Motivation good: Habits better!

When I was young and wanted to do something, I looked for motivation. Things that would give me the extra kick to help me march forward. When things don't go your way, it's easy to stop, so I often resort to finding things that motivate me.

The easier part is finding something that gets you going. Sustaining it is the more challenging side. There are a lot of times we wake up flowing with limitless energy, only to lose all of it the next day.

Looking for a more sustainable approach to help us get through our “downtimes” is a more promising way of allowing us to be more productive, rather than finding what makes us “tick” and become a ball of energy that bounces around.

But how? 

How frequently do we experience downtimes? 

When things don't go as planned, it's easy to just drop it and get cold turkey towards it. Many of us don't want to find ourselves unaccomplished. But looking at it now, I realized why I was unproductive because I unconsciously chose to. 

Way back, there are things I wish I knew now. I was headstrong, stubborn, and downright risk-taker. It often leads me to uncomfortable situations that made life “more colorful” as I am looking at it now. 

“Damn if you do, and damn if you don't,” those were the days when I stormed towards my goal full of life and zest, only to retract when I couldn't overcome the hurdles. 

To help me get through, I find things that motivate me. I get supercharged for some time, and then things get rough. I stop at my charge, leave the tracks, and turn my back on a thing that I was so enthusiastic about earlier. 

Making matters worse, it slowly became my way of doing things that unconsciously integrated into my person. After some time, I came to realize that experiencing a spurt or even a series of downtimes is inevitable.

Yes, there is no pattern you can remember when you're about to experience downtime, but it happens because you have overworked and overextended yourself, and you end up exhausted and unmotivated. Leading to tantrums and occasional fits of anger that taint harmonious relationships. 

So how frequently do we experience downtime? All the time, always!

Why build habits?

During periods of downtime and meltdowns, motivation won't be enough. This is where habits get you going, even if it means striding in baby steps. Little consistent movements are way better than not moving at all.

The million-dollar question would be, what habits are you going to build? Is it something taken from a masterclass? Would it be easy to follow and execute? 

No need to think of highly technical habits. Any habits that would allow you to move forward at a constant pace, no matter how small the steps may be, would do. 

For example, you go to bed early, so you can wake up early as well. Will there be any benefit to that? 

Certainly, sleeping early would mean you would also wake up the following day early. Doing so would make you more productive because you'll have a ton of time ahead of you, allowing you to execute all your plans to a tee. 

And if you sleep early, you're doing your body a favor. Because you'll have all the time, you'll need to make sure your body and mind need for recovery. You'll repair all the “fried” cells in your brain when you doze to an 8-hour uninterrupted slumber. 

Another habit that will help you become more productive is breaking tasks into smaller chunks. It's easy to get overwhelmed by a gigantic workload that flashes right into your eyes. 

When you're at school or at the office, looking at all the A.S.A.P. would drain you of your energy. It saps the life out of you. And when you think that you'd finally relax at home, the opposite happens because you are arguing with someone over a ridiculous coffee cup that wasn't washed and left on the counter.

And if you look at it, you're not really furious about the unwashed coffee cup. You are unconsciously venting out all of your frustration because you're already very exhausted for the day. You saw an opportunity to let it go and in that instance you just found yourself enraged over a small matter. 

I'm guilty of it so many times that I frequently hear myself apologizing because I didn't plan to end it that way. Another habit you can develop is to be sorry for things you have done that hurt someone. 

Sorry seems to be the hardest word. I heard that line in a song, and it brought painful memories that haunted me always.  

Not being sorry when you have done something wrong is a sign of immaturity and insecurity. With our sudden emotional outbursts, there are just moments when we unintentionally hurt others because we're aggressive with our approach.

The immense amount of stress we have been carrying for who knows how long builds up and it ushers us unconsciously to react unfavorably towards others. Most often, when this happens, others see this as an invitation for an all-out "word war". 

The altercation causes division, and later angst towards you. The harmonious relationship you have built for so long has now shattered because you're not too careful with your dealings with others. 

Apologizing may not heal emotional wounds and scars instantly, but it's a great way to restart and rebuild any collateral damage that was done because you succumbed to excessive stress that resulted in a lot of unwanted and untoward incidents. 

To ensure that you are in control of everything and not spiral out of control, build positive habits and diligently practice it daily so it will become your way of life. Start with habits that would make you productive, like staying away from procrastination. 

Whatever it is you can finish in a day, do it right away with all of your might. You may no longer have the opportunity if you delay it often. 

So if you broke someone emotionally, even if it's difficult, mend it at the earliest time possible. You don't want years of unhappy memories and tension-filled co-existence because you delayed apologizing for causing any inconveniences for not managing your stress properly.

I'm sure you can find a ton of resources to help you with your journey. Remember to take small and doable steps so you'll not end up frustrated about not accomplishing things you have set for yourself. 

It's coffee time for me and I hope I can share this glorious moment of sipping this bitter-tasting beverage while we watch around and talk about things that make the world round. Ciao!