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Cierra Noffke, Staff Writer April 15, 2020

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The waves of the coronavirus have left most of us deserted in our homes, dwindling beneath our desire to go back to sleep or to go out into a functioning society once again. I have found, with the progression of these past few weeks, that mustering up the will to finish my homework, to attend live classes, and funnel valuable energy into upcoming projects takes a special streak of motivation.

Thus, I have compiled a list of methods to help anyone struggling with productivity. There is no secret to these suggestions. If you want to achieve something, you actually have to go and do it. Sometimes, though, we need a little help getting out of our beds and our pajamas.

My number one suggestion isnt on the list because it is something Ive tucked away into every morsel of advice: be kind to yourself. Quarantining and isolating is rough. Looking at the news for too long brings waves of anxiety.

If youve managed to accomplish something, anything, be it putting on a new pair of pajamas or making something special for lunchcongratulations! You have done something and I have full faith that you have done it well.

If youre still in bed, thats okay too. Maybe this list will give you something new to think about.

Roll your eyes if you want, at this one. Drinking water purifies your body. Your cells are craving it from the second your eyes open from your first (or third) slumber. A large portion of your body is composed of water and if you dont replenish yourself enough times in a day you will become dehydrated and tired. Drink some water. If you dont like water try squeezing in some lemon, slicing fruit into your glass or using one of the helpful tips from this health system website.

Make yourself some tea or coffee

For this bit, I will share some coveted and secret barista advice from a retired barista herself. We all have different susceptibilities to the taste of tannins (the stuff that makes coffee bitter), so some of us will like it and some of us wontand thats okay! Making a cup of coffee (or tea if you dont like the coffee so much) gives your cells a little jolt of caffeine.

Attempt some exercise

Get moving! Exercising releases a wealth of endorphins, oxygen and other nutrients to your body. Sometimes, exercising rewards you with extra energy for the dayand helps you sleep better at night. Stretch on the ground in your jammies, sprint down the street or go for a walk in the woodswhatever you choose. Anything you do counts, just as long as you try.

Go outside

Go out and breathe some fresh air into your lungs. You need it, similar to the way you need water. This article published by Harvard Medical school supplies several interesting facts, linked to studies, about rejuvenation, joy, and energy sparked from wandering in the great out of doors. Sunlight is, truly, healing (just dont forget sunscreen). If its possible, try moving your work outside. If its nice, go for a nature walk. If its not so nice, stare moodily out the window whilst listening to Mozarts Requiem. It does wonders for the soul.

Treat yourself

This one I will leave up to you, although I do have an article of quarantine recipes here if the notion strikes you. If you are so inclined, put a facemask on, take a bath, watch your favorite movie with your favorite blanket. Add whipped cream to your coffee as a delightful surprise. Bake something warm and sweet. Whatever you choose to do, put all the extra love you have inside it and I promise itll be rewarding.

See original here:
How to find motivation in the quarantine - UNCW Seahawk

For every burgeoning young footballer, it isimportant to keep in mind your idols your standard-bearers, your icons, the model professionals tohave trodden the path you see before you.

For every burgeoning young Portuguese footballer, there is one immediately obvious candidate.

Despite being a central defender, 19-year-old Portugal youth international Gonalo Cardoso will never forget the time he met Cristiano Ronaldo.

The summer 2019 signing from Boavista, who was West Hams youngest recruit of the off-season, has played a pivotal role at the heart of Dmitri Halajkos U23sso far this campaign.

Blessed with a superb natural reading of the game, the Marco de Canaveses-born defender has made 18 appearances in all competitions, helping his side to seven clean sheets on the way to being named in his first Premier League matchday squads in January.

Cristiano Ronaldodoesnt play my position, but he is a hero of mine. His motivation and how he works its incredible

Gonalo Cardoso

Such form has also translated to the international stage, with Cardoso joining West Ham having represented Portugal at last summers UEFA European U19 Championship finals, before captaining the U20s for the first time against England in November.

It was in training with his country, however, where Cardoso enjoyed an encounter with the five-time Ballon dOr winner and it was one he could scarcely fathom.

