Don't Let Your Rest Turn Into a Rut

By Donna Stark

One of the life lessons I try my hardest to teach my children is to stay productive and to not fall into the “lazy” trap. It can be a difficult task though, because some days, all I want to do is to be lazy myself. Have you ever had that moment where you are sitting on the couch and look over to the kitchen only to see the piles of dishes, mail, and school papers continue to grow, as if by magic? Have you then looked down on your floor to see the same thing happen with the toys, backpacks, and shoes? And at that moment, you … well … you don’t want to deal with any of it. It actually feels really good to just sit there and do nothing because it all seems so overwhelming.

Don’t Get Stuck Taking a Break

It’s always good to take a break, but being unmotivated toward your daily responsibilities is not the same as sitting down for a rest. Sure, there are many times that we become drained from work, or our bodies ache from holding a sick child, but we can’t allow ourselves to become stuck in that trap of unproductiveness. Here are some tips on how to get your groove back.

• Figure out why - Why are you feeling the way you do? Are you struggling from a lack of sleep, are you starting to get sick, do you just not have enough help around the house? These are the types of questions that you need to ask in order to figure out what is needed so you can establish a new plan to get things done.
• Be proactive - You may be having an incredibly productive day and then something happens and you lose your excitement for the rest of it. If you have days like that, where you can start to feel your mood shift, try to stop it in its tracks. Being proactive will not only help to keep the day going in the right direction, it will also keep your motivation running high. So when you feel the shift starting, do whatever you need to in order to turn it back around. Take a break, grab that cup of coffee, or take a hot shower. Just don’t let the funk set in.
• Do small tasks first - When you are looking for motivation, oftentimes the best thing to do is to start small. Building on small successes is a great way to feel accomplished and to get that snowball effect to start happening. One easy way to feel accomplished and to jumpstart your motivation every day is to make your bed. You’d be amazed at how it changes your entire day by doing so.

Rest, Then Get Back to It

Finding motivation to stay productive takes practice, but it can be done. It’s important to figure out a plan that works in your life because no matter what, the dishes and the work will always come back. So take that rest for now, but once it’s over, get back to it.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sunset Hills, Mo.