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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MixedMotivation
Weekly peer groups left school effort the same at first, a bit higher later
610 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
No differenceMotivation
Video talks at the clinic did not boost quit drive more than phone talks
560 people · Randomised · 2 tools used
No differenceMotivation
One online lesson on growing your brain did not lift girls' drive or grades
222 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
Group sessions on personal goals gave people their own reasons to manage diabetes
178 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
A short phone call raised donors' own drive; only keen donors tried again more
484 people · Randomised · 3 tools tested
HelpedMotivation
Paying small sums for logging raised people's own drive and their weight loss
153 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
HelpedMotivation
Group talks about mixed feelings on exercise gave inactive women more inner drive
70 people · Randomised · 1 tool tested
No comparisonMotivation
Parent classes raised plans to limit TV, but children's TV time wasn't compared
120 people · Trial · 2 tools used
No differenceMotivation
Step goals on a website did not lift motivation more than a step counter
97 people · Randomised · 4 tools tested
MixedGoals
A weekly group on bleak thoughts about work: more people in jobs later
64 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
HelpedTime management
An online planning game helped children with ADHD manage time, said parents and teachers
170 people · Randomised · 4 tools tested
MixedMotivation
A family course made kids keener on school only in a roundabout way
445 people · Randomised · 2 tools tested
