Motivation, Inspiration or Perspiration - Journal Prompts
Motivation, Inspiration or Perspiration - Journal Prompts
How to "Try Harder" or at least "Try Different"
On Wednesday we talked about the things that can distract us, recognizing that sometimes you have to actually flip the script, pick up things that distract you so you have some baseline dopamine helping keep you rolling while you’re working. Time to think about what works for YOU.
I mentioned that I need distractions that block out sounds, that can entertain me just enough to not need to seek another distraction. I also talked about things I carry with me. When do you battle your brain, are you able to spot it and are you able to create a routine that works?
Take 15 minutes per topic, spend a few thinking about it, maybe turn on your ‘good distractions’ and settle into writing.
Finding Your Distraction Buttons
When do you struggle the most to stay focused? Is it at a certain time of day? Is it a certain type of activity? Is it in a certain environment?
Dig through your recent history, consider any recent cases where you were distracted or unable to work.
Were you aware of it and battling it, or did you just wander away and work on something else?
Were there repercussions for not completing the task (or will there be?)
Was it the location? The task? The time of day?
When you encounter an “inability to engage”, are you able to work around it? Every time, or are there times when it doesn’t work? What is your hack to get yourself working?
Are you able to spot your distractions when they happen?
Do you have a system to overcome them?
What do you tend to do when you get overwhelmed or distracted?
How long does it take to recover?
The next time you get overwhelmed or distracted, how can you prepare yourself for success?
Can you do anything in advance to reduce the distractions?
Can you prepare your task to make it less overwhelming?
Can you get help, either emotionally or with the task?
Spend time writing, think about the initial question, explore what as many options or perspectives as you can while you’re journaling to understand your own perspective when it happens and try to make it easier next time.