How to Stay Motivated When You Feel Like Shit
Listen on Apple Podcasts / Listen on Spotify
Feeling like total garbage lately? You’re not alone.
As a burnout coach who works with high-achieving women, solopreneurs, and corporate professionals, I know firsthand that staying motivated when you're exhausted, emotionally drained, or just “off” can feel impossible.
But here’s the truth: Motivation isn’t magic. It’s maintenance.
You don’t need a 10-step morning routine or a perfectly optimized schedule—you just need some practical, short-term strategies to get you through the tough moments. If you're burned out, overwhelmed, or flat-out tired, here’s how to stay on track without pushing yourself over the edge.
1. Shift Your Mindset About Motivation
Motivation isn’t supposed to be constant. If you're waiting to feel “inspired,” you’re going to stay stuck. Instead, treat motivation like a system—one that you build into your day with structure, reminders, and rewards.
2. Reconnect with Your “Why”
When you're in survival mode, it's easy to forget why you even started. Whether you're building a business, growing your career, or just trying to survive burnout, come back to the core purpose.
Write it down. Make it visible. Let it pull you forward on the days when willpower disappears.
3. Break Down Big Goals Into Tiny Tasks
Burnout often disguises itself as procrastination.
If your to-do list looks like Mount Everest, your brain will peace out before you even start. Break it down. Then break it down again.
Even crossing off a 5-minute task can give your brain the dopamine hit it needs to keep going.
4. Change Your Environment to Change Your Energy
Environment = energy.
If you’re trying to push through burnout in the same space that’s draining you, it’s going to be harder. Go outside. Switch workspaces. Put on a playlist.
A micro-shift in your surroundings can reset your focus and your stress levels.
5. Use Accountability (Even If It’s Just One Person)
Find someone who gets it. An accountability buddy doesn’t need to be a coach—just someone who’ll check in with you.
Sometimes, just knowing someone will ask, “Did you do the thing?” is enough to light a spark.
6. Prioritize Functional Self-Care
If you’re running on fumes, self-care isn’t optional—it’s survival.
But forget bubble baths and spa days. We're talking about burnout-proof self-care:
Eat real meals.
Sleep more than 5 hours.
Move your body without punishing it.
Hydrate like it’s your job.
You don’t have to do it perfectly. Just do the basics consistently.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken.
It means your systems need support—and that starts with how you treat yourself when you feel like sh*t.
💬 Want more practical tips to beat burnout and stay focused even when life is chaos?
Let’s work together. Book a free burnout strategy session or DM me on Instagram @coachellyn.
