How to Stay Motivated…even with jet lag

I woke up this morning at 1:34 a.m.. another summer, another tough time with jet lag in the Philippines and after. I’m hoping my son has his hours straight in time for school next week! I’ll keep myself up a bit longer tonight by answering the daily prompt, as it is well suited for this moment and it may come in handy for the future, when I need the boost.

What motivates you?

Prompt #2036

Planning

Though I got little sleep last night & the night before, I had a lovely day and I’m so excited and motivated about what is to come. I had a surge of energy unlike any that I’ve experienced for a long while. I spent the morning doing research about future art fairs and plotting deadlines on a calendar using newly implemented work-management software. The opportunities are abundant and mapping out the beginnings of a strategy make my goals feel within reach.

Routine

At 6:30, when I gave up hope of being able to go back to sleep despite my exhaustion, I began with my altered morning routine, which always starts with brushing my teeth, washing my face, and making my bed. Routine and structure always helps me get the ball rolling.

Small Tasks

My sleep deprivation was already having a major effect on me at breakfast time. I kept needing to halt, stare blankly and blink. The synapses aren’t fully firing. When I was unable to find a tool, I started cleaning up the kitchen a bit. It helps to complete small, easy tasks to motivate me to do more.

Nature

Right after breakfast, I planted a new native species I purchased yesterday after walking to the native plant nursery with my youngest son, and did a bit of weeding. There’s something about putting my hands in the soil that breathes life into me.

Play

I had a great day with my son. We went on two walks, played board games, jammed out to records, and he helped me clean without being asked. The last couple of months I have seen a side of him that I didn’t know was there. He used to be so grumpy all of the time, negative, complaining, and headstrong. I just accepted it as his personality and didn’t bother bumping heads—why bother? But with our home’s recent shifts, he’s become just as obedient at home as we’ve heard he was at school. There’s a lightness and laughter that he felt he had to hide. It’s like all his defense mechanisms are no longer needed, and I’m so happy for him and us.

Play is a form of rest, and over the last couple of years I’ve learned when I embrace rest I have intervals of productivity that are more impactful.

Music

Listening to those records played a role in sustaining my energy. It always does, and I often find it difficult to keep the momentum without my special cleaning playlist or other high-energy tunes.

Thinking of the Future

My little guy and I spent some time cleaning up a room in our house that has been used as storage for the last couple of months. I made some quick decisions about how we plan to transform the space so that it can be useful to our family and guests, and I’m so excited about what is to come. I made a purchase for the space and nesting is always a motivating act for me.

Environment

I can’t speak of what motivates me without mentioning the power of environment! As the space began to transform, so did my mood. That’s human nature.

Self Satisfaction

When we acknowledge our efforts and take into account what we’ve done within the limitations we’re currently under, we’re more apt to keep going. Grace like this is new for me. I notice that when we aren’t beating ourselves up over what we wish we had been able to do, it leaves us weaker and less able to achieve that which we expect under ideal conditions. I treat my inner child to a few congratulatory thoughts, and that motivates me to keep going.

Peers

Before I decided to make these headings chronological, this is where I was planning on starting, because peers are the BEST motivators! The second walk my son and I took was with a neighbor shortly after we got back from the first. Her company motivated me to take on a few more steps and the comfort of someone caring about you gives the support you need to keep going.

Later in the day, I had a zoom call with my mentorship group for my art business. Now, there is some motivation!! The leader of the group has achieved our aspired goals and bestows upon us her learned knowledge, while we’re all navigating her advice in our own ways and inspiring each other. It’s one big motivation fest!

Idols

I usually try to alternate between thought tasks and physical tasks. When the brain is depleted, the body is likely rested, so that’s a good time to do some cleaning or whatnot. But after the zoom call & after coming to terms with the fact that my son went to sleep at 4:30 pm (after a just right, full night yesterday, too!) I decided I’d have a rare solo TV sesh (I always joke that the only way to get me to consume video content is by strapping me into a vehicle moving five hundred miles per hour 30,000 feet in the sky).

I almost gave up on finding something of interest, but then I stumbled upon Mariska Hartigay’s recent documentary about her mom, Jayne Mansfield. I love Jayne Mansfield, and count her among my influences–mostly because of her wildly kitschy house, but I also appreciate her keen intellect and the way that she used persona and publicity to achieve lofty goals, despite being a teen mom.

Time Constraints

Ahh, the ultimate motivator. Now that I see that the time has come for me to try yet again for a full night’s sleep, I’m more than ready to wrap up this post. There’s nothing quite like a ticking timer to move things along!