How To Keep Your Motivation Up During The Pandemic

It has officially been one year since COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. For many, the past 12 months have been a tremendous challenge. From being isolated indoors, to fears of catching the virus, the spectrum of uneasiness has resonated for millions of Canadians due to varying reasons.

As a matter of fact, a report by The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that the stress levels for Canadians have doubled since the pandemic started. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taken a toll on the mental health of Canadians, and many are likely feeling unmotivated or burned out.

From students to employees, many Canadians can relate to the feeling unmotivated. In a study by the University of Toronto, it found that anxiety regarding COVID-19 has been negatively affecting employees. Similarly, students who have been doing their studies primarily online are also feeling mentally drained from the lack of social interaction.

In recent months, there has been a growing glimmer of hope with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines throughout Canada. Although it started off to a rocky start due to production and shipment delays, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that all Canadians who wish to get vaccinated can do so by September 2021.

While some Canadians are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, it is still many months until September. Many are counting on the days until life can go back to normal, but during these times, staying motivated can be a hard obstacle given the fact that it has already been a full year since Canada went into lockdown.

On an individual level, there are many ways to stay motivated during these times. Depending on if you want to stay motivated to reach your goals, or to simply stay motivated to remain optimistic about the future, this blog will explore some of the key ways you can follow to keep pushing forward during these tough times.

Motivation Tips

Motivation is important in almost every aspect of human behaviour, as explained in an article by the American Psychological Association. With the possible likelihood of things going back to normal later this year, now is the time to get motivated, or maintain that motivation in order to support your mental well-being.

Have a positive mindset. Although it may be tough to try and see the bright side of things after a difficult year, having a positive mindset can be beneficial in helping your motivation flourish. Studies from Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine have found that there is likely a correlation between being optimistic and reducing the amount of stress that a person experiences. With a reduction of stress, this can be important in clearing your mind to focus on other important things that may align with your goals. Understanding that the circumstances that makes a person stressed can vary, but dwelling too much on pessimistic thoughts will only hinder any form of motivation.

Don’t focus too much on the finish line. For some, they view goals or timelines with the finish line in mind. Of course, everyone has a different approach as to how they want to tackle their goals, but focusing too much on the end can be unhealthy. Having this mindset can also contribute to losing motivation for some people, because instead of taking singular steps to reach a desired goal, they look at it as a whole which can be overwhelming. As Forbes noted in an article, seeing goals as a step by step process can be beneficial in boosting one’s motivation.

Unexpected events or mistakes can happen, but keep pushing forward. One of the key aspects that can affect a person’s motivation is their reluctance to accept that their expected version of events will not always be possible. The Atlantic published a piece that discussed the idea of embracing uncertainty especially during the pandemic. The important takeaway from this article is that people need to understand that there will always be an element of uncertainty in everything we do. The fear of the unknown has certainly spiked because of the pandemic, but not letting these fears affect one’s mindset can help in facilitating better motivation.

Improving Employee Motivation with Well Street’s Seminars

With many employees working from home, it may be hard to stay as motivated at work. Well Street’s seminars cover a whole range of topics that can assist in boosting your motivation during these times.

Many companies have already created practices to support the mental well-being of their employees, as explored in a previous blog post. But with Well Street’s seminars and programs, these workshops can be beneficial in helping you or your employees in understanding how to take care of their health, whether physically or mentally.

From seminars that explore healthy eating habits to encourage better mental clarity, to seminars that focus on building resilience, Well Street has a rich selection of seminars and programs that can be taught to potentially improve the routines that employees take in the workplace, and even outside of it.

By teaching these corporate wellness programs, you or your employees can benefit by reaping the rewards in a whole variety of ways as explained in one of our previous blogs. One particular benefit is the likelihood of increased morale for employees, which could only be possible if employees are feeling motivated to do their work.

For companies, it is important to understand that championing the health and well-being of employees in the workplace can allow them to thrive and reach their full potential, but it can also create a positive work environment that will make employees more loyal. Ultimately, integrating wellness programs into your workplace can only be beneficial for your company!

About Well Street

At Well Street, we are founded on the principles of introducing healthy practices to the workplace, which encompasses both mental and physical health. Comprised of medical professionals who have a background in naturopathy, we aim to help organizations foster a healthy corporate environment in order to boost productivity and morale.

If you would like to learn more about how our team can help you or your company, consider contacting us to find out more. We are happy to provide you with guidelines and approaches to support the wellbeing of your team members through virtual seminars and programs.