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Moving Past the Motivation Slump

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 20:18:27 GMT

From stuck and overwhelmed to aligned action

Lately, I've noticed that many of my clients are battling a lack of motivation. And I understand; I've been there before too. Even if on paper or instagram , it looks like we have it all (good job, fun coworkers, great partner, fun vacations, etc), it doesn't mean that we automatically feel joyful, motivated, or like we're thriving. Often, even when everything looks right, our emotions, mindset, energy will tell us if something isn't right. Our job is to pay attention, get curious, and make changes that honor ourselves to live a more fulfilling life.

A lack of motivation can be many things, can come and go, and symptoms vary just as much. That said, many of us share a heightened sense of procrastination, fatigue, and feelings of self-sabotage. If we know we need to take action on something important, why don't we?

Potential underlying causes when experiencing a lack of motivation

Identifying the reason for your lack of motivation is important. It helps you to have compassion for what you're going through. It helps you appropriately address it too. Here are some common and completely normal underlying reasons for navigating periods of time in which motivation dwindles.

Burnout from working too much without replenishing your energies
Your body having the space to process a challenging period of time you recently overcame
Perfectionism, imposter syndrome, or a fear of failure keeping you from trying
Overwhelm from having too much on your plate without a clear place to start
Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or ADHD can impact motivation
Periods of loss and grief

Coping, recovering, and re-engaging your life with aligned action

Just like there are many reasons for experiencing a lack of motivation, there are ways to move forward with aligned action. Once we've identified the reason, my clients and I collaborate on the path forward. Here are some of the ways we've worked to regain a sense of motivation and fulfillment:

Self-compassion
Grounding exercises like breath work or body scans
Setting short timers for tasks - like the Pomodoro Method
Celebrating the wins no matter how big
Creating or changing a routine to meet you where you are right now
Making space for intentional rest and the things that energize you
Embracing a new mantra to meet thought patterns that do not serve you

A lack of motivation is not a permanent state, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It’s simply a signal that something needs attention. By approaching these periods in our life with curiosity and self-compassion, we can begin to explore the root causes and take intentional steps toward re-engaging with our lives in a more intentional and fulfilling way. Ultimately, motivation isn’t something we have to constantly feel—it’s something we can cultivate and nurture in a way that honors who we are and what we need in this moment.

New Year, Same Chronic Work Stress

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:35:22 GMT

Moving away from chronic work stress and embracing work-life wellbeing in the new year

If going back to work after the holidays has you stressed, join me in a long and deep breath.

As you exhale slowly, visualize releasing all the thoughts ravaging your mind.

Do this 3-4 times or until you are able to quiet your mind - even if just for a brief 30 seconds.

Now that you've had a quiet, centering moment, read on.

I'm sure that if I were to ask you, you would come up with many reasons to stay at your job.

personal finances
insurance
organizational mission
role-skill alignment
great coworkers
potential for promotion
unpredictable labor market
stability

And yet, the negative impact of work on your wellbeing is clear. You might be anxious, fatigued, or not sleeping well. You might have those vacation blues which feel very similar to the overwhelm and foreboding of the Sunday Scarries . You might be thinking it's time to move on and start job hunting because the grass must be greener elsewhere.

Maybe but maybe not.

Sometimes the grass can be green where we're at. It just needs to get watered.

Here are some strategies to make 2025 the year you start creating healthier work-life habits.

Boundaries

Boundaries are essential for protecting your time, energy, and wellbeing in both your personal and professional life. There are many different types of work boundaries that you can set in place to support your wellbeing. Here are a few to consider:

Work Hours: Define when your workday starts and ends, and stick to it. Respecting your own time helps prevent work from bleeding into personal time.
Digital Boundaries: Set limits on checking emails, notifications, or engaging in work-related tasks outside of your established work hours. Consider using apps to limit distractions or remove apps from your phone entirely.
Ruthless Prioritization: Know and be clear on what your priorities are. If you are asked to take on something else, ask yourself: "Does this align with my quarterly priorities? Does it negatively impact my ability to achieve my quarterly priorities?" If the answer to either of these is "no", give yourself permission to express that you don't have bandwidth for the additional ask at the moment.
Physical Boundaries: If you're working from home, create dedicated spaces for work and relaxation. It could be as simple as a quiet spot for unwinding. Having clear distinctions between work and rest spaces helps you mentally switch gears.

Mindset

Your mental chatter deeply impacts your actions and behaviors. It can make a difference between feeling anxiety or excitement. A mindset that embraces growth, self-compassion, and possibility can transform the way you approach work-life balance. To cultivate a more resilient mindset:

Pay attention to your thoughts: write them down so you have a record of your brain chatter.
Challenge negative thoughts that contribute to stress, burnout, or imposter syndrome: a helpful exercise to challenge your thoughts is by questioning their validity. Find evidence that supports and contradicts the validity of the thought.
Meet your thoughts with gentleness: Talk to yourself with self-compassion by embracing imperfection and positive self-talk - like affirmations of strength and resilience.

