Estimated reading time: 3 mins
It’s hard to stay motivated during tough times, especially when the future feels uncertain. It’s normal to feel a lack of motivation – it doesn’t mean you are lazy or unmotivated, it just means you need some extra emotional and psychological support.
One of the best places to start is by understanding your own needs and how they connect with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This hierarchy is split into five parts: physiological needs, safety and security, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualisation.
When our basic needs are met we can begin to focus on higher goals like self-fulfilment. When I find myself struggling to stay motivated in difficult times I take a step back and look at what my needs are at each level of Maslow’s Hierarchy. Once I have identified the need that isn’t being met then I can start finding solutions that will help me stay motivated in spite of my circumstances.
Let’s take an example from my own life: when I was made redundant from my job a few years back I was feeling unmotivated for a few months afterwards due to a lack of security in the world around me – one level down in Maslow’s Hierarchy is safety and security (which includes financial stability). To address this need I started looking for new jobs as soon as possible – even though it took several months before finding something suitable – this gave me something positive to focus on which kept me motivated throughout the difficult period.
You can also use Maslow’s Hierarchy as an internal checklist when trying to stay motivated during tough times; if you’re feeling unmotivated then there may be an unmet need somewhere within the hierarchy which could be causing your lack of motivation. Once identified then you can work on addressing this need accordingly so that you can start focusing on higher goals again.
Another important factor for staying motivated during tough times is having good social connections; we all have an innate desire for love, belonging and connection which makes us feel secure internally despite any external problems we may face (Maslow’s third hierarchy level). In times like these it’s important not only that we reach out but also that we open ourselves up emotionally so that those close to us know how best they can help us through our struggles; even if it’s just someone listening or giving advice from their own experiences – this kind of connection with others will make us more resilient when faced with difficult situations such as redundancy or illness etcetera.
Some other tips for staying motivated during tough times include setting small achievable goals each day; these could be anything from making sure you get dressed every morning (to avoid falling into depression) to taking a walk outside every afternoon (to boost your mood). Even if these tasks seem simple they will give structure back into your day which will make it easier for you feel like yourself again despite any external hardship going on around you; small steps lead onto bigger ones eventually!
Finally, don’t forget about getting enough rest – both physical rest through sleep as well as mental rest through activities such as meditation or yoga – this will help keep your mind clear so that you can think logically about any problems facing instead of getting stuck in a rut worrying about them endlessly without taking actionable steps towards solutions!
Overall staying motivated during tough times isn’t easy but with some understanding into our own psychological needs combined with smart strategies such as setting achievable goals everyday then it is possible! Don’t forget about looking after yourself physically too by getting enough rest whenever possible – ultimately everything starts from within ourselves so once we’ve taken care of our basic psychological needs then tackling anything else no matter how daunting becomes much simpler!