As a Portuguese centre-back, I really liked watching Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe, he told whufc.com. Then there are internationals like Virgil van Dijk and Sergio Ramos, who are unbelievable.

As an idol, I really like Cristiano Ronaldo not for his position, but for the way he works, the way hes got the way he is now.

I met him with the national team last summer. We were preparing for the European U19Championship finals in Armenia. We were in the gym in Portugal doing some exercises and he walked in like nothing.

We looked around at each other and asked What is he doing? What was crazy, but it shows how he works, was that he joined in during his holidays, on a Sunday!

"He was in Lisbon with his family on holiday, and hed decided to come to the training ground to train. On his holidays, he was there.

Look at his story. He started from nothing but he started growing, working hard, and he has been at the top for so many years, which gives you motivation as a player.

He doesnt play my position, but he is a hero of mine. His motivation and how he works its incredible.

Having grown up in the comparatively modest surroundings of Marco de Canaveses there are only 10,000 people, Cardoso laughed and grafted his way into the Premier League, it would surprise few should the centre-backs grounded mentality helped him to similarlyshine under the bright lights of London Stadium.

Excerpt from:
Gonalo Cardoso: I take motivation from Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible work ethic and attidude - West Ham United F.C.

ILKLEY Town manager, Simon Armstrong, believes his side can use the Football Association's decision to void the season as a tool of encouragement for next season.

Last week, despite over 100 clubs appealing their conclusion, the FA confirmed that they would ratify their choice to null the 2019-20 campaign for steps 3-7.

Town were one of the clubs to send a letter of disagreement to the governing body after recording their best season to date.

The West Yorkshire League Premier Division side were flying high in second on the cusp of promotion to step six, while on the cup front they were in the final four of the West Yorkshire League Cup and the Wharfedale & District FA Cup, and the last eight of the West Yorkshire League Cup.

Although Armstrong is discontent, he believes the best thing his club can do now is use this to go again even stronger when football does return.

The Town boss said: "I thought it was a longshot that we were going to overturn the decision anyway. It was important that we demonstrated that we didnt agree with it.

"It just leaves a sour taste for a lot of people because it is 80% complete. To turn around and say it doesnt matter, it isnt the right thing to do.

"A lot of the work, effort and time was not taken into consideration. It was disappointing. We wanted to voice our opinion along with all the other clubs.

. "Ultimately there is a lot of people passionate about football. When you feel like you have been treated unjustly, it is natural that the passion comes through and you want to oppose it."

Armstrong added: "As soon as it we as ratified we all made a conscious decision that they are not going to overturn so the focus is on the new season.

"We have already talked to our players and thankfully 95%, if not more, have committed to the new season. A lot of them feel that we have got unfinished business.

"It has to be the motivation. We proved this season that we can compete with anybody at this level. We were in two semis and a quarter final so we had a chance of winning some silverware.

"We wanted the opportunity to see it through but I think we can use that in a positive way to inspire us."

At the summit of the league stood Beeston St Anthony who were having an extraordinary campaign. The Bees were unbeaten in 19, Ilkley being the only team to take points off them with the pair drawing twice.

Armstrong feels sorry for their title rivals and would have been willing to force through their promotion if it had come to it.

He added: "We played Beeston in the last game before it got stopped. It is an injustice that they wont be handed a league title and an unbeaten season at this level.

"They deserved it. Whatever happened they would have had our backing if they could have had the title awarded.

"They were 15 points ahead. It was highly unlikely that we are going to catch them given the relentless season they were having."

Original post:
Ilkley Town manager wants to use voided season as motivation - Bradford Telegraph and Argus

IOWA CITY, Iowa. (KCRG) - On an average Tuesday, Iowa City West sophomore Alex McKane would be running laps around the track on campus, but with all spring activities suspended until May 1, his runs are now around the neighborhood.

Ive adapted to it and trying to listen to podcasts and just keep my mind occupied and just make it part of my routine of just gotta get out there and I know I have to put in the work," McKane said,

McKane is not alone. Thousands of spring-sport athletes are training wherever they can find the space, with home workout plans provided by their coaches.

