What To Do When Your Motivation Disappears

I don’t know whether it’s the time of year, the fact that when the sun shines and I want to be outside, or whether I keep comparing myself to others, but I think that my motivation has definitely disappeared as of late. I tend to think of myself as someone who is quite motivated and can plod along even when I don’t feel like it, but lately I just feel a bit “meh” about stuff. And, when that happens, the list of things I need to get done, or want to get done, just tends to get left in a corner without being touched.

 

I have made a couple of quite important decisions recently regarding the future of The Frugal Cottage and where I want to take it, but the amount of work seems slightly overwhelming and there are so many parts to the journey that i have no idea about and will need to teach myself along the way which seems quite scary. I’m also worried that I will fail.

 

But, if I don’t even try, I won’t ever be able to succeed.

 

I also tend to find myself being very over critical at the moment, thinking that perhaps my blog isn’t good enough, it needs to be better, I don’t have as many followers as other bloggers, etc., and then the doubts set in. Comparing yourself to others is never going to be productive, in all honest. Yes, compare yourself so that you can learn but don’t if it means you feel like you’re not good enough.

 

That being said, as my motivation has disappeared at the moment, I have been thinking about what I can do to get it back!

 

The first thing I have been thinking about lately is why I started all of this in the first place. What made me want to start a blog, why did I choose to specifically focus on personal finance and how did I decide on my overall aims and our early retirement target. By keeping in mind why you are doing something, even when motivation is lacking and you begin to doubt whether you should continue, going back to the start is always a good plan.

 

I have also taken a step back, briefly. I kept coming onto the blog, then sitting staring at a blank page and could not think of anything to write. My mind was just blank. I would try and force something, but then I would read it back and it wasn’t me; it didn’t sound like me talking, nor was it a particularly good blog post. All of those were deleted. Instead, I have been taking more time for me, rather than forcing anything. I spoke briefly on another post recently about trying to get back into reading, and I have been making sure I am going to bed at a reasonable time and then having time to read before bed, which I am really enjoying again. I finished The Missing on Sunday and am now reading The Plumberry School of Comfort Food and both of which I would definitely recommend. I feel like if I’m taking care of myself, then my motivation will be there too. 

 

Prioritising (UK spelling ;)) tasks into what needs to be done and what can wait which is helping me to get stuck back into it all. I have written some things down that are smaller tasks, but which will get me more motivated once they’re completed and ticked off. I find that once I have completed one or two things that need to be done, then I feel like I can actually attempt one of the biggest tasks. For example, if I manage to get the shredding pile shredded, then I feel so accomplished and want to start something else! That normally means tidying the kitchen, as I feel it’s always such a faff-y task. By completing one thing, I’m reading for another.

 

Reading other blogs and watching various youtube videos by other bloggers and people in my niche is also helping to motivate me, as I find them quite inspiring. If you search ‘motivational speech’ into youtube, there are so many options to watch and make you feel motivated again. There are so many wonderful and inspiring bloggers out there, that sometimes just reading a certain post or listening to something can change my mindset and make me feel much more positive.

 

Sometimes, when I feel like I’m getting a bit lost in it all, I try and look at how far I have come since the beginning. When you are on a long journey, especially when there are definite highs and lows, it can be difficult to see that you have made progress, even when you have. Although progress is slower that I’d like at times, it is there and sometimes just taking stock in that respect helps too. For me, the Ultimate Dream Fund didn’t even exist 15 months ago, so just looking at where that is now can be a massive motivator when I’m feeling like I’m not doing enough.

 

Lastly, I have been getting outside! Getting out, getting some fresh air and exercising when the weather is good is making me feel much more content with life. I’ve had a couple of days by the seaside with the Frugal Baby and it has been lovely and made me feel much more relaxed (photos on my instagram if you want to follow me there!) and ready to get back to it. Even just going for a walk and taking a breather for half an hour can do wonders for your mental health.

 

What do you do when your motivation disappears? Have you got any tips for getting it back?

 

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