5 Ways to Get Motivated (when you're in a slump)

Unsolicited Advice: Always unload the bottom rack of a dishwasher first, so the water sitting on the top rack dishes spills on an empty rack (rather than dry dishes).

When you set a five minute timer with Alexa, my echo dot heard you and started a timer for me too!!! It’s like you’re reaching through my TV and telling Alexa that it’s time for me to clean! 😂

Super procrastinator here. I motivate myself to declutter by watching your videos! Literally NOTHING else has ever worked. So even if it's one I've seen, I watch it to get me in the right mood and headspace, and make me feel like I actually WANT do it! :)

Clowns freak me the heck out. Great costumes. Milo should get to pick what he wants for Halloween. Kids have very little say in their lives and Halloween is a day to let them decide. So I say you're a great mother.

Another motivation: Make it Fun! I took this lesson from my two year who insisted on putting on his backhoe loader costume before picking up his toys today. It took him forever to scoop the Duplo into his shovel and dump them into the container, but he had fun doing it!

I agree that the perfect comfy shoes are a good motivator

Watching a video or listening to a podcast actually releases endorphins as well as distracts us. I have a degenerative back issue and it’s often really painful when I’m up and getting stuff done. I started watching videos (yours, minimal mom, a couple of others) and I thought it was just the distraction that helped me get through the tasks but then I found out about the endorphin release and it made total sense! My pain always decreases when I have a video on! Great video, Cas!

For me, watching "Hoarders" always gets me motivated to declutter.

I just listened to a podcast (from Mother Like A Boss) about how momentum works when motivation isn't there. Just do the next thing, and don't worry about looking for the feeling of motivation before you start, since the feeling can be fleeting but momentum moves you forward little by little by actually doing something. Makes sense to me. It's easier to just unload the dishwasher to feel like I'm getting something done and usually that momentum builds to me loading the dirty dishes...and then maybe wiping the counters... and then maybe sweeping. Before I know it I've cleaned the kitchen!

Sitting in bed in London U.K. at 11pm and you managed to set our Alexa for the 5 minute alarm….. Got up and cleaned the bathroom immediately !!! Not been motivated all day. Yet You ‘set my alarm’ and I was up and off like a rocket - thanks Cas xxx 😘

Hahaha awww doggo wanted to play and brought a ball! I do a 10 minute timer as soon as I get back home from work. Cause I know that once I sit down, I don't want to get up again. It really works! I might do a quick living room tidy up, or take paper to the recycle bin down the street, check the fridge, fold the laundry, catch up on some dishes I forgot the day before or vaccume. Just pick 1 thing and do it for 10 minutes. At the end of the week, so much got done :D

I just retired from 34 years of teaching and I think Milo's and your costumes are awesome! Boys need to be allowed to be boys and so often these days they get squashed. You are a fantastic mom!

You're the best! About Tip Nr 4: What helped me when I am unmotivated, depressed or overwhelmed was to make a spreadsheets with common tasks and the time they take. First, it helps to see that most things take less time than you think. And when I feel too overwhelmed to start I ask myself "How long can you go?" sometimes it's 1 minute, sometimes it's 3 and 1/2, sometimes 20 (those numbers are actually rather random, but when I pick let's say 5 minutes, I look through the list what I can do in 5 minutes. (Pick up und empty the cats' food bowls, 45 seconds; put the shoes and coat away, 30 seconds, collect paper trash and put it into the recycling bin, 120 seconds, clean the litter boxes (just scooping), 60 seconds, wiping down the bathroom sink, 90 seconds - is that 5 minutes? normally I use the excel calculator, haha) And I don't look for efficiency when I'm in that kind of state, everything that gets done is good. Normally it doesn't make sense to do only one little thing in one room, than one thing in the next, but thinking about efficient or optimal time management would totally de-motivate me, when it's just about starting

I definitely prefer non-scary/gory Halloween—but you do you!!! Love the mom-win of letting Milo choose his costume! And then the bonus of being the coolest mom by ALSO being a scary clown! You go!!!!

Ok. My neighbor suggested I get running shoes yesterday after we walked 2.3 miles. Today i rode my bike a mile, to the post office. I had 5 packages. I had to walk back, so i’m ordering the New Balances after the video. Thanks. Monica.

Years ago, I remember "The FlyLady" first step for cleaning was to "get dressed down to the shoes". It always made a big difference for me when tackling things around the house. Also, I think it's just good protection as opposed to bare feet.

I have news for Joe, I have 2 sons. Right around 9 years old they switch from cute or super hero costumes to scary ones. It helps them sort out evil vs good or something like that. I don’t remember exactly why but it’s common and actually good for them. My sons are now 31 and 28 and they are the most decent human beings I know! No need to worry, it’s normal!

CASS- YOU, DAWN AND DANA are my motivation! I LOVE listening to you all when I’m cleaning or decluttering, it’s like you’re all here with me - FRIENDS HELPING EACH OTHER!

You just set Alexa timers around the world or at least here in Maine lol. Love your videos. 💜

Cass!!! I’m so proud of you! Look at everything you’ve accomplished and everyone you’ve inspired!🖤 You’ve changed so many lives! Keep being true to yourself, your bugs love you!🖤