Self-Motivational Techniques for Tough Times

Do you ever feel as if you're sinking in a quagmire of paperwork and phone calls, messages and meetings, reports and responsibilities? This overwhelmed feeling brings with it physiological and psychological changes that can drown your efficiency. For a safety line, grab on to these self-motivational techniques before you go under.

Being self-motivated just means that you can propel yourself to take action in a particular direction for a desired purpose. On a psychological level, this means using your emotional system to set the whole process in motion and keep it moving forward.

Visualize to energize

One way to rev up your engine is with mental arousal. With a little practice, you can learn to intentionally use your thoughts to mobilize your motivation. It's the old power-of-positive-thinking philosophy updated for the new workplace. To see how easy and effective this can be, try this simple visualization exercise:

Close your eyes. Take a few long, deep breaths to relax.
Imagine yourself performing the task that you're unmotivated to do. Let's say it's calling a list of clients you haven't heard from lately. Focus on the sensations you would actually feel in this situation: the sight of the list, the smell of a cup of coffee sitting on your desk, the feel of the phone receiver as you lift it in one hand, the sound of the dial tone, the movement of your other hand as you press the keys, and so on.
Imagine yourself struggling with the task and becoming frustrated. Say you call one number after another. The first number is disconnected, you don't get an answer at the second, and you get the runaround from a secretary at the third. Maybe you begin to tap your foot impatiently or slouch dejectedly in your chair.
Then, imagine yourself regaining your composure. You sit up straight but comfortably in your chair, and you feel calm and in control. See yourself picking up the phone receiver and dialing the next number with cool efficiency.
Next, imagine yourself successfully completing the task. See yourself working your way down the list in a swift and systematic manner. You stay calm when you don't reach a client, and you're pleasantly professional when you do.
Finally, imagine yourself feeling good about your success. You've remained focused and made all the calls in record time. You're happy to have this chore out of the way, and you're glad to have touched base with some valued clients.

Now, notice how this mental rehearsal carries over into real-life performance. The explanation is simple: the exercise helps you see a seemingly insurmountable task as manageable after all. By talking yourself through it step by step, you increase your confidence that you actually are up to the challenge. This, in turn, may spur you to tackle the task in reality.

Going for the goal

Of course, energy is great, but only if you channel it in a productive direction. That's where well-chosen goals come into play. Motivation may be the fuel in your tank, but goals are the road map that tells you where you're headed and how to get there. The best goals are specific objectives that seem like a bit of a stretch, but not so difficult that you become discouraged and lose your drive.

When you set a big goal, such as doubling your office's business within five years, it helps to break it down into smaller chunks. This lets you reward yourself for the progress you make en route to your final destination.

For example, you might set a subgoal of increasing your office's business by 20% this year. When you reach this milestone, you'll see that you are indeed getting closer to your ultimate objective. This positive self-reinforcement helps keep you excited about the future and eager to push ahead.

Of course, if you're the kind of person who always sees the glass as half-empty, you may be tempted to focus on how far you have left to go. Try to shift perspective and focus on how far you've come instead. Even if you're only one-fifth of the way toward your final goal, for example, tell yourself that you're already 20% there, not that you're still 80% away. This helps motivate you to stay on track for the rest of your journey.

Motivation in motion

Yet another way to jump-start your productivity is simply by moving around. In its purest form, motivation is really just physiological arousal that incites you to action. You can learn to consciously crank up this arousal to keep your energy high.

Let's say you're having trouble staying awake as you try to read another coma-inducing prospectus. All you may need to do is get up and move around a bit. Try walking down the hall to get supplies, or take a quick stroll around the building. If it's lunch hour and you can take a longer walk or go to the gym, even better. You may be surprised by how alert you feel afterward.

There's a good physiological explanation for why this works: When you exercise, your blood pumps faster so that more nutrients can be brought to your muscles and organs. At the same time, your breathing becomes quicker so that more oxygen can be delivered to your cells.

When you return to your desk after a walk or workout, your body and brain have received the nutrients they need to be replenished. The drowsiness, which probably was caused by the lack of enough oxygen getting to your brain, has been banished as well. All of this makes you feel more wide-awake and alert and helps your brain function better.

To fit more movement into your day, try walking whenever you can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park your car in a spot far away from the building. If you want to talk to Gloria on the second floor, go to her office instead of picking up the phone.

You also can do some simple stretches even while sitting at your desk. Move your head in a semicircle back and forth across your chest, raise each arm in turn over your head and reach for the opposite wall, or lift each leg in turn and hold it parallel to the floor for a few seconds. If your office is private, you can even do some more vigorous moves, such as jumping jacks or running in place—anything that leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Relax! You'll get there

Finally, it may seem paradoxical, but another way to power up is to occasionally turn your arousal down. Otherwise, you risk exhausting yourself by trying to do too much. While drowsiness and droopiness may be caused by insufficient oxygen to the cells or nutrients to the organs, they also can be a symptom of fatigue. If this is the cause of your low energy level, you need to set aside regular times to relax and rejuvenate.

At work, you can always take a few minutes to close your eyes and meditate or visualize a peaceful scene. If you have enough privacy, you can even grab a short catnap. Just make sure you have an alarm or an assistant to wake you up on time. At home, you can read a juicy novel, take a hot bath, listen to your favorite music, or take the dog for a walk. Whatever you do, use this time to unwind and tune out all thoughts of work.

Try to set aside at least an hour a day for relaxation, although if 20 minutes is all you can manage, that's certainly better than nothing. Think of this time as a minivacation. It gives those hyperactive cells, organs, and circulatory and respiratory systems a chance to rest and refuel. The same is true of your overamped emotional system. You'll come back feeling refreshed and ready to motivate yourself for another high-powered day.