How to stay motivated: what the research says
Motivation here means how much you want to do a task: your interest, engagement or confidence that you can do it, measured as the main outcome. These are the actions and rules that studies have tested, rated by how sure the research is and how much they helped.
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No differenceMotivation
Doing a few chosen work tasks made workdays feel more worthwhile, not more absorbing
289 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
No comparisonMotivation
Most medical students said they preferred a game-like online quiz to a paper test
250 people · One group · 3 tools used
No differenceMotivation
AR Biology lessons got students no more engaged than VR lessons
243 people · Trial
HelpedMotivation
Instant on-screen feedback during soccer drills made young players more interested and keen
60 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
No comparisonMotivation
Trainees who felt absorbed in VR nursing practice felt more sure of themselves
209 people · Randomised
HelpedMotivation
A lively video teacher made students a bit more keen to learn a poem
139 people · Randomised
HelpedMotivation
Students who got AI feedback on an essay felt more motivated while fixing it
918 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedMotivation
Players who trained table tennis in VR felt more keen than coached players
120 people · Randomised · 1 tool used
No differenceMotivation
Extra pep talks and texts added nothing to strength training with a coach
14 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
HelpedGoals
Steady feedback in a course gave slightly better marks; drive went untested
300 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
No differenceMotivation
A short mindset reading didn't raise motivation but lowered imagined wishes to drop out
210 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedGoals
Writing how chemistry was useful kept slightly more students in science majors
2,505 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedMotivation
Pupils felt more keen on school when new teachers had social skills training
628 people · Randomised · 1 tool used
MixedTime management
Daily automated feedback on a study diary helped students stick to their time plans
256 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedGoals
Game-style quizzes made nursing students more motivated, but not better at the skills
128 people · Randomised · 3 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
An hour-long pledge session made teachers more ready to try new classroom methods
43 people · Randomised · 3 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
Training on goals and strengths left health care workers more engaged for two months
195 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
Teens taught about activity, with choices, said they meant to be more active
179 people · Randomised · 4 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
Coaching parents at home kept young children keen to learn six years later
200 people · Randomised · 1 tool used
HelpedMotivation
One lesson on why math is useful made teens rate math as more useful
1,744 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
No differenceMotivation
A two-week gratitude diary didn't clearly make students more keen to study
84 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedMotivation
Teamwork lessons slowed the usual drop in how hard students tried in class
1,890 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedMotivation
Lessons on feelings and self-control: kids a bit more keen in class for years
356 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