Wins

Celebrate your achievements — both big and small. Focusing on progress, not just perfection, is key to maintaining motivation. Some quick ways to do this:

Track Your Wins: Keep a journal or list of your daily win, whether personal or professional. If you're an iPhone user, I recommend using the journal app since you can easily add a picture or voice recording and keep it organized by date. At the end of each week or month, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve achieved. This reflection can give you perspective, help you adjust goals, and remind you of your ongoing growth.
Reward Yourself: After completing a challenging task or reaching a goal, schedule time to reward yourself. Whether it’s a small treat or a relaxing activity, celebrating your achievements reinforces your actions and brings added joy.
Share Your Wins: Don’t be afraid to share your successes with colleagues, friends, or family. Thoughtful self-disclosure strengthens connections with others who can cheer you on your journey to greater wellbeing and alignment.

Small, consistent changes can lead to a meaningful impact on your relationship to work and your overall wellbeing. Be patient with yourself. Remember that progress isn't linear nor does it mean rigidity. For example, if you tell your supervisor you're not working after 6pm and you're consistent for 2 weeks but then a major push has to happen one night to meet a deadline: show up for your team! Things come up and you have to remain flexible to responding to unprecedented situations. Just make sure that the response to the unexpected situation, doesn't become your new normal.

I frequently work with clients whose burnout leads them to experience deep work-related existential crises, where they question their purpose, values, and the meaning behind their professional lives. The first goal is to successfully restore their energies and sense of self. Sometimes they're able to stay and grow in their current companies, and sometimes their organizational structure or managers do not support their wellbeing. When that happens, it's time to move on. Regardless of deciding to stay at or leave your company, the journey to recovery takes work, time, and support from teammates, family, and friends. AND it's so worth it!

I truly believe that a more energized, fulfilled life is possible. If you need support along the journey, I'd love to coach you towards your goals. First step to working with me is scheduling a free connection call .

Mitigating Burnout, Reclaiming Joy at Work

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:32:25 GMT

Practical Strategies to Combat Work-Related Stress and Rediscover Joy in your Job

Our jobs take up a significant amount of space in our lives—physically, mentally, and emotionally. On average, more than 40% of our waking hours each week are spent working. While "full-time" is typically defined as 40 hours a week, many of us are putting in 45+ hours, not to mention the extra time spent commuting or stressing about work.

There have been periods in my life when I’ve worked from 8am-6pm, then hit the gym for 2 hours, only to return to my laptop from 8 to 9:30/10pm. Afterward, I’d mindlessly scroll through social media to avoid sleep. I knew that if I slept, I'd wake up and have to do it all over again.

Sure, the work got done, but over time, this cycle drained me. The joy, creativity, and intrinsic motivation that once fueled my passion for the job started to fade. I knew I had to make a change!

Here are some strategies I used to re-engage with my work in hopes that they may help you too!

Challenge 1: Slack-induced anxiety

I realized that Slack was one of my biggest sources of stress. The little green dot seemed to demand my constant attention. It felt like I needed to respond to messages immediately, no matter the time of day.

Solution: I removed Slack from my phone and communicated that this was a way to manage my slack anxiety. This helped reset everyone’s expectations and allowed me to truly focus on the task at hand. The beauty: everyone wanted to support me living with less anxiety and others on my team adopted the boundary too!

Challenge 2: Social media scrolling as an avoidance tactic

Late-night social media scrolling had become a bad habit. It was my way of avoiding the the next day. I recognized my thought process made no sense, but it’s how I managed when I was too tired to implement my healthy coping mechanisms. The problem: it only left me more exhausted the next day and worsened my relationship to work.

Solution: I deleted the Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn apps from my phone and blocked the websites entirely. This small change helped me go to sleep faster and sleep better which is foundational to healthily navigating challenges.

Challenge 3: The pressure to always be “on”

I had adopted the mindset that I needed to be working all the time, especially since I saw my closest collaborators (the executive team) working around the clock.

Solution: I reminded myself every day that I wasn’t in an executive role, and that my pay and responsibilities didn’t require me to work the same schedule of the executive team. This gradually shifted my mindset helped me embrace the idea that it was okay to disconnect and take time for myself. Not only that, it gave me the “permission” I needed to stop wrap up my day.

Challenge 4: No clear boundary between work and home life

Before the rise of hybrid and flexible work, leaving the office was a natural way to disconnect. But working from home blurred those boundaries, and I often struggled to stop working when the day ended.

Solution: I created personal rituals to help me unwind and mentally "close" my workday. This might look different for everyone, but for me, it involved committing to an activity with someone in my life — like a phone call with a friend or dinner plans I couldn’t cancel. In the mornings, I focused on meditation and prayer to center myself before diving into work.

The Power of Small Shifts

It might seem counterintuitive, but stepping away from work and reconnecting with myself actually made me a better employee. Giving myself the space to recharge allowed me to approach my work with joy and energy, rather than exhaustion and dread. The work itself didn’t change, but my mindset did and that made all the difference in re-engaging at my company and producing higher quality work in shorter time spans.

If any of this resonates with you and you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or disconnected from the joy in your work, it may be time to re-evaluate your relationship to it. Small changes in how you approach your day can make a big difference in how you show up for yourself and your team. If you don't know where to start or need some guidance, book a free connection call with me to explore working together.