Whether the workouts are that quality or not, it's just a piece of their day and some routine and some schedule through these unprecedented times, Josh Kidman, Iowa City West cross country coach, said.

Kidman, along with the Trojans' track coach Travis Craig, wanted to take things to a new level. They created a group on the run-tracking application Strava. Athletes from across the state can input their distances and times after their runs so instead of having someone in lane five pushing you towards your limit, the motivation can be found online.

Meets for track and field people are places to prove that what youre doing is working, and we want to provide an opportunity," Craig said. "Using Strava or even using the GoogleDoc were saying you know what, you might not be running races but the things you are doing whether they are normal or not, the things you are doing are actually helping you get better.

That's the coaches' ultimate goaL: Having the athletes take matters into their own hands, to be ready to compete, whenever that time comes

"You sort of see who you are in a time like this when there's no coaches, nobody riding next to you pushing you, and its all that individual time trial and all that individual motivation to get you out their and train," Craig said.

Read more from the original source:
Iowa City West creates virtual meet to motivate track and field athletes - KCRG

Professor Richard Ryan, one of the worlds leading researchers on human motivation and the co-developer of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), believes the secret to a happier and more engaged workforce lies in understanding what really motivates us.

Simply put, fostering a culture where employees have clear career goals - and are motivated to achieve those goals - is critical for any company to retain and attract great talent. Employees are holding their employers to a higher standard, and if they dont feel valued in their place of work or feel their career growth is being stunted, the outcome is predictable: they will leave.

Understanding what motivates people, what really inspires us to leap out of bed in the morning, is fundamental to building a productive culture that employees really want to be a part of and to bringing out peoples best work.

What motivates us at work is fundamentally the same as what motivates us in most every other realm of our lives. Science tells us that motivating ourselves or others through external factors such as the threat of punishment or even the promise of a reward (i.e. the old carrot and stick tactic) is rarely effective or long-lasting.

The idea of supporting such internal motivation is at the core of Self-Determination Theory (SDT).

SDT can really be broken down into three basic needs that drive our intrinsic motivation and sense of willingness to put our best into our work:

Competence essentially boils down to feeling good at what we do - I think its fair to say we all want to feel effective in our jobs. We like to use our skills to make a contribution that feels meaningful and valued.

Relatedness refers to our need to feel connected to others around us, but this is balanced with our desire for autonomy - having a sense of ownership and control over both our day-to-day activities and our long-term career path.

Especially as a cofounder of MotivationWorks Inc., a company that consults on fostering employee engagement, Ive had the opportunity to work with a lot of human resource managers, so I appreciate that creating a culture around the idea of intrinsic motivation can be dauntingand its certainly a big switch from management approaches of the past.

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But I think a good place to start is just with compassion. Good leaders will listen to their employees, understand their viewpoint and have faith that they will do a great job if theyre just given the right conditions to do so.

Of course, every company has certain targets it needs to hit, but its important to remember that people arent machineswe arent motivated by KPIs. We need to feel like were working towards something meaningful and to understand why what were doing actually matters.

Its about encouraging commitment, not forcing compliance. Thats why managers have a responsibility to maintain an open dialogue within their own team, ensuring that every individual understands why certain demands are being made of them, listening to concerns when they arise, and showing a willingness to compromise whenever possible. Employees should never feel like theyre just another cog lost in the corporate wheel.

It almost goes without saying that people want to be paid well and rewarded for the work theyre doing. But actually, when you examine the reason behind that, its often because we feel the amount that were paid is a direct indication of how much were valued by our employer.

If were paid well, it tells us that our work is being recognized and that we matter to the company. But many companies now also offer their employees perks and benefitslike a free gym membershipand those generally fall under that extrinsic motivation category. Am I saying companies shouldnt use incentive systems? Not at all, theyre still a part of motivational design. But they do need to be leveraged in the right way so theyre not undermining peoples intrinsic motivation and commitment.

Rewards can really become an issue when they are too outcome-focused. Thats when they stop feeling supportive and start being experienced as another form of external control. The most common example of this is performance-related bonuses offered to employees when they achieve certain KPIs.

