7 Tips to Stay Motivated During the Cold Months

I don’t know about you guys but my motivation to do literally ANYTHING at all disappears during the colder months of the year! I know this isn’t probably news to many of you but if you are lucky enough to live somewhere sunny and warm then you might not experience this drop in motivation!

There is science behind this phenomenon and it mostly has to do with lack of sunshine and therefore, lack of Vitamin D! For a lot of people this is just kind of the “winter blues” but for others this is a more serious diagnosable disorder – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

I tend to fall into the “winter blues” category. I get a little down and mostly just want to stay wrapped in a blanket all day, every day. My motivation takes a serious dip and those awesome habits I created over summer sometimes fizzle out (which is super frustrating). I know I’m not alone here. With winter coming I have been thinking long and hard about how I am going to keep up my motivation and not give up on my new habits. So, here is a list of 7 tips you can try to stay motivated!

SET GOALS

Goals, goals, goals! This is an important step in order to do anything! However, when you are lacking motivation to even make your bed in the morning, goals can feel like… A LOT. So, I suggest setting small, but measurable goals. Something that you can achieve easily and maybe even have a few a week. Once you start feeling accomplished and see those goals being ticked away you will start feeling more motivated for those bigger goals!

See related: Setting Goals: It’s Hard, But Doesn’t Have To Be

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

Can we do every single thing? No. So don’t be so hard on yourself all the time. We are not perfect… we simply cannot achieve every goal all at once. Sometimes it’s okay to just relax and take a break. Having a day or two to reset and just focus on yourself is GOOD. But don’t rest too long because then it gets harder to find any motivation to start again. So keep your breaks short (even set a time limit to them) so you can jump right back into it!

DON’T DO IT ALONE

You know the saying “two heads is better than one?” This is the same concept when it comes to motivation. Having a partner, whether it’s a friend, co-worker, boyfriend/girlfriend, family member… whoever it is, can really help you stay on track! We tend to stay more accountable when other people know what we are trying to achieve.

KEEP UP WITH ROUTINE

It is so much easier to stay motivated when you have a set routine. If you know that 7am is wake up time and you always hit the gym by 8am for that spin class – you will probably always do it. If you just wake up whenever or don’t sign up for that class then there is a lot of wiggle room for excuses. Sit down and create a routine for the week, month, year… whatever works for you.

For myself, I like to read but sometimes I simply don’t want to pick up that book or get lost in the “Instagram vortex” so I set myself a time every day (1 hour right after dinner) that I relax and read. If after that hour I want to keep going then I do it. But, if after an hour I would rather scroll around the internet then I do that! Just having that set time really helps and I always end up enjoying myself!

DAILY TO DO LIST

I am a list person. At any given time I probably have a to do list on my phone, computer, sticky note, note pads…. its honestly a lot and I need to be better with keeping it all in one place! I will say though – a to do list keeps me going. I like to see those items checked off the list and it gives me MORE motivation once I get started! I would highly suggest if nothing else, start making a daily to do list.

Whatever you need to do that day, put it on the list. Every single thing. Sometimes even making the bed or having a shower is enough to get you motivated for the day! Check out this daily to do list – I LOVE it!

TREAT YO SELF

Do you ever need to bribe yourself to do something? I DO! I often tell myself if I get something done I don’t want to then I will get to have a treat, watch my fav show, get that Starbucks coffee. If it works for you, do it. The only thing with this is – only treat yourself for more major tasks. Don’t treat yourself for something you already do everyday. Safe it for those tasks that are hard, annoying, or just something you HATE doing. It will help!

STAY ACTIVE

Staying active doesn’t mean hitting the gym. It definitely can mean hitting the gym, but it doesn’t HAVE to be that! Go for a walk, take the stairs, set a daily step goal, do a home workout, go for a swim. Anything that gets your body moving is a good thing. It can be hard but even just taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make you feel happier and ready to take on the day. Motivation to be active can be a challenge in itself so I really suggest walking! You can walk around the block and listen to your fav podcast!

EXTRA TIP – GET A THERAPY LAMP

I’m hitting you guys with an extra tip! If you try these tips (or have already tried them – lets be real here, I’m not reinventing the wheel or anything) and they are not really working and you just cannot get more motivated… maybe try getting a Therapy Lamp. They are used for people suffering with SAD but anyone can get one. Maybe you just need that extra vitamin D to get your going and that is totally okay!! Check out this therapy lamp.

---

Do you ever lose your motivation during the colder months? Is there something that helps you? I would love to know!

With love, Deanna

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. Thanks for your support!