Friday Fives: How to Stay Motivated

Countless publications and polls, such as Buzzfeed and the Washington Post have counted February as being the “worst month of the year.” The end of the holiday season leaves many without celebrations to look forward to — the days are short and cold and a third quarter slump can kick in for students. Enthusiasm to beat February can be hard to come by, but we’ve put together a list of tips to help you stay motivated for the rest of the month.

1. Have an accountability partner

It may seem easier to let yourself down than to disappoint others, and this mentality can be an incentive to get things done. You are held more accountable to mark things off of your daily checklist if there is someone keeping track of your goals and the things you want to accomplish each day, according to Forbes.

2. Drink plenty of water

Proper hydration is linked to many physical and mental benefits and is important to overall health. Studies published by the Journal of Nutrition have shown that drinking water can increase focus, which helps you accomplish tasks throughout the day.

3. Break large tasks up into smaller tasks

Breaking work up into chunks makes it easier to identify potential difficulties, according to Business Insider. Once sections of tasks have been split up, the job may seem more manageable and easier to complete.

4. Have short-term and long-term goals

Short and long-term goals are of equal importance; long-term goals can give a sense of purpose and provide something to word toward, while short-term goals allow a taste of success on a more frequent basis, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. Meeting short-term goals can provide the motivation needed to move forward on accomplishing targets for future big picture goals.

5. Establish a personal reward system

The Entrepreneur Magazine has also said having a set reward for reaching a target can provide further incentive to meet that goal. Knowing that a prize is waiting at the end of hard work makes completing the task a more prominent objective to achieve.