These can actually be very corrupting in a company because it encourages people to only focus on what theyre getting rewarded for and can even lead people to cheat or cut corners just to reach that end goal as fast as possible. It can also create a pretty unhealthy environment within teams, particularly if these rewards appear to be inequitable.

One thing we have discovered, however, is that when employees are dissatisfied with their compensation, its not always about the money. Its often a reflection of frustrations of autonomy, competence or relatedness on the job. When they are liking their work, compensation becomes less of a focus.

Consider rewards that offer opportunities for greater intrinsic satisfaction.

Also, rewards work best when they are perceived as fair and commensurate with ones contributions. A sense of inequity can undermine loyalty. Finally, good compensation packages also consider the whole of a persons contributions (rather than just a narrow set of outcomes). They increase a persons sense of being truly valued and appreciated for all their efforts.

Dr. Richard Ryan is Professor Emeritus in Psychology at the University of Rochester,a Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology & Education at the Australian Catholic University, and co-founder of MotivationWorks, Inc. He's also the co-developer of Self-Determination Theory, one of the leading theories of human motivation.

Find out more about SDT and different strategies and styles for better motivation by enrolling in Dr. Ryan's free online course available on Courserahere.

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A better understanding of motivation is the key to a happier, and more productive, workplace - FE News

The lockdown has been officially extended till May 03. The extension is making a lot of people think about newer hobbies and ways to pass time. Even though it can be a bit boring to stay locked up inside the house, there's no denying that you can't make the most of your time.

Take Bhumi Pednekar for example. Even though the actress is locked up inside, she has all the motivation to stay put, safe from the virus!

The actress, who won major accolades for her dramatic weight gain and transformation following her role in the film Dum Laga Ke Haisha is literally working up a sweat indoors. Now, this is true #workoutmotivation!

Sharing her hack to boost immunity, Bhumi shared a workout photo where she looks absolutely toned! We are so jealous!

Not only is exercise one of the best ways to boost your immunity naturally, working out can be a good way to pass time and shape up during the lockdown.

Bhumi surely is a fitness motivation for everyone out there. Her feed surely is an inspiration for anyone needing some lockdown tips to workout from home. She has also been motivating her fans to stay fit at home.

Apart from this, the actress has turned to some soulful baking like many across the globe to stay mindful! Just recently, she posted a photo of a super healthy walnut and dates cake we want to bite into!

Bhumi also shared an adorable photo with her mother, asking fans to not break the lockdown or be scared of self-isolation. She wrote:

"I am practising social distancing, I am self-isolating my family, we are being as responsible towards our community as possible by abiding by the govt. restrictions. Please stay indoors, wash your hands, don't go to public places. If you feel you have any symptoms quarantine yourself and take immediate action. Don't feel ashamed!"

Bhumi's massive 30+ kilo weight loss transformation in just months is something which can inspire any weight watcher. Not only does she exercise regularly, but she also follows a strict diet to stay in the fabulous shape through and through!

In one of the posts earlier this year, the actress revealed that she followed the Keto diet to lose weight. However, she didn't give up on any desi foods. Bhumi also made sure to include ghee, which frankly a lot many run away from!

Like the actress once said, eating healthy is a lifestyle, its a choice and not a compulsion cause you are what you eat 🙂

More here:
Revealed! Bhumi Pednekar's fitness motivation to get through the lockdown - Times of India

Now that social distancing orders and by extension, homeschooling is in full swing, parents are finding themselves playing teacher while also holding down full-time jobs. Although there are a lot of perils that come with virtual learning technical difficulties with Zoom, anyone?! making sure your children stay on track educationally is a top priority. Along with keeping your kids on a consistent schedule and ensuring they're spending the right amount of time on their work, keeping little ones focused is certainly key.

In order to help parents navigate these unusual times as much as possible, we tapped educators with experience teaching both kids big and small to get their best tips for helping students stay motivated at home. Ahead, find a slew of helpful recommendations designed to make your day productive and keep you relatively sane.

And if you're looking for more ways to keep your squad engaged, check out these free online learning resources or these videos designed to get little ones up and moving.

