17 Ways to Get Motivated and Feel Inspired When Feeling Unmotivated

This post contains affiliate links that I earn a commission through. Thank you for supporting Twins and Coffee!

If you’re feeling stuck and not sure what to do next, this post about ways to get motivated is just what you need.

What Causes a Lack of Motivation?

Often motivation comes and goes, whether it’s for a certain task or life in general. There are many reasons why you might feel unmotivated, such as:

• not knowing what to do next
• lacking the confidence to take action on something
• thinking about how unproductive you’ve been lately
• worrying that someone will judge your work if they see it (perfectionism)

Honestly, lack of motivation frequently presents itself when you don’t believe in yourself or your abilities. You’re constantly second-guessing yourself and thinking the worst. Self-esteem plays a greater role in motivation than you might expect.

Mental Health and Motivation

Odds are that if your self-esteem isn’t doing too well, neither is your mental health.

I know for me, my self-esteem is the first thing to go when I start spiraling into a depression spiral and out goes my motivation. Every. Single. Time.

So what can you do to support your mental health to feel better about yourself?

You can start by doing things that make you feel good such as:

• spending time with friends and/or family who support and love you unconditionally. Once your mental health is stable, motivation will follow shortly after.
• taking time to rest. Yes, it is THAT important when it comes to your mental well-being.
• eating foods that are good for your body and mind. This is a must! If you make sure to eat properly, motivation will follow suit as well.
• treating yourself with things you love such as: buying a new book or going on a shopping trip (just make sure it’s not too expensive). You deserve to treat yo’ self every once in awhile 🙂
• writing down the things that inspire you – whether they’re quotes from books, songs from artists, etc., writing those words of motivation can help keep them fresh in your head when motivation is low. I know this works because whenever my motivation drops off into deep depths of nothingness, all I have to do is read back over some of my personal favorite quotes and I start to feel a bit better piece by piece. I have a few Pinterest boards PACKED with this kind of stuff. Click here to follow.

Heres a whole post about getting started working on your mental health if you want to take a read before moving on!

Once you start working on those things and start to feel a bit better about your self-esteem, odds are you’ll feel a bit better about trying things to help you feel more motivated.

Let’s dive into the 17 ways to get motivated that I have to share with you today!

I think you’ll love these!

• 100 Healthy Habits for a New Year New Me
• 10 Positive Mental Health Habits for 2025
• Quick and Easy High Protein Fudge Brownies
• 120+ Positive Bedtime Affirmations to Sleep Better
• 120+ Positive Anxiety Affirmations for Stress Relief

17 Ways to Get Motivated When You Aren’t

• Set baby goals, no, smaller than those!
• Celebrate the tiniest steps
• Break down tasks into tiny sub-tasks, crossing off will feel amazing
• Start the day with a self-love journal (affirmations, word of the day, the goal of the day, check-in, etc)
• Find inspiration from books or podcasts, NOT social media
• Write out a small goal and stick it everywhere
• Understand that your best looks different on different days
• Focus on benefits, not how hard it is to get up or the wet hair after a shower
• Reconsider how you talk to yourself – you’re not dumb. You’re okay.
• Make sure you’re planning in time just for you and the things that re-energize your soul
• Not sure what you even want to do? Start with this- I want you to drink one full cup of water today. Just one. I don’t care if it takes the entire day, I just want that ONE glass drank
• Easier said than done, but I am a huge fan of FITYMI. So, put your uncomfortable self in the shower and stand there 
• Give it one try. Just like we tell our kids. I know you don’t want to do ____, but why don’t you give it five minutes.
• Give your life a little “compliment sandwich” kinda to-do list. I do this a LOT with TikTok. My biggest problem is staying on TikTok for hours. Like, all day. I find way too much joy in that app. SO to give me the best of both worlds, I’ll set myself a timer and clean for five or ten minutes, and then I have a break with the app. Or open up Instagram stories while doing dishes
• Make your to-do list, but highlight or star only 1-3 of the tasks as your top priorities. Can the laundry wait a day? Sure. But if you are nearly out of clothes, that might become your must-do for the day
• Give yourself rewards! This is honestly how I stay motivated as a WFHM. I have timers set on my phone and I’ll work for that time frame with my phone on DND and for some reason, that 30 minute or hour timer ends up feeling like a present when I get to open my phone and check back in on social and messages
• Don’t kick yourself for asking for help. Therapy. Friend. Family. House Cleaner. Mothers helper. Do what you need.

I know those ideas for getting motivated might feel like a lot right now, but I hope you noted down a few of the ways to feel motivated shared here today to try out when you’re ready.

Sending hugs!