At this time of pandemic, we are struggling to find and maintain motivation. But how do we stay involved and productive? Scroll down to find out.

1. Daily Rituals

According to a study at Harvard University (2018), "rituals increase people’s self-control and feelings of self-discipline." Dr. Lora Park of the University of Michigan says that rituals are things you do in repetition or with consistency, even the small routines you do in a day. Dr. Park adds that rituals automate behavior. This is an excellent way to make your daily activities more organized and to manage time and energy wisely (i.e. not waste time in making unnecessary decisions).

2. Routine Cues

Cues are prompts that trigger an automatic behavior to start. Therefore, creating signs or signals will help you stay the course.

3. Reward

Always reward yourself every time you achieve an important milestone or target.

4. Positive Emotions

Finding ways to nurture positive emotions daily can make a real difference to your motivation and productivity. According to Barbara Fredrickson, a social psychologist, living with positive emotions can improve your job performance, as well as your physical and mental health, social relationships, community engagement, and income. Therefore, animators need to find a way to work on positive feelings on a daily basis.

5. Self-criticism

Most self-critics happen in our minds. Instead of blaming yourself, focus your attention to correct or improve your actions.

6. Emotional Triggers

An emotional trigger is everything that causes an intense emotional reaction, irrespective of your current mood. Knowing what your triggers are and how to deal with them is a key to good emotional health. Dr. Lora Park from the University of Michigan says, "Create a script in your head of what you're going to do. It's kind of automating your behavior so that you don't have to be like completely paralyzed at that moment."