Read the original here:
7 Teacher-Recommended Ways to Keep Kids Motivated While Virtually Learning - POPSUGAR

Parents have always helped with homework and made sure their children fulfill responsibilities like chores, but the extended and often unstructured time families are spending together during the current crisis creates new challenges.

After a disaster like a hurricane or fire, establishing structure is important to keep consistency and maintain a sense of control for both parents and children. This includes creating a schedule and communicating clear expectations and guidelines on things such as screen time.

But how do parents get children to follow the schedule and fulfill responsibilities without nagging and in a way that prevents blowups and tantrums?

Wendy Grolnick, a psychologist and parenting expert who has worked with parents in disaster situations, has studied how parents can help children become more self-motivated and decrease conflict in the family. In this piece she shares some strategies to make the house run more smoothly during the coronavirus crisis.

When children participate in creating guidelines and schedules, they are more likely to believe the guidelines are important, accept them and follow them.

To involve children, parents can set up a family meeting. At the meeting, parents can discuss the schedule and ask children for their input on decisions like what time everyone should be out of bed and dressed, when breaks from schoolwork would work best and where each family member should be during study time.

Not every idea will be feasible children may feel being dressed by noon is fine! But when parents listen to a childs ideas, it helps them own their behavior and be more engaged in what they are doing.

There may well be differences in opinion. Parents can negotiate with their children so that at least some of the childrens ideas are adopted. Resolving conflicts is an important skill for children to learn, and they learn it best from their parents.

Schoolwork has to be done and chores need to be completed, but having some choice about how they are accomplished can help children feel less pressured and coerced, which undermines their motivation.

Parents can present some chores around the house, and children can choose which they prefer. They can also pick when or how they complete them do they want to do the dishes before or after watching their TV show?

Parents can also give children choice about what fun activity they would like to do at the end of the day or for a study break.

Children will be more open to hearing about what they need to do if they feel that their own perspectives are understood. Parents can let children know that they understand, for example, that it is not fun to be in the house and that they miss being with their friends.

Parents can begin requests with an empathetic statement. For example, I know it seems like getting dressed is silly because were in the house. But getting dressed is part of the routine we have all decided upon. Even if they might not agree with their childs perspective, when parents show that they understand, cooperation is enhanced, as is the parent-child relationship.

When parents provide reasons for why they are asking for something, children can better understand the importance of acting in particular ways. Reasons will be most effective when they are meaningful to the children in terms of the childrens own goals. For example, a parent can say that dividing up family chores will help everyone have more time for fun activities after dinner.

Not everything will go according to plan there will be times of frustration, nagging and yelling. When things arent working out, parents can try engaging in joint problem-solving with their children, which means employing empathy, identifying the issue and finding ways to resolve it.

For example, a parent might state, You know how Ive been nagging you to get up in the morning? Its probably really annoying to hear that first thing in the morning. The problem is that even though we decided wed all get up at 8 a.m., you are not getting out of bed. Lets put our heads together to see what we can do to make morning time go more smoothly. What are your ideas? I have seen this take the stress out of mornings for working parents who need to take their children to school before going to work, and I believe it could help during the pandemic, too.

All of these practices can help children to feel more ownership of their behavior. That will make them more likely to cooperate.

However, these strategies require time and patience something that is hard to come by at times of stress. Research studies show that parents are more likely to yell, demand and threaten when time is limited, they are stressed or they feel worried about how their children are performing. Thats why its important for parents to find time for their own self-care and rejuvenation whether it be by taking a walk, exercising, meditating or writing in a journal. A pandemic or other disaster presents challenges for parents, but using motivational strategies can help parents provide a calmer and more effective environment that also facilitates a positive parent-child relationship.

[Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.]

Wendy Grolnick, Professor of Psychology, Clark University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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5 ways parents can motivate children at home during the pandemic without nagging or tantrums - The Citizen

Dallas Mavericks Darrell Armstrong (Photo by Peter Larsen/Getty Images for David Yurman)

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The Dallas Mavericks hired Rick Carlisle to be their head coach in 2008. He replaced Avery Johnson after the Mavs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs two straight years. Dirk Nowitzki was in the midst of his prime and the team needed a new voice to return to the NBA Finals.

