Getting Back On When You’ve Fallen Off

How do we build momentum again when everything has almost come to a standstill?

I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said I was looking forward to stepping outdoors this morning.

It was dark as I was getting ready. Neither was I encouraged by the pitter-patter sound of rain on the front door as I laced up my running shoes. I did the 3 mile run anyway and was back indoors to prepare for my day.

When we lose the flow of doing the things we know we need to do, it can be difficult to get back in to gear.

Some suggestions of how to do this include:

Begin With The End In Mind - Taken from Steven Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, my motive was the idea of completing the run and preparing a hot bath as a reward🛀🏾. I’ve never heard of someone who returned from a workout without feeling some sense of accomplishment. Looking forward to the completion of a desirable outcome is a powerful motivator for most of us.

Know Your Why - According to Forbes magazine, Do You Know Your "Why?" 4 Questions To Find Your Purpose, https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2013/10/30/know-your-why-4-questions-to-tap-the-power-of-purpose/ , understanding this adds purpose, energy and determination towards any task. My “why” for this morning was simple. As the festive season dawns, I know how good my family’s cooking is. I will not be declining those “healthy” 👀 servings of Jollof Rice, Sweet Chilli Salmon and Fruit Crumble with double cream. I choose to burn the calories now 😁.

Don’t Overthink It, Just Do It - Overthinking about what needs to be done can lead to procrastination and reduce accountability. The simple answer is the more reps you do, the more habitual the activity becomes. When in doubt, just remember these four letters, JFDI!!!

Find Some Honest Friends - Finding connections with similar aspirations is a great way to stay accountable. Rudyard Kipling had six honest serving men, they taught him all he knew; their names were “What and Why and When And How and Where and Who” but I only need two, an electronic weight scale and an Apple Watch. They tell the truth, always. 😳

What techniques do you use to get back on track when you’ve lost the magic flow?