I don't feel like doing this

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I’ll start with the positive: my Labor Day weekend was truly one of the best weekends I’ve had in recent memory. I spent time with friends (some old, some brand new) in Virginia Beach. We laughed uncontrollably hard at (mostly inappropriate) jokes, exhausted ourselves dodging colossal waves in the Atlantic Ocean and ate our weight in s’mores. I’m smiling thinking about it, and I’m so grateful for these new memories.

So to be honest, the last thing I wanted to do was wake up this morning and answer emails, grade assignments, take meetings and even, I’ll admit it, write this newsletter. I can’t imagine I’m alone here?

In the spirit of getting back to work after a long weekend, I’m going to write about motivation in the hopes of 1) motivating myself, honestly and 2) getting you some motivation in case you happen to be in the market.

We’ll start with the basics. If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you know I’m a big proponent of self-compassion. I don’t find it helpful to make myself feel guilty, and I’m not motivated by negative self-talk. It’s human to have days that we feel less driven, and there are lot of reasons for it. Maybe you’re going through a difficult time or it’s something as innocuous as a post-vacation slump.

A short-term motivator that works for me is the reward system. For example, once I write this and schedule it to send, I’m going to check it off my list, make lunch and watch the U.S. Open before I move on to my next task. (Coco Gauff’s quarterfinal match has already started, so I’m doubly motivated to finish writing quickly lol.)

However, the reward system is really only helpful in a very short-term situation. The why behind our work is what really gets us to get up and go. I’ll use this newsletter as an example again. I feel motivated to write it today because I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling some type of way about getting back to work after vacation. I promised a pick-me-up newsletter, and I hope this delivers.

This works because it leans into some of my core values: service, connection and community. Experts say that knowing your values - your why - and identifying them within your daily tasks can make you feel more motivated in the long-term.

I came across two other helpful tips in my research for this week’s newsletter. 1) Make to-do lists with small tasks and cross them off as you complete them. I make my bed every morning because it’s a way to feel a sense of accomplishment from the get-go.

2) Draw inspiration from others. I feel more motivated after reading the New York Times article linked below. It helped to know that I wasn’t alone. If you’re in the office, maybe that means approaching a colleague at their desk and chatting for a few minutes or even collaborating with someone on a project.

Either way, good luck this week. And if the motivation still isn’t there, at least we only have to get through four days before the weekend 😉 

How’s your motivation this week? Let me know! You can find me on IG or just reply to this email. Or if you have any questions or topic suggestions, send those, too. Getting your emails is still my favorite part of the week, so please keep them coming 🙂