5 Steps To Get Your Life Together

Recently I’ve been feeling stuck. I have a million things I want to be doing, but can’t seem to find the motivation no matter how much I want to. I find myself feeling lethargic and wasting most of the free time I have, when I could be getting a lot more done. I was speaking with a friend a few days ago, who confided that he has also been feeling this way. He has plenty of ambition and drive to do more, but day after day he continues to feel unmotivated to make the necessary moves to accomplish his goals. I assured him he wasn’t alone, and the truth is I feel this more than I can express.

2020 has been about survival. There is a mental and emotional exhaustion that I can’t shake, compiled with constant worry and anxiety. The lack of motivation causes unproductivity, which in turn causes me to feel guilty and even more unmotivated. I asked my friend the question I have asked myself time and time again. “What are you wasting time doing every day that might be holding you back?” And “what kinds of things should you be doing instead that will actually move you forward?”

Although this seems very simple, making the changes are easier said than done. When I spend 85% of my time giving my all to a demanding job, all I want to do at the end of the day is disconnect. To distract myself with mindless entertainment. To relax and not think about anything. But I can also see that day after day, this is keeping me from moving forward. One thing I know to be true is that you have to start small. My dad always says if you can do without something for just two weeks you will no longer need it. In the same way, if you do something consistently for two weeks it becomes a natural part of your life. Here are a few small steps that I believe can make a huge difference in the long run.

1. Get up earlier. Trust me, if anyone struggles with this it’s me. But I also understand the impact it can make to add an extra hour or two to your day. One of the founders of the hotel company I work for said if you want to be successful in the face of adversity you have to “get up a little earlier and work a little harder.” Little by little, try getting up earlier each day so that you have the time you need to start your day the way you want to and be more and more productive.

2. Go to bed earlier. Every one of us has 24 hours in the day and although some of us can function on less sleep than others, getting enough sleep still remains one of the most important things when it comes to our well-being. We know that lack of sleep can affect countless elements of our lives- mood and mental health, productivity, physical health and immune function, etc. Meaning, if we want to start our day earlier, we need to start turning in earlier as well.

3. Get back to your roots. Introduce or reintroduce something into your daily life that brings you back to the core of who you are. Something that centers you. For me, it’s daily prayer and Bible study. For some it may be meditation, yoga, playing music, or poetry. Make more time for the thing or things that make you feel most like you.

4. Take a break from time wasters. Give up the useless activities you are hiding behind. For me, it’s currently Netflix. I lose myself in the show I’m watching and before I know it I have wasted hours that could have been spent on other things. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with watching a little TV. But if it’s causing you to be stuck where you are instead of moving forward due to too much wasted time, you may want to think about cutting back. This could also be video games, social media, etc. Try cutting this out of your day for a week or two and see how much you can accomplish.

5. Introduce a healthy habit. Give up sugar, soda, or drinking. You don’t have to reinvent your entire diet overnight, but one small change can make a big difference over time. Add 20 minutes of activity into your day- walking, biking, yoga, jump rope, HIIT training, etc. Choose one thing to omit or add to your day and see how it affects you after a couple of weeks. One healthy habit leads to another, and before you know it you are well on the path to a healthier lifestyle.

Again, I know some of these may seem obvious. But how many of us have actually put them into practice? I find it’s sometimes the simplest things that can make the biggest difference, when practiced consistently. And remember, this year has smacked us all around a little bit. Change the things that you can, but don’t forget to give yourself grace and be patient in the process.