Of course, there are times when you are going to feel demotivated and stressed out.

After all, we are HUMAN!

But what if I told you that there are some tricks you could use, to stay productive even during downtimes like these.

We work hard every day. Some of us hustle at our jobs, some of us study for a better tomorrow, so on and so forth.

It is therefore very natural to experience some days when you are just not able to concentrate and you don’t feel like doing anything.

There are many reasons why this happens. The most common reasons are exhaustion and a monotonous lifestyle

You are not exhausted physically, but you are mentally tired.

During days like these you just need to take a break.

However, people often make the mistake of confusing laziness to
“feeling low”.

But don’t worry, I have some simple yet effective tips that will help you to defeat that feeling inside you, irrespective of why you are feeling what you are feeling.

Table of Contents

1. Step away from your workspace
2. Listen to Music
3. Change the subject
4. Watch/listen to motivational videos
5. Connect with an Old Friend
6. Draw up an Action Plan
7. Try Cooking a Dish

Like I always say,

“You Do what You think”

So, it is all really about channelizing your thoughts in the right direction to get you out of your slack and back to your productive self.

 Let’s get going folks.

#01 Step away from your workspace

Many a time it so happens that we become so engrossed in our work or study that we forget everything happening around us.

This is usually a good thing, because it means that you are concentrating and working effectively.

However, at times our brain becomes tired of thinking and analyzing.

And this is not usually normal tiredness that you experience on any given day.

This is a different kind of exhaustion. The one where you just want to stop and go no further. The one where you feel demotivated to the point, that you start questioning everything.

RELAX!!!

It happens to the best of us.

So, what should you do in this case?

STEP AWAY FROM YOUR WORKSPACE

Yes, go to another room, go for a walk, go anywhere that is not your workspace.

This is very important because a major chunk of the low feeling that you experience is due to the monotony of your surroundings, especially when you spend a lot of time sitting at the same desk.

But wait. You need to follow some other steps as well, for this to work:

• Once you have stepped away to another place, sit down (if possible) and close your eyes.

• Now, imagine yourself in a situation that has been your dream for a long time.

For eg: you can imagine winning a promotion, or securing first place in your semester, etc.

Doing this will remind you of the “WHY” and you will feel a little better and a little motivated as well.

• After this, think of everything you have achieved and the struggles you had to go through to achieve it.
  
  This is going to help you justify your efforts. Your sub-conscious will start believing that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, i.e. you will get what you work for.

• Lastly, fill your mind with happy memories.

For eg: think about the loads of fun you had during summer vacation or the amazing stories your dad tells you time and again, etc.

After doing this, I am sure you are going to feel better after which you can go back to your desk.

But, if you are still feeling upset, just take a break.

Don’t work on that day, instead do only what you like.

You could binge watch, play an instrument, crochet, etc.

Take that day as a vacation day and tell yourself that you are taking a break, but you need to get back to work the next day.

#02 Listen to Music

Music raises your mood. That is why I listen to music almost everyday.

When you listen to music you generally imagine yourself actually singing or dancing or part of a situation that was probably part of the music video.

The important thing is, you forget the current situation.

Music helps you go in another dimension, that is calm, peaceful and relaxed.

When you feel low, you also feel trapped in a shell, where the only scope of destination is going from A to B and from B to A.

Music liberates you from that shell.

In many parts of the world, music therapy is also used to help in battling anxiety and depression.

So, put on your earphones and listen to some music that you enjoy.

#03 Change the Subject

Like I mentioned earlier as well, the feeling you are experiencing might be because of monotony.

And this is not only because of the environment you are in but also what you are actually doing, that is why you should try changing it.

If you are student, change the subject you are studying.
If you are professional, try to switch to something else and just take a pause on what you are currently working on.

Now, this is definitely easier said than done.

When you feel demotivated, your mind is most likely going to tell you to close up everything and take a break.

While this is definitely something that you should do when you feel exhausted and tired. However, if this is happening on a daily basis, you are losing out on precious time.

I am not saying that keep hustling without rest. In fact, my very first suggestion was to take a break.

The problem is if this low feeling still persists. And this is when you should think of switching what you are currently doing to something else.

What should you switch to?

This is equally important.

If you are studying Math and you switch to studying Physics, it is not going to do you much good.

This is because Math and Physics has very similar basics.

You need to switch to something completely different.

For instance, if you are studying Math, switch to studying English.
You could also complete your pending project or assignment.

Similarly, if you are working on a presentation on the sales growth of your company, you could switch to something as simple as replying to e-mails and clearing your Inbox.

The essential thing here is to change what you are currently doing.

When should you get back to what you were previously doing?

A simple answer to this would be, “whenever you feel like it”.

