Health and security part of the foundation for productive people

When you think about it, that’s pretty much everything. Even work usually has an element of choice; you could probably do something else.

In two previous articles we’ve looked at how these choices are the result of our needs and our inherent drive to meet them. I’ve focused on some of the most recognized physical needs (e.g. food, water, shelter) and psychological needs (belonging, control, and competence).

However, it seems that we have many other drives that can be harnessed to help motivate us toward positive action and achievement.

One of our strongest needs is for safety.

That may not be one you want to use to motivate your kids to do their homework or clean up their rooms.

However, we can’t ignore its power because it is a key to what I’ll call counter-motivation. In other words, it is so strong that it interferes with motivation to do other things we want.

A sad, but not uncommon, example is children who just don’t seem motivated in school, because they have been abused or neglected at home, or are afraid of bullies at school or elsewhere.

How do children focus on long division or photosynthesis when they don’t feel safe? That’s one of many reasons why all adults need to work to help children to be and to feel safe.

Creativity and Learning

Another need, which can be used in a more positive way, is what I see as a natural need for mental stimulation.

Our brains have a natural need for activity. Some researchers suggest that this drive is blunted as we get older due to everything from television to expensive toys to poor teaching methods. (Have you seen small kids play with sticks and mud or cardboard boxes; but as they get older, their toys must have remote controls, audio, and video?) This change may be, in part, a natural part of maturation and a result of societal factors.

But I suspect that the drive to think and create diminishes partly due to lack of use. That seems especially true of creativity. Both my reading and my experience suggest that children who are fascinatingly creative and curious when they are small, often lose much of this drive as they grow older.

In addition to a creative need, most people demonstrate a drive to learn and understand the world around them. We read, we ask questions, we take things apart, and we Google because of our natural curiosity and desire to learn. One of our greatest motivations to travel is that desire to see how the world and its people work in other places.

Applications for this drive are easy to find, but not used nearly enough. Adults can tie this in with our need for belonging by taking classes or joining groups with similar interests.

To help our kids, we need to be responsive to their questions and help them to find answers, whether it’s on the computer, in books or out in the “real world.”

Teachers can use students’ natural curiosity to get them started on projects and have them share the things they learn with others. For birthday gifts, look for art supplies, science kits, as well as books and games that involve creativity and problem solving.

And I don’t just mean for kids; adults of all ages can play and learn at the same time.

Physical Activity

If our minds need stimulation, what about our bodies? The pattern seems the same; if you don’t use it, you lose it — the drive and capacity to be physically active, that is.

And here the benefit of activity helps improve fitness and general health which, as we saw earlier, contribute toward our motivation in other areas. There is no shortage of activities; the key is to look for those that help meet other needs as well.

For example, many people can’t stick with an exercise plan alone, but by working (or playing) with a friend or group, they are highly motivated. Competition is also a great motivator for some people.

Organization

There are some needs that seem to be highly individualized; some people show a strong need while others don’t.

For example, order is absolutely essential for some people to be productive. They have to clean and organize their work space before they can get down to work. A sloppy room or desk just paralyzes them.

Variety and Consistency

Variety is a clear need for many people. Do you know anyone who can’t do the same thing for very long or do it the same way repeatedly? Just as you vary your dinner menu, you can vary your study or work methods. After doing reports or other written work for a while, you need to take a break to make your phone calls, check your e-mail, or take a walk. Some children and adults with attention problems need a change in activity every few minutes to keep their interest.

For other people, consistency is the key. They do best if they follow a routine every day — homework before dinner, get up at 6 and go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For many children, routines and consistency are essential tools to motivation and productivity. Consistency allows the development of habits and sets expectations. Many children have great difficulty with change. When they know what to expect and how their day is put together, they are more relaxed and cooperative. For some, each change in schedules or expectations results in an emotional battle.

That might explain why some have so much trouble getting back into the groove at school after a long weekend or a vacation; it takes time to readjust to schedules and expectations.

Teachers often meet this need by posting and following schedules, giving overviews, and establishing classroom routines.

Conclusion

While there are some basic needs that we all have, our needs and their intensity often vary based on personality and circumstances.

In order to use needs and drives to support motivation, we should look at those individual factors. Then we can allocate the right amount of our energy and attention to providing a safe environment, intellectual and physical activity, and the right balance between variety and consistency.

Using these ingredients in the right proportions can help increase productivity in your quest to reach all kinds of personal goals.