The Ultimate Guide to Staying Motivated

You’ll never be able to lie to yourself again about all the things you’d get done if you ‘just had the time’. For some this is a big bummer, but if you look on the bright side it means no excuses, you’ve always got time to learn & grow! Whether it’s picking up a new instrument, learning to cook, getting into a lasting exercise routine or learning about a new topic that excites you there’s never been a better time to get motivated and be noteworthy. And this is true year round.

Motivation is its own can of worms to deal with, even without a global pandemic going on in the background. Students these days have a greater sense of responsibility than ever before and now the stakes for their futures are higher than ever. This kind of pressure can stack up quickly and it's easy to get blindsided by it if you're not paying close enough attention to what matters. Last summer we interviewed a recent graduate from Umass Amherst to get a sense of what it's like to try & stay motivated during these challenging times.

There’s so many strategies & tips online for how to get motivated it’s easy to get stuck just reading through everyone's advice! For example if you're struggling with Monday's in specific you can check out this fellow Ultimate Guide on beating the Monday Blues: https://ivypanda.com/blog/how-to-beat-the-monday-blues/ Even though it seems like this years been canceled there’s still plenty of ways to stay busy & have fun! Here at Hamelin, we’ve sorted through all the major motivational advice for you & we noticed a few recurring themes we think will be helpful.  

1.) First off: momentum is key, sometimes a little push is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Here’s an analogy: It’s like trying to clean a very messy room, if you start by envisioning all the steps involved with vacuuming, organizing those video games, sifting through the trash & folding all the clothes it can quickly spiral into a daunting & arduous endeavor. The best way to go about it is by starting with an easy task that’s very achievable and working from there. Even a small feeling of accomplishment can go a long way to picking up momentum, next thing you know your on your way to being noteworthy full steam ahead!  
Start with an achievable goal; whatever that means to you. Maybe aim for 5 push-ups a day, learn how to use 1 new ingredient this week, learn 2 new chords this afternoon. It might not seem like much but these little steps forward can lead to big strides in the future.  

2.) The power of writing things down. Here’s a question: what’s the difference between dreams & goals? Goals are just dreams you’ve written down! List making is a great way to organize your attempts & track your progress. Don’t feel bad about adding little achievements to the list, the more things you check off the more accomplished you’ll feel. No need to invest in a mahogany-bound planner, or start a subscription with a fancy organizational app. If you set your mind to it just good ol’ fashioned pen & paper will do the trick. With Hamelin's free SCRIBZEE® app you can keep your lists right in your phone, organized & color-coded at all times. If you don’t put too much thought into it; the process of writing with pen & paper can seem a little pointless (no pun intended) & antiquated. Why would you put in extra effort when it’s easier & quicker to perform the same tasks digitally? While lots of tasks are done faster digitally that doesn’t always mean the better for the outcome.

3.) Focus, focus, focus! It’s more easy to get distracted than ever before, between your mobile devices, social media updates, sporadic news cycles & actual work it can be hard to find a balance that consistently brings results. Take a little time out of your day & think about how long you can focus on a task as well as how long it takes you to get that task done right. It will most likely depend on the task itself & where you are in the process. Most YouTube videos end up being around 8-10 minutes in length because that’s about how long the average attention span is. Knowing how your brain works & being mindful of its weaknesses & strengths is a great way to stay focused on being motivated to achieve your goals!  

We can tell your feeling motivated to tackle your problems already! Be careful though, it’s easy to get too excited about all the progress you’re going to make before you’ve made any at all. To help avoid that we’re going to dive right into the specifics and look at some great examples for ways you can start achieving today!  

Music- Music is a great way to fill the free time in your schedule & come out more talented on the other side! Did you know there are numerous benefits to picking up an instrument? According to a study from Campbellsville University learning an instrument can result in: “Improved Test Scores” “Enhanced Cognitive Skills” & “Better societal & psychological outcomes”. All that is on top of it just being fun to do! So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on an instrument & start practicing today. With hamelin FLASH 2.0 Index Cards memorizing chord structures & scales has never been easier so whether you’re just starting out with beginner songs or already a master maestro be sure to take advantage Hamelin's useful products.  

Exercise- Everyone has a different relationship with exercise & it often never stays the same throughout the years. Whether it’s a hobby to relax or a cornerstone of your routine a good exercise habit can go a long way for your mental & physical wellbeing. With gyms closed it’s easier than ever to get stuck in a rut & slow your progress to a halt, especially now that we’re into the winter season. Motivation snowballs in both directions, meaning the more motivated you are the easier it gets to achieve your goals over time, but on the flip side the longer you are un-motivated, the more exponentially difficult it gets to get back to your motivated status quo. Be wary of your overall progress & take some time to track your long term & short-term exercise goals in your notebook for best results.

Cooking- Cooking is a great way to learn about your history & family origins while still getting to try new flavors & ideas. Remember that one secret family recipe that brings you back to your childhood with a single bite! No need to put it off any longer, get in touch with your parents or grandparents and ask them how they made it taste so good. It’s easy to lose track of recipes & notes about what works best when everything's online, jot down your favorite recipes of all time & keep a hard copy right in your kitchen so you’ll never lose it! No need to be afraid if you’re a beginner, check out this great link to help those who are interested learn a new skill.  

Learning a Language- Learning a language is a free way to better yourself for years to come but it’s far from easy. The biggest obstacle to mastering a new language is simply the time it takes. Repetition & familiarity don’t come quick & logging hours of experience with foreign phrases & nomenclature can stack up in a short amount of time. The fix? Start now! If you fold language learning into your daily schedule for just a few minutes a day you’ll start to see results in no time. When you pair Hamelin flashcards with the SCRIBZEE® app you get an easy way to know what you’ve mastered & focus on what still needs improvement.  

Hopefully between these four categories you’ll find something you can dive into to start being noteworthy today! We know it can be overwhelming to stay motivated with everything going on so we hope our advice & tips come in handy! If you think this advice could help someone you know send them a link to the article. Let us know how you’re trying to stay motivated this year & what works best for you. Even as the weather starts getting colder it’s still imported to stay just as motivated as before. Be sure to follow us on our social media channels for more great tips & daily inspiration on how to be the best version of yourself!