Motivation

[alex.s]

anyone have any tips on staying motivated? i've been working 12-16ish hours a day 7 days a week from home on contract jobs (depending on how much sleep i get) and i find myself diverting to go check ninjette or email or facebook more and more during the day. was thinking about blocking external non-work browsing for specific hours during the day but i'm sure i'll start playing guitar or counting the dimples in the ceiling or something else that isn't work... any tips on staying motivated aside from 'work less' and 'drink more coffee'? biggest motivator i've found is making schedules and writing the work down into bullet-point lists that way you always know exactly what to do next and when you realize you are just staring off into space you have something specific to do... but even thats starting to not work so well

[caps]

schedule regular breaks to relieve the monotony

[Snake]

The two biggest motivators in life are money and sex. You need to think about making money to maintain your lavish lifestyle. Of course if you are running an internet porn site from your home than I guess you have both motivaters in one job.

[Jiggles]

Adderall?

[alex.s]

caps, good idea. seems switching tasks even if it's still work helps as well.

snake, truer words cannot be spoken.

jiggles, 2 pots of coffee in the morning followed by 4-6 shots of iced espresso in the afternoon... i'm quickly approaching the stimulant level of adderall

[Indy250r]

I guess it isn't the answer you're looking for, but it sounds like you need a vacation. Take one of those bikes on a road trip.

People need a break sometimes!!!

[bluepoof]

Yeah, it sounds more like burnout than a lack of motivation to me. Do you have any vacation days lined up?

[alex.s]

no. i took an extended unemployment "vacation" until a little over a month ago recently... now i guess i'm overdoing it trying to catch up and regain the savings i was living off of. i just need to go on a nice ride out to the mountains sometime... using the bikes for utility only isn't as fun as getting out in the middle of nowhere and letting loose

[Sonofswin]

Know how you feel, I work 12~14 hours a day 5 days a week then have competitions and practice all weekend. It's endless, which is the biggest motivation killer.

Recommendation: Creating tasks that can be completed in a relatively short period of time so that you can take breaks in between, but have accomplished a goal at the same time. Then try to alternate the tasks so you aren't doing the same type of work consecutively (wherever possible.) Kinda like shifting gears and changing your riding style half way through the ride.

Creating a sense of accomplishment and goals that are within a relatively easy reach are the best motivating tools I've found. (Spoken as a high school teacher of 17 years.)

Good Luck! And don't overdo it. Sometimes you just have to say enough and take some personal time.

[mishka]

Somewhat similar, but I weight lift and to make sure I don't deviate from my plans and schedule, I give myself rewards for succeeding, such as breaking personal bests and losing body fat.

If possible, maybe it'll be better in the long run to hire someone to do some of the work for you so you can use the freed up time for something more important or more enjoyable.

Ultimately, my greatest motivation is how I feel and being able to see where I'm headed. I hate running up stadiums but the feeling I get afterward is great. Doing squats and dead lifts aren't too fun either, but being able to feel that you are faster is great.

I think what I'm trying to say is, being able to see a goal/reward is what motivations me. Maybe you can try giving yourself a reward at the end of the day/week/month.

[Snake]

Maybe this quote will give you some motivation:

The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become. - Harold Taylor

[Zombiphone]

Originally Posted by mishka

I think what I'm trying to say is, being able to see a goal/reward is what motivations me.

This. So long as I feel like I'm doing something productive and moving forward in some way, I don't typically have difficulty staying motivated. I'm able to wake up at 6 and drag myself to the gym every morning because I want to be able to lift a little more and run a little further so I can ride harder for longer and more comfortably. It sure as hell isn't always easy, but thinking of it as real life level grinding somehow makes what might seem monotonous kind of fun

So you just have to set a goal that justifies and glorifies doing what you need to do, and it becomes a whole lot easier. Just tell yourself, "if I do this, then I can do that". For me, it's "If I go into work today against my will, I'll be able to afford new tires or another track day or [insert random mod here]," or "If I study for this test or go into class, I'll be that much closer to being able to get the job I really want." And I know that those goals alone are worth the effort, so I can't help- however grudgingly- giving it my all.

Just figure out WHY you're doing it and make it into a positive charge forward. Oh, and go for a ride to clear your head for a bit when the stress levels reach their threshold. I don't know how many times I've ridden up the Snake as the day ends and just sat at the rest stop in tranquil silence. That's what works for me anyways, but I'm a pretty hardcore self motivator, so yeah- no promises. Good luck

[adri99an]

Originally Posted by alex.s

no. i took an extended unemployment "vacation" until a little over a month ago recently... now i guess i'm overdoing it trying to catch up and regain the savings i was living off of. i just need to go on a nice ride out to the mountains sometime... using the bikes for utility only isn't as fun as getting out in the middle of nowhere and letting loose

I think I hear GMR calling your name...AAAAALLLLLEEEEEEXXXXXXX.SSSSSS (gotta put the "s" in there)