FREEPHONE 
Often the hardest part of doing something outside our normal routine is motivation. Whether it is a task at work, that DIY project at home, or working on your studies, finding motivation to get started can be hard, BUT they are on the ‘To Do’ list for a reason right?
You should view every day as an opportunity to better yourself for the future of your career and your life as a whole. It’s pretty exciting stuff, but we often lose track of the big picture and the
every-day gets in the way.
1. HAVE A GOAL: “Longest journey begins with the shortest step.”
Set yourself well-thought-out goals and objectives. They can either be short-term (the amount of hours you put in this week) or long-term goals (what you will do once you gain your qualification). This is pretty much the foundation of any productive process, do things which go towards a goal, which in turn leads towards a long term objective.
Objectives and aims keep you focused and the action you need to perform seems an insignificant amount of effort when compared to the purpose you assign it. Soon, you’ll give yourself a ‘do whatever it takes’ mind-set, and accomplish your goals. Well-chosen objectives will inspire you to greater heights, allowing you to reach your true potential.
Here are some important tips for goal setting:
• Write your goals down on a board easily visible at your workspace, constantly remind yourself why you’re doing this.
• Set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound.)
• Don’t set negative goals (‘I won’t watch TV when I get in from work’)
• Think positively (‘I can do this!’)
• Split complex goals into main targets and sub-goals
• Explicitly state how you intend to achieve your goal
• Visualise the accomplishment of your objective and what it feels like
Whichever is your excuse, be it the classic ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ or the practical sounding ‘I don’t have time today’. You are simply delaying inevitable with the invention of a pseudo-rational process explaining away the necessity of work in seemingly sound justifications! However when you truly break it down, the reasons you invent amount to little more than poor excuses. In the spirit of anti-procrastination, let’s dive right in.
2. REWARD YOURSELF “Before the reward there must be labour. You plant before you harvest.”
What’s a goal without a reward? Determine an appropriate reward once the objective is accomplished. It’s simple yet effective. Eventually you will condition your mind to actively seek out challenge by instilling – consciously or subconsciously – the knowledge that reward quickly follows.
Of course, the ultimate reward will be the career benefits you reap when fully qualified, but often we lose sight of the big picture in the actions of getting there. So, give yourself rewards which scale to the complexity of the challenge, for example a demanding objective will give you a glorious reward, while a simple goal will give you a small reward. It’s crucial you don’t cheat and give yourself a reward before a goal is reached, as this will be actively bad for your motivation.
Here are some quick tips:
• Set a goal & determine an appropriate reward based on its difficulties
• Associate the efforts you take with the positive reward
• Do not allow yourself to receive a reward if you fail
• Reward yourself after achieving the goal
3. JUST DO IT “It doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you get going.”
Whenever you feel a lack of motivation to get started there are always at least a dozen other activities that sound by far more interesting than studying. The only way to overcome this obstacle is
to ‘Just do it’. Start studying, no matter what. You might have to force yourself, but it is worth it. Forcing yourself will allow you to free your mind from all kinds of negative thoughts about being lazy or lacking the right motivation. ‘Just doing it’ means you take action and once you get started time will fly by, you’ll get used to your tasks. Eventually it’ll become part of your routine and
become as essential as brushing your teeth and going to sleep.
TOP TIP: Just do it; Even if the roof falls in, today you get started!