Motivation During the Pandemic

There has been so much written about the human propensity for feeling fear. On the scientific level, we know that fear triggers the release of stress hormones and our sympathetic nervous system goes on overdrive. As philosopher Joseph Campbell said, “Fear of the unknown is our greatest fear,” and as of late we are experiencing a global pandemic, an onslaught of maddening news, and chaotic leadership amongst the day-to-day stress of isolation—so clearly there are a ton of reasons to feel weird, sad and unmotivated. At the same time, we also have that desire to move forward and fight the good fight despite the cards that may be stacked against us, and that’s just pure survival mode.

The Dandy has been experiencing waves of acute motivation and then all at once, pure dread and lethargy—and we know we’re not alone. So for this week’s Unfiltered series, we asked entrepreneur and founder of Unique Markets, Sonja Rasula, founder of Pretty Well Beauty Jazmin Alvarez, and Art Director at Here Magazine, Chloe Scheffe about how they’re moving through dips in motivation and managing their moods throughout the pandemic. Read on for some thoughtful insights from three highly talented women.

Sonja Rasula

Founder at Unique Markets

We’ve all encountered stale energy during the pandemic. How are you moving through the dips in motivation that even the most ambitious people face right now?

When I get overwhelmed or nervous or stressed I have a couple of techniques. First, I stop doing whatever I was doing the minute before and I move—literally. Often this means I walk to the kitchen or outside where I do a few stretches and then take three deep breaths in and out (this resets your mind and is a scientifically proven stress reliever). Second, I put things into perspective and think about all I have and all the good in my life. That usually just takes a minute or two and then I go back to work. 

If you’re having a bad day, do you accept it and allow yourself to be “off” that day? Or do you push yourself to move through it? 

I tend to push through everything. I believe there is always an answer, a new route to try, a new hour ahead. With that said, I use the techniques I mentioned above a lot. There are days I walk to the kitchen to reset more than 10 times! For me, it's important to focus on the positive and not the negative. However, when I get very overwhelmed and nothing seems to be helping, I call it a day. This happens probably once a year to me (and oddly, it happened this past weekend) and when I realize it's that kind of bad day, I give into it. I allow myself to watch TV for six hours straight or lay in bed and do nothing but think horrible thoughts for hours. We can't have good without bad, so at those times I recognize the need to do whatever the F I want and wake up the next day ready to take on anything.

Have you tried anything new to make yourself feel better during quarantine, or did you already have your go-to self-soothing methods?

I haven't showered since April. That sounds crazy but hear me out: I started only taking baths and it has been AMAZING! It gives me quiet reflection and alone time. I usually listen to podcasts or a book on Audible, burn candles, and at night I drink red wine. I mean, LIVING. 

Jazmin Alvarez

Founder of Pretty Well Beauty

We’ve all encountered stale energy during the pandemic. How are you moving through the dips in motivation that even the most ambitious people face right now? 

That has been a major point of frustration for me as someone who typically doesn’t have any issues with self-motivating. Being in isolation and not knowing what the future holds get the best of me sometimes. I’m generally a very optimistic person and fully understand the concept of impermanence, but when you are a solo founder and you don’t have a team around you all day, that's when it gets rough. When that happens, I just take a break. I know that if I try to work when I’m not “feeling it” I won’t produce my best quality work. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so anything that I do needs to be done with thought and intention behind it and not just for the sake of crossing something off a to-do list. Then when I come back renewed from the stale slump, I’m much more productive and focused.

What are some ways you self-talk yourself to a better place? If you’re having a bad day, do you accept it and allow yourself to be “off” that day? Or do you push yourself to move through it? 

On days like this, it can vary. There have been a couple of times where I just needed to call quits on a day and just do absolutely nothing. But then on other days, I’ll just write down a list of all the things I need to do and then focus on the ones that I actually want to do. That way I’m still being productive, but not torturing myself into doing something that won’t have the same love intent behind it. Also meditation is a great tool for grounding and resetting to zero. I find that when I start my day like that, it sets the tone for what’s to come and I usually have productive days then. Also calling a friend and talking on the phone helps. Nobody understands this life more than other entrepreneurs.

Have you tried anything new to make yourself feel better during quarantine, or did you already have your go-to self-soothing methods?

Going on longer walks outside with my dog so that I can not only get fresh air and movement but also a change in scenery. I’m so sick of looking at the same walls and furniture all day! Also taking time to do a workout with one of the fitness apps I’ve downloaded helps to break up my day and gives me a renewed energy afterwards. Anything I can do to feel like I’ve accomplished something and did something healthy is literally what’s keeping my life force strong.

Chloe Scheffe

Art Director at Here Magazine

We’ve all encountered stale energy during the pandemic. How are you moving through the dips in motivation that even the most ambitious people face right now?

The pandemic has certainly taken me on an emotional ride. I'm not immune and not pretending to be. I was for a while and it did me no good. Our rapidly changing world has forced me to really consider the big life questions I've used ambition around my career to put off for the last few years. Looking at those things directly and trying to muster up a real sense of hope has unsurprisingly impacted my creative motivations a lot. Questions around ethics, the purpose behind what I do and the companies I align myself with have rightly come to the forefront. I think I've always had a sense of creative morality, but it was maybe the second or third box I checked when taking on a project. I suppose my motivations aren't just recovering from a dip; they're completely changing. That said, I can't and don't dwell on the heavy stuff all the time. I think a lot about how to just enjoy life now. I remind myself regularly how much I actually love being a designer. It's so easy to get frustrated and discouraged in the day-to-day. Taking the long view is the antidote. Even simple reminders are effective. Like, isn't it wild that I get to spend my time designing book covers, or laying out magazines, or commissioning photographers, or art directing illustrators? It is. It really is. 

If you’re having a bad day, do you accept it and allow yourself to be “off” that day? Or do you push yourself to move through it? 

I accept it. I'm a firm believer in not forcing it. If I push myself on an 'off' day, more often than not I end up scrapping the work or I find myself in a place where my morale is even lower. I'm lucky that in my job I have that kind of flexibility—but really, I think any creative job should. Frankly, nothing creatives do is so urgent that we shouldn't be afforded a half day or day to recoup when needed. Creativity on the clock is tough. 

Have you tried anything new to make yourself feel better during quarantine, or did you already have your go-to self-soothing methods? 

I planted a garden. Getting up and watering plants first thing in the morning is the best. I've also decided to take up sewing once I get back to Brooklyn (I've been with family on the West Coast for the last few months). It's something I've wanted to do in theory for years and now I'm ready to actually commit to the things I somehow never seemed to get to in the past. I've also been watching a lot of DIY YouTube.