How To Motivate Yourself To Workout When You’re Stuck In A Rut (8 Tips)
No one can deny it—you’re in charge of your own life. You can push yourself to do anything you set your mind to. You’re the main character here, and nothing can hold you back. You’re amazing. End of story.
But you know what’s not amazing?
Being stuck in a rut.
And you know what’s even worse?
A workout rut. The kind that crushes your exercise plans and leaves you wondering why your body just refuses to get moving.
If you’ve been feeling drained lately, you’re not the only one. Plenty of people are in the same boat. I wish that wasn’t the case, but it’s the truth.
Life gets messy. One thing after another piles up, and before you know it, your motivation to exercise is buried under everything else.
So, what can we do? Can we somehow flip this lack of drive into real energy and finally motivate ourselves to work out?
If there were a magic drink for that, I’d hand it to you right now. But since there isn’t, I’ll share eight things that always pull me out of my own workout slumps.
Before we dive in, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves why exercise matters in the first place—it’s the fuel for everything else we want to do.
How To Motivate Yourself To Workout When You’re Stuck In A Rut (8 Tips)
1. Start Small So You Don’t Talk Yourself Out of It
If I tell myself I need to run for an hour, I immediately find ten reasons not to.
But if I say, “I’ll just walk for five minutes,” I usually end up doing way more.
Starting small takes the pressure off.
And once you’re already moving, it’s easier to keep going than to stop.
The trick is to lower the mental barrier so your brain doesn’t fight you before you even begin.
2. Put Your Workout Clothes On First Thing
This one sounds too simple to work—but it does.
If I’m already wearing my workout clothes, I’m halfway there.
I feel a little silly sitting around in gym shoes and leggings doing nothing, so I usually just go work out.
It’s like a quiet nudge that says, “Hey, you’re ready. Let’s do this.”
Sometimes small actions set the tone for the whole day.
3. Make It About How You’ll Feel After, Not Just During
Truth?
Some workouts feel hard, boring, or exhausting while you’re doing them.
But I’ve never once regretted finishing one.
So when I don’t feel like starting, I think about that feeling at the end—the rush of energy, the lighter mood, the little spark of pride.
Focusing on the reward instead of the effort makes it easier to start.
4. Pair It With Something You Love
Sometimes I’ll only allow myself to watch a certain show or listen to a certain podcast when I’m working out.
It turns exercise into something I look forward to because it’s paired with something fun.
It’s a mental trick, but it works.
Find something you genuinely enjoy and save it just for workout time.
5. Track Your Streak, Not Just Your Progress
I used to only measure success by weight lost or muscles gained.
But those results take time, and waiting for them can kill motivation.
Now, I track my streak instead—how many days in a row I’ve moved my body.
It’s satisfying to see the number go up, and it makes me not want to break it.
Even a short workout counts, so the streak stays alive.
6. Keep It in Your Calendar Like Any Other Appointment
If I treat workouts as “optional,” they almost never happen.
But if they’re on my calendar, they become a real commitment—just like a meeting or doctor’s visit.
I even set reminders on my phone.
It’s harder to skip something that has a specific time and date.
7. Change the Type of Workout When You’re Bored
Sometimes a lack of motivation is really just boredom in disguise.
If I’ve been doing the same thing for weeks, I start dreading it.
So I switch it up—yoga instead of cardio, dancing instead of weights, hiking instead of running.
New movements keep my body challenged and my mind interested.
8. Have a “Bare Minimum” Plan for Low-Energy Days
There are days when the idea of a full workout feels impossible.
Instead of giving up completely, I have a bare-minimum plan: 10 squats, 10 pushups, and a quick walk.
It’s short, it’s simple, and it keeps the habit alive.
Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
