Motivation and values
At times, it can be difficult to find the motivation to get to grips with what needs to be done. It may be because you don't see the purpose of a task, that it doesn't feel fun or that you simply have other things that you would rather do. It happens to everyone in periods.
Tips for dealing with lack of motivation:
- Don't wait for motivation - do what you want and let the motivation come.
- Simplify the task rather than trying to increase your motivation, e.g. by dividing what you have to do into smaller parts.
- Combine business with pleasure to make the task more appealing, e.g. study together with others.
- Take care of yourself by eating and sleeping regularly. Try to find time to move.
- Find the inner motivation, think about why you should study for the exam, e.g. to be able to have a fun job.
- Create goals and sub-goals and give yourself rewards, read about SMART goals.
Self-knowledge
Self-knowledge simply means knowing yourself. That you have insight into how you are as a person and how you react to different things. That you are observant of your own needs and patterns of action. Most often, we have developed behaviors to avoid questioning ourselves because we are afraid to examine our own self-image too closely.
If we get stuck in our negative thoughts and self-judgment, we can try to question them a little, not to take them for anything other than just thoughts, they are not truths. By becoming more aware of what you think when you feel bad, and learning alternative ways of thinking and thus developing strategies to break negative thoughts, you can alleviate and reduce mental illness.
Is there any "proof" that my thought is correct... Is there any proof to the contrary? How likely is it that my thought is true? And so on. Feel free to get help from us at the Student Health Service if you want to increase your self-awareness or talk about motivation. We are here for you!
Link and reading tips:
Lecture on motivation (9 minutes)
Video about how we can look at thoughts - The sushi metaphor