There are days when we feel unmotivated and lazy. So tired that to simply escape and let everything slide past sounds like a convenient— and tempting option at the same time.
I am especially vulnerable on Mondays. Sunday is my off-day and I figure that is a day for most of us to laze around in bed and not do a thing, which unsurprisingly trickles down to the next working day.
I am very sure that this is a problem for most of us. If you’re reading this, I am sure that you’re in the same fix as I am right now.
I experimented and found a way to overcome the blues, and tried these strategies that I deemed works best to eliminate the Monday blues or any other lazy occasions for that matter.
Lower the intensity or ease up on your everyday routine
We have to understand that it is okay to reduce the tempo. Sometimes, I remind myself that it is better to work out than never do the work at all. The same goes for my health.
Efforts, no matter how small have the tendency to move us to become who we are.
The most important thing to note is to never break our momentum. Always remember that objects at rest remain stationary, and objects in motion are easier to remain in motion.
Allow longer breaks to your usual routine
When we feel like we are forcing ourselves to do something, we know that emotional resistance has already done its work. Understand that we are human, and it is normal to be lazy, unmotivated or not in sync with ourselves.
That is why I took longer breaks.
Laziness is your mind telling you that your emotional state is not met. I need that extra minutes to allow my mind to vent its frustrations until my rational brain takes over and remind myself about the benefits of a healthy body.
Do not overwhelm your schedule for the day. Dedicate time for your exercise.
This might be subjective and is dependent on your day. As someone who works in the service industry, I work long hours and usually end my Mondays earlier (6 pm) in order to allow myself some time for a workout.
Whether you are a morning lark who believes in the benefits of a morning exercise or a night owl who makes time to improve your sleep, keep in mind that exercise use up a lot of our energy. I find it easier to follow through with my plan when I allow the day to be easy.
Promise to reward yourself with a snack after you exercise
Last but not least, a form of incentive works best for you to end the day.
Incentives reinforces your actions by marrying struggles with the promise of a reward after a hard day at work. Sure, I might need to spend some cash to get something for myself, but I think that the overall benefit greatly outweighs my a tiny bit of indulgence.
“You make your choices, and then your choices make you. Every decision, no matter how slight, alters the trajectory of your life”
— Darren Hardy in The Compound Effect.