Carlisle has been in that role for 12 seasons now. When he was hired, Darrell Armstrong joined his coaching staff as an assistant. DA has been with the team ever since. The duo led the Mavericks to their first championship in 2011. They have made the playoffs seven times during their stint.

Armstrong retired from playing in 2008. He was a 14-year NBA veteran point guard. He played his best in Orlando. The nine-year run earned him induction into the Magic Hall of Fame earlier this year. DA played with tremendous energy and was the teams primary playmaker in the early 2000s.

The Dallas Mavericks usually post a motivation message on Mondays to get fans going. Darrell Armstrong took the lead this week. Check out the video below.

It is important to stay active during this time. Make sure you are finding ways to work out and remain healthy.

Armstrong and the Mavericks are ready to get back on the court. When or if that happens is still uncertain. NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated he will not make a decision until at least May. Everyone must wait it out until then.

Please, be safe and smart as we all battle the novel coronavirus. Stay home, wash your hands, and listen to the experts, so everything can return to normal.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDCs websiteor the website for your states Department of Health.

Read the original here:
Mavericks: Darrell Armstrong offers some motivation - The Smoking Cuban

Raheem Mostert's greatest football moment was years in the making. Now he's ready to make more of them.

The running back's legendary NFC Championship Game performance -- you know, the one in which he rushed for 220 yards and four touchdowns -- inspired even more ambitious visions of grandeur. Waived three times and released three times before landing in San Francisco, Mostert wants his likeness bronzed in Canton.

"I just relived everything that was going on in my life. I had my son with me on that stage," Mostert said of his incredible NFC title game performance during an appearance on DAZN's The Pat McAfee Show. "That was the most inspiring thing that I possibly could do in my lifetime right now. It was just one of those things for me when I just soaked it all in and looked back on my track record and the things that I've done, it really opened up my eyes that 'hey, look, I did this, I mean why stop?' Just keep going. Keep doing the right things, the necessary things in order to be great.

"That's something I want to be, man. I want to be able to have a gold jacket, and the only way to do that is to be great."

Mostert's NFL.com player page is truly remarkable. Before he arrived in San Francisco, he hadn't logged a single career carry in nearly two seasons (spent with five different teams). His first attempt came in his lone game with the 49ers, his second team with which he spent time in the 2016 season. The next year, he tallied just six carries for 30 yards.

And then, the boom. Mostert set the stage for his 2019 explosion by first showing small glimpses of what could be in 2018, carrying the ball 34 times for 261 yards and a touchdown. The next year, those marks increased to 137 carries, 772 yards and eight touchdowns. And that's not including his memorable day in Santa Clara that sent the 49ers to Miami.

He'd likely not even be here had unfortunate outcomes not happened to his teammates. Two seasons ago, the 49ers were ecstatic to be sending Jerick McKinnon out as their lead back, and last offseason brought the addition of Tevin Coleman to that stable. By the time the Super Bowl arrived, it was Mostert's and Matt Breida's show due to injuries suffered by McKinnon and Coleman.

Now, the 49ers seem to have a talent glut in their backfield, but they sure are getting their bang for their buck. Consider: Christian McCaffrey's four-year, $64 million extension signed this week vaulted him to No. 1 in average per-year compensation for NFL running backs at $16 million annually. That deal moved McCaffrey past the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott, who averages $15 million per year (but accounts for $10.9 million of Dallas' 2020 cap, thanks to backloading).

Coleman ($4.86M), Breida ($3.259M), Mostert ($3.158M) and McKinnon ($2.91M) combine to take up less of a cap hit in 2020 than either McCaffrey's projection or Elliott's per-year average, per Over The Cap.

That type of roster construction is why the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. And if Mostert keeps up his 2019 play, he will indeed increase his still-slim chances of making the Hall of Fame -- and very much boost his chances of getting paid.

Continued here:
Mostert: 'I want to be able to have a gold jacket' - NFL.com