Are you feeling stuck, down, or unable to complete the tasks that normally feel easy to you? If you’re struggling with motivation, know that there are many reasons that you might be feeling this way. Our environment, our personal challenges, and the weather all have an impact on our ability to stay motivated and to progress forward in our lives.
If you’re struggling with motivation, any of the following might help you make sense of your feelings.
Time of year
Late March and early April is a difficult time of year for feeling motivated to cross tasks off our list because the weather is still gloomy, and we may be feeling a little stir crazy from more time spent at home during the winter months. In our area, it’s still cold, wet, and the possibility of snow still exists, and while warmer days are ahead, we are in the final stretch of time before we can feel the warmth and sun on our faces.
Although the days are longer and the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder are dwindling as the days go by, you still may be struggling to get up and going due to the weather and may feel unmotivated as a result.
Society-wide challenges might be why you’re struggling
It’s also no surprise that the issues in society today are having an impact on our moods and motivation. When basic human needs are taken away and we receive an influx of bad news and society-wide threats daily, we may not feel motivated enough to take on new tasks and challenges or even to function at the level in which we have functioned in the past. We can sometimes feel a sense of hopelessness within our circumstances, leaving us with a feeling of “Why bother?” Large impacts on us from circumstances outside of our control can definitely leave us feeling unmotivated and frustrated.
A nationwide traumatic experience
One of the most underrated and often overlooked situations related to our lack of motivation is the traumatic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had intense impacts on our lives and how we live them and low motivation could be one of the after effects of this experience. After a traumatic experience of any kind, we often feel fatigued, shocked, and scared, leaving us to experience anxiety and depression, which can have effects on us like low motivation.
Your own personal struggles
On top of the external factors that may be having a negative impact on our levels of motivation, our own personal challenges could be impacting us as well. Chronic illnesses, mental health and emotional struggles, poor support systems, and general dissatisfaction in life may be keeping us in a feeling of being stuck in life, and keep us challenged with low motivation to move forward in life. In addition, burnout from work or school could be a factor, and we may need to take a break to rest and recharge.
Whatever the specific reason, or combination of reasons, it’s normal to feel unmotivated, but staying unmotivated can have a negative impact on our lives. If you’re struggling, remember to reach out for support, and to keep checking in on your wellness and health so that lack of motivation doesn’t turn into an even bigger struggle.
About Therapist Samantha Nolan, MA, LPC, ATR- Barnum Counseling
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash