How to Stay Motivated in Quarantine
Reading time: 4 minutes
What you’ll learn
How to stay motivated in isolation with the 5 minute motivation reset
Motivation comes from action
How knowing why you do something keeps your motivated
How to use our self-improvement system of kickstart, action plan and doing it and you will make it happen
Being stuck at home against your will is terrible.
You can’t go outside, can’t see your friends in person, and can’t play your sport. You may be stuck at home with your siblings who are getting on your nerves, parents who are micromanaging you (and want you to be productive), and school which takes a lot of your time. You have lost your desire, or motivation to keep improving.
The COVID situation will be over sometime in the future. Until it is, you want to get something out of it. Let me me guess.
You want to keep your sports skills sharp but are finding it challenging to do that without being on the field, court, pool.
You want to stay motivated but can’t seem to get off your Netflix binge of Casa De Papel, Stranger Things, and Riverdale for the 4th time.
When you’re not binging Netflix, you’re on TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram staying connected with friends.
You say that you want to keep your sports skills sharp, but you don’t do anything about it
And you want to change that. You’re in the right place. Let’s get started.
Motivation Comes from Action
Motivation comes from action and clarity of purpose. While we think that motivation magically hits us, that isn’t true. Our inspiration comes in waves, and we must do something when it hits. But our motivation is different. It’s defined as the desire to perform a desired action. We can’t wait for the “magical moment of inspiration” to hit.
Motivation doesn’t necessarily mean doing something. It’s how badly you want to do it. Let me be clear on what I mean by that.
Intention is a set of actions you intend to follow while motivation is the level of commitment to do those actions. Intention can lead to behavior (e.g. working on your chosen skill) if you have the right system in place to make it happen. If you want to improve, and talk about it, but are not doing it yet, you’re in the right place.
Let’s create that system right now.
The 5-Minute Motivation Reset
Kickstart it: Write down (or type out) your answer to the following questions (takes 2 minutes):
What skill do you want to improve at?
e.g. footwork, confidence, ball touch, OR endurance
How will you know that you have improved? What’s your measure"?
e.g. When I can a specific drill without mistakes 5 times in a row
e.g. When I feel like I’ve gotten better
Why do you want to improve that skill? This links with your why, which is important to know.
e.g. I want to be on the first team
e.g. I like the feeling of improving
Action Plan: Making it happen (takes 2 minutes):
Use the implementation intention formula: “I want to [BEHAVIOR] in [PLACE] at [TIME]”. Write it down.
If you’re a soccer player, you may say “I do ball work for 1 minute in my yard at 7 am.”
If you’re a tennis player, you may say “I will do the Federer volley challenge for 2 minutes in my garage at 7 am”
“I will do 1 minute of breathing in my bed at 10 pm every night?
“I will exercise for 20 minutes at 5 p.m. in my garage”
Do it: Making it happen (takes 1 minute):
Just do it. No excuses. Shia LeBouf explains how.
Track it: Create a system to track your progress. It makes you more likely to do it. Make your own tracking sheet. OR download our Habit Tracking Sheet below.
What to Expect When You do This
Your brain will talk you out of it. Be aware of that little person inside your head looking to keep the old you the same. Watch your inner thoughts.
You will skip days. If that happens, make sure not to skip 2 days in a row.
Other people will notice. They may either be supportive or not. Do what you want for you, not for them.
Conclusion
Self-improvement is simple, but not easy. Your brain will try to stop you from doing it. Use our system of kickstart, action plan and doing it and you will make it happen. Motivation comes from action, and it’s about doing something, not thinking about doing it. You now know how to stay motivated in quarantine.
I do 1-on-1 mindset training sessions. Find out more by booking a free call with me!
About the Author
Zoran believes that we are all born to flourish in life. He equips people with mindset to get you there. His love for coaching and human performance led him to study how elite performers prepare for competition. He has two MSc degrees in Sport & Exercise Psychology. Zoran is a Mental Performance Consultant (MPC) certified by the Canadian Sport Psychology Association, a tennis coach, and a husband.
Instagram: @KizoPerformance
Facebook: @KizoPerformance
