Well Spring hasn’t quite sprung in London yet and it’s a bit hard to motivate myself to leave the warmth of my flat and face the gales/ drizzle / and even snow outside to get to the gym – so what’s the answer? I always know I’ll feel better after my gym session but sometimes it’s still a bit of a struggle to just get on with it.

For me, it’s the same with my studying, some weeks I’ll have a great week and really get stuck in and plough through it, but then other times I find excuses like – I’m stressed out preparing for an interview, I feel too tired or tell myself I’ll do it tomorrow. So I’ve been looking at ways to try and motivate myself in both these areas. Here’s what I’ve come up with, let me know what works for you.

• Break a larger goal down into smaller goals. Then celebrate each goal as you reach it.

• Mix it up. In both study and exercise I get so bored with the same routine so I try to mix up the activities a bit. With exercise it’s as easy as  attending a different class at the gym or using a different machine, running outdoors, going to a dance class or doing some Pilates at home. With study it’s not so easy, but I try to mix it up by alternating through  reading different texts, mind mapping, looking at example questions and practical lab work on the computer. I find a “little and often” approach works better than long boring sessions!

• My poor man looks so disappointed when he comes home to see me staring at a book or computer screen, so I made a deal to try to get all my study done before he gets home. That way I can be more disciplined and know that I have 1 ½ hour window each night when I can fit my study in and then be rewarded with quality time together and a relaxing evening.

• Schedule study or exercise sessions into a diary or calendar. This helps me focus but also makes me feel bad when I skip a session.

• I’ve written the date of my exam on a post it note on my PC so every time I sit down to work I am reminded of that looming deadline!

• Visualisation: I am also trying to visualise how I’ll feel when I’ve passed that exam, updating my CV with new skills and qualification, how great I’ll feel telling others that I passed. I’ve booked my exam already  so I have a deadline to work towards!

• Setting a deadline is also a great motivation for fitness. Planning a holiday and  knowing I’ll be in a bikini in Valencia the next couple of months gives me all the focus I need!

It takes 2 weeks to form a habit, so I’m making a big effort for the next 2 weeks and hoping that my brain will take both studying and exercise on as life habits rather than chores to be avoided!

Do you have any tricks to help you stay motivated?

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