4 Motivation Hacks
In the social science world, we have our own version of the classic question “Which came first the chicken or the egg?” Except our version is “which comes first, attitude or behavior?”
As with a lot of things in social science, the answer is… It depends.
We want to believe that attitude or motivation always precedes behavior. We think, “I want to do something and so therefore, I’ll get up and do it.” But a classic social experiment showed that there is more to this.
In 1988, psychologists wanted to see if behavior can also influence our attitude. In their experiment they started with a control group of participants who took a survey based on how they were feeling that day. Then, they set up a test group. For this group, they told participants to hold a pencil between their teeth and to not let their lips touch the pencil while taking the test. What does that do to your face? Try it on your own for a moment… Unbeknownst to participants, they were going through the motions of smiling. The results? Participants in the test group rated overall happier than the control group.
If we always wait to act until we “feel” like it, the likelihood of us getting the things done that we need to get done drops significantly. If you struggle with something like ADHD, the chances of you being productive while waiting for your motivation to kick in get even lower.
So, sometimes, we need behaviors that help trigger our motivation and get us going in a positive direction.
Here are 4 motivation triggers I use in my own life:
Go outside
A short walk outside can give a quick boost to any part of the day. Here’s some of the benefits:
Movement helps clear out stress hormones (such as cortisol) and increased blood flow oxygenates the whole body
Vitamin D from the sun offers a natural energy and dopamine boost
Change of scenery encourages the creative parts of the brain to reengage and recharge
Pump up the Jams!
Has anyone ever asked you what your walk-out song would be if you were a pro-athlete? This is because music really is powerful in terms of helping you tap into your emotional energy. Need to do the dishes? Turn on some hype music. Need to chill your anxiety, try bilateral stimulation. Music is more than just fun. It can be functional too.
Start a trigger task
This is one of my favorite tips from ADHD experts and it also connects with the basics of James Clear’s atomic habits. Before jumping into the major tasks of your day, first choose a simple task that gets you headed in the direction needed for the bigger task. For instance, instead of checking your phone right when you wake up (which is basically a motivation dementor), brush your teeth. This can signal to your brain that you are going to be productive today. Other trigger activities can be things like make your bed, or put your shoes on. These are things that signal to yourself that you are ready to start your day on purpose and that you preparing your mind to catch up to what needs to happen today.
Get clear
When a project or assignment seems fuzzy or overwhelming, that in it’s own right is a huge motivation suck. One of the best ways to get yourself ready to go is to get clear on what needs to happen. This is where something such as a “mind dump,” as suggested by David Allen’s GTD, can be really helpful. Set a timer for 15-30 mins and write down all the tasks that are sitting in your head. When you get those tasks out of your head and on to paper, you are far more likely to be able to see the higher priorities, what can be delegated, and things that may not even need to truly get done. Getting clear often opens the doorway to being ready to do the things on your list.
Thanks for reading with me today. I hope you find a natural way to boost your motivation this week as well.