WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
Motivation is the general willingness to do things. It is the desire to act to perform the goal or the activity. Motivation is required to set and attain one’s objective but it’s not possible to always be motivated. Motivation is what keeps us moving weather its fetching a glass of water when thirsty or studying before an exam. It is the driving force behind human actions. We do realize that simply wishing for something is not enough. We have to work towards it and it can only be done if we have the motivation to do it. There are two types of motivation:
EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION : If an individual is getting motivated from external sources like praise, salary, rewards, money, social recognition, etc., then it’s extrinsic motivation, also called the external motivation.
INTRINSIC MOTIVATION : if an individual is motivated by internal desires like enjoyment, interest, happiness, fulfillment, etc., then it’s intrinsic motivation.
There are some days when we feel demotivated. We have a lack of direction, which acts as a blockage in achievement of our goals. There are many reasons to feel demotivated, such as :
• The characteristics of the task– how simple, difficult or lengthy the task is.
• Interest of individual– The individual may only be motivated if the task is interesting for him or stimulates his curiosity. Uninteresting tasks may lead to procrastination.
• Lack of confidence and self doubt– when we doubt our ability to accomplish our goal, we become incapable to take action.
• Low mood– lack of motivation can be a symptom of low mood.
If the low mood and lack of motivation prevails for more than 2 years along with a few symptoms of depression, then it might be a sign of serious mental health issue called dysthymia. It’s better to consult a psychologist or a mental health counselor in such situation.
For each one of us it’s always easy and much more interesting to watch just one more episode, or to scroll through our Instagram feeds or watching senseless videos on YouTube. But studying and working is always the most difficult task and we just can’t find the motivation to do them. As we approach nearer to our exams and deadlines of work, there is a sudden rise of panic in our hearts but we still can’t get a hold on to motivation to complete such tasks. Procrastination is the first and foremost thing that separates us from motivation. We have so much work to do, and so many chapters to study but these endless, boring and tiring tasks makes us overwhelmed and we start wasting our time with a panic-stricken mind. Sounds familiar? Yes? That’s procrastination, both the cause and the result of lack of motivation. Well, you are not alone.
It’s easy to concentrate and instill a bit of motivation and start the task, but it’s easier to lose the motivation to continue it. We fail to achieve the goals because our motivation bids us goodbye. Once we are no longer motivated, procrastination kicks in. The usual causes of procrastination are:
• You have decided that the task is boring.
• You have convinced yourself that the task is beyond your capabilities.
• You are waiting for the “perfect” time to start.
• The task has become so immense that now you don’t know where to start.
We just can’t deny the above mentioned causes. We all have experienced them. To cite my own personal example, my exam was the next day and I was left with the entire syllabus to study. I called my classmates and asked how much they have done and it wasn’t a surprise to me that they had almost completed the syllabus. But this too failed to Spark motivation inside me. Procrastination was conquering my mind and was not allowing me to prepare for my exam. The only source of motivation at that time was my friend who used to talk me out of panic and successfully motivated me to study with really weird ways of her own.
Lack of motivation has been more common during the times of the corona crisis. The lockdown has forced everyone to sit at home. It would have been better if there was no work to do but employees are asked to work from home and students are asked to study at home. The most common reason for lacking motivation and dedicatedly following the slogan “Netflix and chill”, is that we are way too comfortable at our home. Since there is no workplace environment and strict studying environment, it has become difficult to concentrate on doing the given tasks. Studying and working together with friends and social recognition were the important motivators which are missing in the current situation. Self isolation is also causing anxiety, panic, self doubt and worries inside us which ads on to lack of motivation. The deadline to complete work is closed and we still have no motivation to do the work and it is creating a lot of panic and anxiety inside us. What should we do? Let’s start by taking deep breaths. It will help us to calm down a little bit. The second step is to divide the task and as you complete the divided parts of the task one by one, reward yourself. Sometimes talking to someone helps us to ease our anxiety and helps us to carry on work with motivation, like in my case it was my friend who used to motivate me during such situations, as I stated before. But these important people aren’t always available for us. For that time, there is an app called “WeHeal” .
WeHeal is a social application intending to help people who are dealing with tough situation, whether they are feeling demotivated, having problems in career, studies or relationships, facing confusion, not able to deal with heartbreak etc. Whatever the issue may be, the healers (the users) of this app will help you find solution and go through the terrible situations. The app provides a non judgmental environment where you can anonymously share your problem or chat with the healers. Since the application keeps you anonymous, becomes easier to pour your heart out without being judged. There are also inspirational stories, quotations and experiences shared by the users to keep you motivated. You can even help others by replying to their problems and providing solutions to the issues of others with the help of your experience. There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. Privacy is respected the most in this app. No one is allowed to take screenshot or screen record anything. Remember that you are not alone.
There is nothing bad and embarrassing in sharing your problems with someone and asking for their help. It will only help you in clearing your mind and make you feel light and happy. Isn’t that the only thing we want?
Follow WeHeal
Instagram – https://instagram.com/heal.weheal?igshid=url56ab0qn3i
Facebook –http://facebook.com/weheal
Download the app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal
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