When you think about types of motivation, often thoughts are about internal and external motivation. Recently, I noticed another way to consider motivation and helpful strategies to sustain them.

Instead of focusing on where motivation comes from, think about how much motivation you need over a specific time. For example, the time and motivation you need to accomplish a single task like responding to an email differ from what’s required to achieve a long-term goal such as organizing an entire home.

With this in mind, let’s look at three types of motivation that are time-based and ways to help you nourish your motivation.

3 Types of Motivation with Helpful Ways to Sustain Them

1. Short Motivation Burst

Characteristics:

• You can accomplish the task with a few simple steps.

• You can complete the task in less than 30 minutes.

• You can do the task on your own.

• The task has few if any obstacles to entry.

Short motivation examples include:

• Meditating

• Taking a walk

• Making a phone call

• Responding to an email

• Clearing the dishes from the kitchen sink

• Putting your laundry in the hamper

• Decluttering your handbag

• Sorting today’s mail

In most cases, you need low motivation to complete these activities because they require less energy and have a high satisfaction or “done” rate. If you’re a list maker, you’ll enjoy the endorphin ping you’ll receive when you’re able to quickly check that “one and done” off of your list.

When you struggle with getting motivated, selecting a short motivation burst activity can give you the energy needed to tackle something more extensive.

“To enhance long-term motivation, gather your support team.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

2. Medium Motivation Gallop

Characteristics:

• You can accomplish the item with multiple steps.

• You can complete the item over several days or months.

• You might require help or information from someone.

• You might encounter some obstacles before or during the process.

Medium motivation examples include:

• Preparing tax returns

• Developing a new workshop

• Organizing a kitchen

• Writing an article
  Reviewing your financials

• Editing and re-organizing your filing system

• Helping your kid pack for college

More motivation and energy are needed to complete these types of projects. You might encounter some emotional or physical challenges along the way or be unsure of your next step. The challenges can result in feeling deflated or de-motivated.

To sustain motivation for the medium motivation projects, spend time gathering your resources, whether physical ones like trash bags, markers, and boxes or emotional ones, like the support of friends, family members, or professional organizers like me.

3. Long Motivation Journey

Characteristics:

• You can accomplish your project with a series of mini goals.

• You can complete your project over months or a year plus.

• You will require external support and possibly a team.

• You will experience obstacles before and during the process.

Long motivation examples include:

• Writing a book

• Losing weight

• Organizing an entire home

• Preparing and selling your home

• Getting a college degree

• Planning a wedding

• Saving for retirement

• Designing and planting a garden

Since the long motivation projects happen over an extended time, it can be especially challenging to maintain the energy and motivation needed to bring them to fruition. You will sometimes experience challenges, waning motivation levels, and energy loss.

To sustain your motivation:

• Break the projects down into doable mini goals

• Pace yourself, which will reduce burnout

• Gather your support team

• Enlist help from accountability and thought partners

• Share with others what you are working on

• Gather tools and resources to accomplish what you want in advance

• Add to your toolbox along the way

• Keep your eye on the goal, but be flexible with how you get there

As you head for the end goal, focusing on appreciating the journey and the mini successes along the way will enhance your motivation and satisfaction.

Have you considered motivation needs based on time parameters? If so, what has your experience been? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The late part of the summer is an intriguing time of year. Some of us, like me, are savoring the last days of the season. I’m looking forward to one final vacation before the cooler fall days arrive. For some, you have purchased your supplies, launched the kids off to college, and started your school year. In the northeast, we have about three weeks left before the kids go back. There are numerous ways you can help your kids switch from vacation to school mode. This can be done even if you’ve already begun the year. The tips I’m sharing will help make your transition and year go more smoothly and be more organized. 

The terrific design team at Stroller Envy was kind enough to create this fun infographic featuring my best organizing tips for back to school.

For a more in-depth look at the tips, check out my post, Organizing Help for Back to School. The seven tips coordinate with the infographic and include:

1. Cycle

2. Capture

3. Land

4. Center

5. Assess

6. Resources

7. Perspective

Have your kids returned or are about to go back to school? What is your go-to back to school organizing tip? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

Last fall, I came across an article in the New York Times by Paul Tough called, What if the secret to success is failure? It was about rethinking how students should be taught and evaluated. Especially as a parent, I find this idea of allowing space for our children to fail along the journey as essential. It's challenging for many of us to do because we don't want to see our children suffer or struggle. However, if we can step back, encourage, and let our kids figure life out with some guidance and minimal hovering, amazing growth will occur.

This was an unusual week for us. We watched as both of our daughters’ successfully navigated major transitions. We were there to provide emotional and minimal hands-on support, but they orchestrated all of the decisions, even when they weren’t 100% sure.

Our youngest daughter negotiated her first apartment lease for her and three roommates, organized (including her shoe organizing solution for her bedroom without a closet) and packed all her belongings, moved in, and set-up her new digs a few days before starting her fall semester of college.

Our oldest daughter, a recent college graduate, networked, explored many next step options from teaching English in South Korea to working on a farm in Oregon, was offered a job in her field (textiles) in New York, organized and packed her apartment, rented a truck, and moved back to New York all within three days.

We raised our kids to be independent and encouraged them to try even when they weren't sure. We invited them to make the best decisions possible based on the information and knowledge they had at that time. We also let them know that if the outcome wasn’t as they hoped, they could make changes. We always looked at failures, both theirs and ours, as learning opportunities.

We have all experienced our share of disappointments, failures, and mishaps. Whatever you call them, they are unavoidable. They are in fact, necessary. Our failures tell us as much about what we don’t want as they reveal about what we do want. If we allow them, our failures teach us how to tweak, to explore, and to be less fearful of making mistakes. We can then experience the joy of success.

The next time you feel the need to rescue someone, take a deep breath, and give them room to explore and fail their way to success. What are your thoughts? How have your failures influenced your success?

When you walk into a space, what do you see? Are the floors and surfaces filled with things? Is the space completely empty? Is it somewhere in between? How does it make you feel? Upon entering, do you feel anxious or relaxed? Is the space welcoming or does it make you want to turn away and leave?

Spaces affect our moods. It has everything to do with what is and isn’t in them. Lately, I’ve been thinking about filling and emptying rooms and how the mood of the space changes with the movement of objects.

Back in the fall, we moved our youngest daughter into her college dorm. Since she was the first to arrive, the suite was empty. No possessions occupied the space. As she unpacked, the space transformed as her belongings took their places. The space continued to fill as each suitemate arrived. Clear areas quickly became cluttered.

Nine months later, spring came as Cassie’s freshman year ended. We went to pick her up. She was the last roommate to leave and was all packed when we arrived. The space, which had been filled by six people, was once again empty. The stuff and clutter was gone.

So, what does this have to do with you? You are probably not moving in and out of dorm rooms. You do, however, have the opportunity to start with a clean slate and consider your spaces. You can think about how you’d like them to look and feel. Are they more cluttered than you want? If so, this can be your time to clear and release. Are you ready for a change?  If so, this can be your time to transform your spaces into welcoming, beautiful places.

What can you imagine? Where will you begin?