Why Am I Stuck?

If you have been keeping up with the blog, then you will already know several things about me. I am a new mom to a soon-to-be 12-year-old, a career woman who works from home, a blogger, a podcaster, an entrepreneur, and I’m recently married too! So, if I were to tell you that our blogs are in a rotation, that we take turns, that it was all organized, carefully plotted out, and scheduled into a calendar, you probably wouldn't even bat an eye right? I have a lot going on sometimes, and although I am a creature of habit, I have a hard time sticking to my own schedule. Have I ever been late? Absolutely! 

I find that I usually am running late or behind because I lack motivation, drive, or the spark that will get me moving. That applies to anything from getting out of bed in the morning to completing a challenging project. I am a procrastinator by nature, and I will wait until the last minute to start a project. Doing so usually backfires, but I still continue with this unpleasant behavior. 

I have learned my lesson, though, and have tried many methods to create better habits, but have not found anything that has stuck with me for long. This year, I have been working in the  Cultivate What Matters PowerSheetsⓇ Goal Book, Ali Edwards One Little WordⓇ, and I use a Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas, as well as a Rocketbook planner. I have set S.M.A.R.T. goals and even have accountability partners. There are so many tools out there to help dream up an idea and turn it into a reality, but I struggle with the physical act of actually doing the smaller tasks. 

Using S.M.A.R.T. goals and tending lists with Cultivate What Matters, I can turn a project into smaller action items. The idea is that when you start a project, you break it down into smaller chunks that you can knock out easily and get the motivation needed to keep going because you can see and feel the progress. Celebrating the small victories is important, because you can look back at each accomplishment, celebrate a little, and then continue to move forward. That's why S.M.A.R.T. goals need to be measurable, that way you can see your progress as you go along. 

When it comes to writing my weekly blog post for Modern Musings, I have a hard time getting myself started and completing on time. I have a set deadline; my S.M.A.R.T. goal is set and easily obtainable. There is accountability – my counterparts depend on me to complete my work on time. It is so routine now, that it has become a weekly activity for me. I may have an idea already in my mind for what I want to write about, but I will find ways to procrastinate and push it off onto another day so that I have to hyper focus at the last minute to complete my writing. I have tried methods to keep me motivated, like changing my writing environment, creating fun incentives when the task is completed, Making myself write it all at once, and only writing a little at a time. Nothing has seemed to make a lasting impression, and so I am still in search of ways to motivate myself. 

What do you do when desire and necessity are not enough to get you moving? I would love to hear what your methods are in the comments below, and be sure to listen to the podcast on Wednesday as each of us discuss our struggles and share the methods and tips that have helped keep us motivated when we struggle to stay focused and finish difficult or daunting tasks.