The very reason you switched to doing something else is because you were feeling tired and bored.

So, when that feeling goes away, you could switch back to what you were previously doing.

However, I do recommend spending at least 1 or 2 hours on what work you have switched to.

This is because if you go back to your previous work immediately, that feeling of demotivation might return. Moreover, you are not wasting any time since you are working on something else.

If you keep switching between tasks then you might not get anything done effectively.

What if the feeling still persists?

Take the day off.

I’m serious.

Sometimes you just need the day off to relax.

So, don’t feel guilty about taking a break once in a while, it is for your own well-being.

#04 Watch/listen to motivational videos

I know, this sounds very cliché.

But I have experienced, that it actually REALLY helps.

At times, when you are unable to motivate yourself, you do need a little extra push from someone. The kind of words and soothing music that is used in such videos do have a huge impact on your mind.

So, is there a particular video you should watch?

Not really.

You could either search for “motivational videos” on YouTube or on Google Podcasts or any other applications that you may prefer.

There is no video that I would recommend in particular.

However, I would suggest that if you have a celebrity role model like Michelle Obama or Steve Jobs or Priyanka Chopra, it would help you better if you watch their interviews or speeches.

This gives a more personalized touch which in turn motivates you even more since your role model has also gone through all the struggles that you are currently facing.

And they have emerged as Winners.

Don’t worry, everything does come to an end, and so will this feeling you are having.

Another thing to remember is that, don’t spend more than 30 minutes on watching or listening to motivational speeches or interviews.

While this is helpful, if you spend too much time, not only are you lowering your productivity but you are also reducing the effect these videos have on your sub-conscious.

When you watch a particular genre of videos for a long duration, the effect that it is supposed to have wears off while you are watching it.

That is why, limit yourself to one or maximum two videos.

You should also remember that, this is only a method to help in getting over your slack period.

Ultimately the best motivation is self-motivation.

#05 Connect with an Old Friend

When you are feeling low and discontented, connecting with someone that you haven’t spoken to in a while will help distract you.

So, don’t think twice.

Pick up your phone and call up that friend you had so many happy memories with.

Remembering the good old times with your friend will not only help you but it will also help your friend.

In this world of rapidly growing technology, I guess we have started believing that humans are also machines.

You need to connect with your feelings as well.

There is no point in becoming the most rich and successful person but still finding no happiness.

I truly believe that,

“A person becomes successful, when he has found himself”

The above statement has a very deep meaning. To put it in simple words, don’t measure your success by the number of apartments you have or the amount of money you have in the bank.

The measure of your success is equal to the measure if your well-being.

Your Happiness and Your Health is the measure of your success. And ironically enough, that is something money cannot buy.

So, coming back to dialing up that friend, don’t be shy to call him/her up even if you haven’t spoken in years.

In case, that friend does not pick up connect with him/her on social media.

Someone has to take the first step.

#06 Draw up an Action Plan

If you have been following this website for a while now, you know that I am practically obsessed with making plans.

Planning is the way I come out of my slack time.

Whenever, I feel demotivated and low, I take out my planning diary and start writing down a plan.

This could be the plan for the next few hours or for the next week.

The important thing is to sit down and plan.

The reason I say this is because, when I plan the next day or the next week, I get excited about all the things I would be doing and it raises my happiness levels.

When you picture yourself achieving all the things on your list, it is bound to make you happy and motivated.

So, grab a pen and a diary and start planning.

#07 Try Cooking a Dish

Cooking is a very calming and soulful activity.

This will get you distracted from your current situation and it is also a great change of activity.
(point 3 ?)

Moreover, cooking is a life skill that you should know. Learning to cook will also help you understand the world cultures, customs and flavors.

You will be more soulfully connected with the food you eat which will again help in your well-being.

If you don’t know how to cook at all, you should start by learning how to make a side dish, like a salad or raita.

You are going to get so engrossed in cooking and finding the right ingredient for your taste buds that you are going to forget all about that low feeling you were having.

I do hear a lot of people saying that cooking is very time-consuming.

If you are making a whole meal it is. But, you could make dessert or some beverage for everyone at home.

Even making a cup of coffee for yourself will make you feel better, if nothing else.

So, that is it from me.

I hope after trying out some of the things listed above, you are feeling a little better.

Like I said, it is very natural to feel low sometimes, find what makes you happy and motivated again and be sure to do it on a daily basis.

You might also be experiencing this feeling because of the lock-down scenario. That is why you should definitely read the two articles below on:

1. The Best Quarantine Routine    and
2. The Not To-Do List of Quarantine

Thank you so much for choosing this website.

We’ll meet again with another insightful article.

Until then, Happy Reading ?