Self Motivation

Self-motivation seems an incredibly apt theme with which to start the term. I returned home from work yesterday to find my children, one at university, one in year 13 and one in year 11, all feeling rather fed up. Not so much struggling to engage with their learning but finding it hard to find enthusiasm for “something to look forward to.” January can sometimes feel that way, with darker days and Christmas festivities behind us. This year, of course, is rather different and it has been a turbulent week.

As we sat as a family, over what is always a noisy dinner experience with so many opinions in the room, we talked about what we could do to stay motivated and positive during this period of lockdown. We agreed that trying to dig deep and find small new things to do at home would stop us sinking into a sea of watching endless box sets and scrolling through our phones in our free time. We are busy planning the first round of Zoom quizzes with wider family members and friends, trying out some new hobbies and using technology as much as possible to stay in touch with grandparents we haven’t seen for several months now. I’m sure we will still feel frustrated and fed up at times but trying to find things to break the cycle helps a little.

For me, school keeps me focused and I feel incredibly lucky to have that at the moment. I do struggle to find the motivation to exercise and eat healthily when I am rushing around. My goal is to make sure I find time for that during the week. I’m not doing badly so far this week, but I know I need to be strict as the term progresses and make sure I carve out that time for myself and keep finding that motivation. For those learning at home it’s all about routine. Sticking to the usual pattern of the day and getting up ready to work each morning adds a sense of normality to a very strange time.

Motivation, however, goes deeper than that and it’s always helpful to reflect on why you are doing something. However hard things can be, this will pass and there will be brighter times ahead. Being motivated now will reap rewards in the long run and the best thing about those who can motivate themselves is that this is a skill for life. It extends far beyond the school gates. The good news is, this doesn’t have to be done alone. Reaching out for support and staying together as a community is going to make this journey easier for us all. Even better, I absolutely know we can do this.