isn’t it?

  2. […] I think we can sometimes depend too much on motivation and not enough on habits and routines. You don’t actually have to have motivation to do […]

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