How To Stay Motivated During Lockdown

Having been in lockdown now for almost eight weeks it’s not surprising that many of us have lost that initial burst of motivation and have started to feel distracted and lack luster when it comes to both work and working out. There’s no right way to feel or act at the moment as we’re all grappling with the loss of our everyday lives so if the best you can do is get out of bed, then we salute you. But if you do want to use this time to track towards your goals there are some easy ways to get back into the swing of it. Here are a few tips and tricks for kick starting your motivation and getting moving in the coming weeks.

GET ORGANIZED

One of the reasons that many of us are feeling so frustrated in the current situation is that we feel out of control. Focusing our energy on the things that we CAN control, like our daily routine, is a great way to boost motivation and regain some sense of normality. Even if you didn’t have a big fitness goal like a marathon or a Tough Mudder, setting a new goal and creating a plan of how to achieve it can give you back a sense of drive. Create yourself a new weekly plan with a good mix of cardio, strength and stretching to keep it interesting. Every time you successfully complete a workout and move a bit closer to your goal will be a boost to your confidence.

MIX IT UP

The words ‘create a training plan’ might send you screaming back to bed but we’re not suggesting you become a gym bro, workout obsessive. The key is to mix it up, you might have a certain number of workouts you want to do in a week but they can be whatever you like. Go for a run outside (remember your social distancing rules), throw in a couple of HIIT workouts and make the most of all the great live workouts that’s around at the moment. Don’t forget to add in some mobility stretches, especially as you’re probably sitting a lot more than you usually would. You could even take on some virtual challenges and get your friends involved or set up a video call so you can still workout with your training buddy. Regular training doesn’t have to be boring, in fact it’s as varied and interesting as you want to make it.

MAKE IT FUN

Now is definitely not the time to be hard on yourself. If you hate running, adding a long run into your week will probably only frustrate you and derail your plan. Fill your week with the exercise that you love and if you don’t know what that is yet, now is a great time to find out. And it isn’t just about the content of your workouts, make the workouts themselves a joyful experience. Create an awesome playlist with all of your favorite songs that will keep you moving or find a new podcast to keep you company on your run. Wear your favorite workout kit (and maybe even your Tough Mudder headband) instead of that old t-shirt you’ve worn all week, you deserve the best.

BE SMART

You might have had a goal in your calendar already that may have been postponed or even cancelled (we feel your pain) and that is definitely a hit to anyone’s motivation. But, don’t look at this as an opportunity missed, but one gained. This can be a great time to reassess your goals and what you want to achieve. Why not add some SMART goals into your thinking? That’s specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound for those of us who didn’t know. This could mean that instead of working towards a marathon time or completing a Tough Mudder, you aim to increase your speed over short distances, or try to nail the pull up that you’ve always wanted to do but been afraid of.

Want to work towards Tough Mudder as your goal? Book a Flex Ticket today and you can choose which event you run, this year or next right up until the day before the event.