Finding Motivation in the Middle of a Pandemic

Feat. Simplexity podcast guest Olympian Alysia Montaño

It’s noon on a Sunday and you’ve been in bed scrolling Instagram for two hours. After all, it’s the weekend, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and it’s a chance to unwind. You know you have other things you need to accomplish. There are tasks to get done and goals you’d like to work towards. But here you are, mindlessly spiraling on Twitter, sending memes in the group thread, and playing “Among Us” til... wait, it’s Tuesday?! 

Sometimes you just can’t seem to find the motivation to get started. (#I’lldoittomorrow.) We’ve all gone through this cycle, struggling to push ourselves into action. So how do the overachieving all-stars (we can’t help but compare ourselves to) make it look so easy?

When I think of motivation, a recent episode of Simplexity with Olympic runner Alysia Montaño comes to mind. She shares that the guiding force throughout her life is actually intuition. And listening to our inner voice (instead of suppressing it) can lead us to our unique recipe for motivation. It may take trying a few different methods and reframing your thinking, but if you’re open to finding your sweet spot, then sustainable, long term drive is possible. Look out world!

But how do we find our spark in a time of extreme uncertainty when our days at home feel like Groundhog Day? 

Well, it’s worth mentioning that many of us started off strong last March when lockdowns were new and we were told to “give it a month”. Remember Zoom happy hours and picking up fun new hobbies? We had energy to find creative ways to thrive in a pandemic. Many months later, we recognize that the sprint is actually a marathon. And we aren’t sure how many miles are left. So now what?

Since nothing about this period is normal, cut yourself some slack in adjusting. There will be days we don’t get the things done we know we need to. But for every “off day”, we can find a fresh start when we wake up the next morning.

A proven kickstarter? Getting dressed. If you have been wearing your pajamas (me) most days, try putting on fresh clothes after you get up each morning (even if it’s more sweatpants). Something as simple as changing clothes can actually shift the way you feel and increase your energy as you embark on the day. 

Set one goal. Grab a piece of paper or a Notes app, and write down one thing you want to work on today. Set it in a place that’s visible. This goal doesn’t need to be gargantuan. Finishing a chapter or vacuuming your floors are solid ideas. Next, give yourself 15 minutes to spend time on it today. After you’ve clocked in your minutes, take a second to think about how you feel. You dedicated a short window of your day to a goal that is meaningful to you. And because it didn’t require a lot of time, also ask yourself: could you spare 15 minutes tomorrow building upon today’s effort? (Sorry, one day at a time, I know.) 

Try on a schedule for a week. It’s easy to fall out of our routines and give into our preferred distractions, whether that’s Netflix, snacking, or c) all of the above. Make an outline for the flow of your day and set your intention to stick to it for one week. Write down a few specific blocks of daily time for work, health, sleep, and even social activities. At the end of the week, look back and see how that felt. Was it doable? Fulfilling? Small changes can help us form long-term habits. 

Finally, and most importantly, practice some self-care. Give yourself permission to feel whatever you’re feeling. Go on walks, even if just for a few minutes at a time. Eat food that nourishes and fuels your body. Right now, it’s all too easy to compare yourself to others, to beat yourself up over the little things, and to get overwhelmed at what lies ahead. 

If you need Olympic-level inspiration, Alysia Montaño drops plenty of gems for you on Simplexity podcast. And remember, finding motivation in a pandemic doesn’t require a total instant transformation. Start small, as long as you just start.