Happy Monday, friends. Nothing like getting a little inspiration in for a Monday morning, am I right? (everyone rolls their eyes) No, I get it…happy-go-lucky on a Monday is kinda annoying. But, I’ve got a three-day work week this week, the sun is out (even if it’s still dang cold,) and it’s the first day of spring (again…even if it’s cold).
Today I’m going to share some ways to get more inspired and feel more inspired every day. I think it’s pretty natural to get into ruts. It’s normal to have spans of time when you’re feeling uninspired or lacking spirit. I know I sure do! I feel like this is the time of year a lot of people find themselves lacking the energy they need. It has been a long, cold winter and even though it’s “technically” spring, it sure doesn’t feel it! I find that these are the things that help me get out of a rut and prevent me from falling into one in the first place. When you’re in a good groove and you’re feeling upbeat and encouraged it’s just easier to get things done!
1. Cut down on T.V. time
I read a stat the other day that said that the average American watches up to 35 hours of T.V. a week. Guys, that’s 5 hours A DAY! Imagine what you could do if you took even one of those hours and used it for something more useful?
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good movie night like everyone else. But, if you’re feeling less than inspired I would betcha a dollar that getting off the couch and away from the T.V. screen would do you some good. Firstly, depending on what you’re watching on television, there’s a good chance it’s not anything that’s motivating you or giving you energy to get moving. Secondly, sitting around watching T.V. usually leads to more sitting around and watching. When I get home from work I find if I sit down to “be lazy” for a little bit, it almost always turns into a whole night of being lazy. Likewise, if I get home and do something productive right away, I’m more likely to be more productive the rest of the night. This means maybe watching a single 45-minute show before bed instead of a 5-hour marathon.
Productivity leads to more productivity. Being lazy leads to more lazy. Share on X
2. Wake up early
I know, if you’re not a morning person the thought of being a morning person is killer. But, I stand strong on my conviction that being a morning person is the WAY TO BE. If Waking up Early were a religious cult, I’d be a founding member.
Waking up early is the key to a productive and inspired day. Share on XWaking up early is the key to a productive and inspired day. Instead of jumping out of bed after hitting the snooze button 4 times, rushing through getting ready, and then sitting in traffic (essentially spending the first 2 hours of your day doing things you don’t want to), you can make time to do things you like. This sets the mood for the entire rest of the day. I typically wake up at 5:30 every morning, but don’t leave for work until 7:40. It gives me almost an hour and a half to do things I want to do. Whether it’s yoga, crafting, blogging, giving myself a manicure, this time is about me. I wake up, have my morning cup of coffee, and get to actually enjoy the first bit of my day.
Need help waking up? Here are my hacks for being a morning person:
3. Cut out the negativity
Just cut it outta your life. Bad friendships, bad wine, bad shoes. Get rid of it.
Cut negativity out of your life. Bad friendships, bad wine, bad shoes. Share on XNo, but in all seriousness, you need to be able to look at your life and know the things that are impacting you negatively. This could be as simple as unfollowing a person on Instagram who gives you that “ugh” feeling when they show up in your newsfeed to knowing when it’s time to stop seeing a real life friend who isn’t a positive influence. These things weigh on your over time and even the smallest things can impact your mood and energy, often subconsciously so that you don’t even notice it at first.
An example of this for me is my morning commute. I like to listen to the news, but more often than now it’s just negative. Whether it’s politicians complaining or sad new stories, it’s not the best way to start the day. I find myself swapping this out for a book on tape or listening to NPR. NPR has programs like TED Talks or Snap Judgment on during my morning commute. These are stories that tend to inspire and are interviews with interesting entrepreneurs. Cutting out the negative news media and swapping it for something of positive sentiment and real substance puts me in a much better mood. This energized mood always leads to feeling more inspired during the day.
4. Make time for the things you don’t have time for
This might seem like the most annoying comment ever. “Really, Kallie. Make time for things I DON’T have time for? Riddle me that one.”
Stick with me.
There are things we all want to get done and “don’t” have the time to do. “Don’t” being in quotes because that “don’t” is a word we’ve put on it ourselves. When we have a task we need or want to complete but don’t, our minds remember it and stress about it. In psychology, there is something called the Zeigarnik effect. This says that people remember uncompleted tasks better than completed tasks and that when a task has been started but remains uncompleted it remains top of mind and actually causes us stress thinking about how it’s not complete. And, the more uncompleted tasks we think we have the less empowered we feel to conquer the ones we need to. In order to put your mind at ease and complete these tasks, you need to FIND the time to do them.
Here’s an example. One thing for me that fits into this category is taking my dogs for a walk a few times a week. Taking the dogs for a walk is obviously great for me. It gets me moving, gets me fresh air, and is good unplugged time. But, the walks are also important for my dogs who would be cooped up all week if not for these walks. Knowing that I should take them for a walk but “not having” the time actually causes me stress. So, I need to make the time to do it. I do this by either actively scheduling it into my week so I can’t overlook it, or prioritizing other tasks so I can make time to do it. When I make the time to do this task I feel more productive, less stressed, and am more likely to complete other tasks as a result.
5. Find a hobby
Errbody needs a hobby. Think like Oprah but instead of cars it’s like “you get a hobby! You get a hobby! EVERYBODY GETS A HOBBY!”
I wrote about why everyone needs a side hustle over on Caffeinate and Conquer last week if you need more convincing. The abridged version is side hustles (or hobbies) make you more productive, help you learn new skills, and give you a feeling of accomplishment. All these things are going to make you feel more motivated and inspired in your everyday life. When you’re doing things you’re proud of and you love, it’s the best intrinsic motivation there is!
Lately, I’ve been making more time for crafting and DIYing. While blogging is definitely my side hustle, I’ve always been a maker and crafter. Taking time to enjoy this hobby gives me such a great feeling of satisfaction and enjoyment!
I hope this gives you some motivation to get more inspired! What are your best tricks for getting more inspired and motivated during the day?