5 Tips to Staying Motivated
by: Jevon Armstrong
Everyone has those days when just being lazy is something that we feel is necessary. But sometimes those days seem to encroach on the days that we need or want to be productive. Waking up in the morning with the attitude that we are going to get so much done, then we sit down to have our cup of coffee or tea and next thing we know its 8 p.m. and all we accomplished was binge watching the newest show on Netflix. Here’s a few tips from the Myssfit Team to hopefully help motivate you and get you off the couch or out of bed.
1. Take a step outside. If the sun is shining stand in the sunlight for a moment. Close your eyes and just take some deep breaths. Let the Vitamin D soak into your skin and wake you up a bit. Don’t be outside too long standing in the sun, unless you’re wearing the appropriate sunscreen. Feel the light breeze, if there is on brush against your skin. Listen to the sounds around you. Maybe it is kids playing in the background, birds chirping in the distance, the leaves rustling on the oak tree in the front yard, or maybe it's the hustle and bustle of a busy city. Whatever it is that you are around, let it in and be a driving force. Vitamin D is a key vitamin that plays into our moods and a deficiency in this vitamin can lead to that deep lack of motivation you may be feeling.
2. Put on some of your favorite music. Roommate(s)? Husband/Wife? Kids? Pesky neighbors that don’t like loud? Get some headphones, put on your favorite playlist, crank it up and dance it out (if that’s what you’re into). Can’t find a good playlist that you love? Try a new genre of music. Break out of the normal, you may find your new favorites hiding just below your favorites.
3. Eat a balanced snack or meal. Mood Food. Going for that chocolate cake in fridge isn’t going to help get you up off the couch. Instead reach for the healthier versions. Carrots, celery, berries, an apple. There are so many different vitamins and nutrients in fresh fruits and veggies. It could be that you are lacking some of those vitamins. Plus it feels good to eat the healthier foods. A step in the right direction. Diet can play a big part into mood and lack of motivation. Sitting down and eating a box of macaroni and cheese in one sitting is probably going to make you want to put that show on Netflix and take a nap.
4. Stretch. Stand up from the couch and just stretch. If you’re a pet owner, you see your animals stretch when they get up and then they rush off to play. Okay….maybe not all. Stretching releases endorphins which help to make us feel better. Moving around can help release those endorphins. If you really want to get those endorphins flowing, stand up, stretch, and go for a walk in that beautiful sunshine that has been hiding all winter.
5. Shut off your phone. A lot of motivation tends to disappear when we have the entire world at our fingertips. Your Facebook friends and Instagram followers will be there patiently waiting for you to return. The world isn’t going to end if you don’t check it within the next hour. For many of us, that phone has become a lifeline. An extension of who we are. Disconnect from it and instead of reaching for the phone to read a funny story on Facebook reach for the book that you bought 3 months ago that you were going to read. Reach for the leash and take the dog for a walk.
Think of all of the free time that you’ll have when you aren’t checking an app every 10-15 minutes. There is so much that we could accomplish.
