Motivated? Fatigued? Or Just Plain Lazy??

This has been a tough semester ... truly  one of the most difficult I have ever encountered ... and it's not because I'm taking too many classes, working too much or dealing with too much family drama. Nope! As far as I can tell, I have been suffering from a motivation lull, mind fatigue and general laziness.

This semester I am working on finishing up my "Thesis" (it's in quotes because, technically, it's a Plan B - no defense or publishing - but try to tell Dr. Ideta that and you will receive a very different response). I am taking this course, working full-time, planning a wedding and dealing with everyday life as a mother and partner. So, no, it's not too much to handle ... but all of that combined with missing motivation, a mind that sometimes refuses to function and an overwhelming desire to curl up on the couch and veg out in front of the tv at the end of the day instead of picking up one of the many drafts of the papers that I have left or one of the many books and/or journals that I should be perusing and consuming.

I've been thinking a lot about how to maintain motivation and persistence in my research and academic endeavors. I plan to, eventually, apply for a PhD program but until that time, I hope to continue my research as a student affairs practitioner. Problem is ... how do I keep myself motivated and energized? I am completely passionate and captivated by my areas of interest, I have personal and professional reasons as to why I feel convicted to pursue research on LGBTQ and single-parent populations on campuses but, let's face it, there are times when self-motivation and intellectual investment just ain't happening. Unfortunately, I'm suffering from one of those time periods right now ... my last semester. NOT GOOD!!!

So, I've been slow to get off my okole and moving on my interviews for this paper. After my mental and emotional investment in my thesis, the very thought of having provocative and intriguing interviews with colleagues of mine that I hold in such esteem is simply overwhelming and exhausting. But, I think I've figured out the most basic form of motivation, and I'm hoping it will work as I push through to the end of this semester ... if I don't get it done, I don't graduate. And if I don't graduate, then I need to come back and do this again next semester. And if I have to do this again next semester, I might lose what is left of my mind ... so, guess I'll just suck it up and get it done. And, while I'm getting it done, I just may find that motivation and energy might be reignited ... well, I can always hope so.