To say I’m exhausted right now is a complete understatement. I know you’ve been there, too. It’s the type of exhaustion that not even a venti Starbucks caramel macchiato can fix — but hey, a girl can try.
Right now, I’m getting ready to move halfway across the country. I also just finished a month of traveling during which I continued to work and take care of two toddlers. There are few times in my life when I’ve been this busy or this behind on everything I have to do. I also feel like my finances are disorganized. As a result, I have a sneaky suspicion that my bills and paychecks are going to three different addresses.
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I know that there are a lot of exciting changes on the horizon for me. Therefore, I’ve chosen to focus on the positive and figure out how to stay as motivated as possible with both my money and my everyday life. Here’s what I've found. Maybe it will help you, too!
1. Take Care of Yourself
This article is about exhaustion — both in your personal life and your professional life. The top way I know to solve this problem is to actually sleep.
There is a new bestselling book out by Ariana Huffington called The Sleep Revolution. In the May 2016 issue of Oprah Magazine, Huffington said she wrote the book after collapsing in her office. After numerous tests, she realized she collapsed out of exhaustion from working too much. So she decided to prioritize her health and her sleep.
We live in a society where it’s cool to brag about how little sleep you get. But when you’re overwhelmed and exhausted, you have to do some self care.
This means that even though you might want to stay awake and organize all of your bank accounts and bills, going to bed earlier might actually be a better idea.
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Furthermore, even though you might want to take a new course or attend a conference, there are certain times in life where it’s important to slow down and only do what’s necessary.
2. Read and Listen to Inspiring Stories
One of my best friends and fellow entrepreneurs swears by listening to podcasts to help her stay motivated with her life, business, and finances. Anytime she feels tired or doesn’t want to put in more hours for her business after getting home from work, she listens to podcasts of other successful entrepreneurs. (I particularly like Pat Flynn’s podcast for this.)
When you hear about other people who are growing their businesses, it makes you feel like you can do it, too. It doesn’t matter how tired you are. When you have passion and motivation, you can do amazing things. Of course, getting the proper amount of sleep helps in this process, too.
If you need to get motivated with your finances, the same rule applies. I love reading about people who have become debt-free. I’m particularly partial to reading about medical professionals who have paid off hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of debt. It shows me that it will be possible for my family, too.
If we really sit and look, there is motivation all around us.
Regular people do amazing things every day, from starting businesses to building apps to paying off huge amounts of debt. If we open our eyes and our ears to their stories, we can start to envision our own story ending happily, too.
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3. Lean on Those Closest to You
Every single person reading this article has been through tough, stressful, or crazy periods in his or her lives. Whether you have a family member in the hospital, your house just flooded in the Texas storms, or you're simply dealing with the day-to-day stress of life, lean on those closest to you.
Some people — myself included — have a hard time admitting when things aren’t going well with their finances or their personal lives. We often struggle to get the extra help we need. I’ve been leaning on my husband, my family, and a group of friends and neighbors who have all pitched in to make the last few weeks easier. I’ve put my pride aside and asked for extra assistance because I do need it.
Final Thoughts on How to Stay Motivated
If you’re having more financial trouble than personal turmoil, the same rules apply. Talk about your situation with friends and family. Get accountability partners. Read online success stories and keep trying to see what works for you.
The truth is, you can stay motivated when it comes to your life and your money, even if you’re completely exhausted. You just have to dig deep and find your strength, your support network, and your will to succeed. If I can do it, I know that you can, too.
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