More Answers... (12/7/25 Newsletter): Motivate, Motivate, Motivate

Hi Everyone, 

Here's your Sunday Evening "More Answers..." to help you head into the work week-- remember, you can see previous newsletters at askchrista.com/MoreAnswers !

Tonight’s topic? Three ways to find motivation when you are tired, overloaded, and feeling the drag of the [holiday or ANY!!] season.

Whoah, boy. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you might be feeling the season as we get closer to Winter Solstice (and those in the Southern Hemisphere are finally emerging out of it). Unfortunately, it's not just the way the Earth is tilting or spinning these days. Yes, many of us are heading to work in the dark and heading home in the dark, and if you're above the 42N, it's been REALLY COLD!!!! 

But also: economic pressures are real, and the holiday season adds extra obligations. Energy dips are normal. Motivation dips are normal. 

The goal is not to feel inspired every minute. The goal is to know how to keep yourself going in a healthy, meaningful way, both for your mind and for your body.

Here are a few tips:

1) Anchor yourself in a meaningful goal (or goals!)

Motivation is harder to access when everything feels vague,  overwhelming, or foggy. Research shows that people sustain motivation more effectively when their goals are linked to personal meaning and internal values, not just external pressure (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

If you're feeling less motivated due to shorter and colder days, holiday pressures, or the limited time some of us can comfortably be outside, reconnecting to purpose is one of the most reliable ways to reset.

Ask yourself:
• What matters most to me? (then focus on what matters THIS WEEK)
• Consider WHY it matters
• Think about how your work, actions, being contributes to that goal

Want to amp up the outcome of this exercise? Write it down to make it real. Purpose, mission, focus... it's amazing what those words can do for the soul.

2) Break work into bite-sized pieces (I live by a self-imposed "10 minute rule")

Low or lack of motivation often grinds us to a halt. I think what makes it worse is we all know the grinding halt is a common and predictable outcome when we cannot seem to motivate. That alone can increase the pressures we put on ourselves to get up and GO!!!

But often times this is about HOW MUCH we are trying to get done in a certain amount of time. When our days have more sunlight, it's easy to stretch out the time we have to get things done. (not so much when 5pm feels like 11pm)

If you feel a lack of get-up-and-go, either at work or for basic home chores, follow what the research supports re: goal pursuit: break the tasks into smaller, manageable actions, and focus on the foundational ones. Based on the research, this helps restore motivation and reduces emotional load (Locke & Latham, 2019).

This is especially helpful during winter months when many people naturally experience slower thinking speeds, dips in alertness, and reduced energy overall. It may be subtle or a real struggle.

Start with the smallest unit possible:
• One paragraph
• One email
• One analysis
• One decision

Reframe the reason to start as getting the momentum going, and THEN by going you'll get to the goal. (by the way, any "emotional load" has a draining effect, so be kind to yourself and reduce some of the self-imposed pressure... I use a self-imposed "10-minute rule" I created when I was in middle school and had to motivate to practice music and/or get homework done: I'd set an egg timer for 10 minutes, and promised that if I still didn't want to do it in 10 minutes, I'd let myself off the hook. Try it!

3) Dip into your resources (your PEOPLE resources)

Human beings are amazing. And messy. And social. 

By "social," I don't mean social-social-needs-a-party-every-weekend, although there ARE good humans like that. I mean connection-centered social. 

Social connection improves motivation and enables us to balance the effects of stress during high-pressure and high-fatigue times, but ESPECIALLY when we are also feeling bogged down and lacking motivation. Research shows that positive social interactions improve persistence, performance, and emotional resilience (Walton & Cohen, 2011).

But this is important: "social" in this context doesn't mean needing a big gathering or a long conversation. It can be surprisingly subtle and seemingly effortless:
• sitting near someone you trust
• checking in with a colleague you respect
• asking a mentor for a five-minute touchpoint
• getting encouragement from someone who understands your work

You may be surprised what these little things can do for you.

BOOSTER FOR YOUR WEEK!!

This week’s recommended talk is highly viewed, widely respected, and (of course) grounded in research, and although the name is focused on stress ("How to Make Stress Your Friend," by Dr. Kelly McGonigal), there's a lot of ties to sustaining motivation. 

And remember, if you have a business challenge or workplace issue... Ask Christa! 

REFERENCES

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–213.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.

Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2011). A brief social-belonging intervention improves academic and health outcomes of minority students. Science, 331(6023), 1447–1451.