Post-Summer Motivation

I like to teach from experience. I make the mistakes, so you don’t have to. (Plus, I love to experiment with the hobby and teach from my results.)

Getting motivated after an absence from the hobby isn’t always easy. Let me preface “absence” by stating I never stop entering 100%. I may do a few quick instants, a few radio giveaways, a few Instagram contests. For me, an absence is not sitting down to my laptop for an hour or more a day and spending time entering new sweepstakes and my ‘dailies’.

So what happened? Why did I stop? How did I get off track?

Work. Summer. Life. That’s what happened.

This past summer was filled with publishing, getting my new assistant set up, and, of course, the Annual National Sweepstakes Convention. Sound familiar? Maybe your summer involved family vacations, kids being home from school, or simply the desire to spend more time outdoors rather than hunched over a computer screen.

Whatever pulled you away from your regular entering routine, you’re not alone. The beauty of sweepstakes is that there’s always a fresh start waiting for you. Here are the three strategies I employ to get motivated and back in the daily habit of entering—and winning!

START FRESH

I start with a clean slate. I go into all my bookmarked contest folders and clear out any expired giveaways. Like the first day of school with a fresh notebook and a sharp pencil, it feels good to start fresh.

This isn’t just about organization. It’s about psychology. When you’re staring at a cluttered bookmark folder filled with dead contests, it’s overwhelming and discouraging. By clearing the digital cobwebs, you’re creating space for new opportunities and signaling to yourself that you’re ready to begin again.

Take 30 minutes to audit your systems. Delete expired bookmarks, clean out your contest folders, and maybe even reorganize your entry tracking spreadsheet. You’ll be amazed how this simple act can shift your mindset from “I’m so behind” to “I’m ready to win.”

DON’T LOOK BACK

You can’t move forward looking in the rearview mirror. I delete all but the last week of contest emails. It’s a waste of time to backpedal too far, as more and more sweepstakes posted would have expired. I find a week to be a good rule of thumb for me.

If you want to delve a bit further back, I recommend only reviewing all the single-entry sweepstakes posted in the past month on your preferred aggregate’s website.

This strategy fights the overwhelm that kills motivation. When you’ve been away for weeks or months, the temptation is to try to catch up on everything you missed. Resist this urge! You’ll spend hours sorting through expired contests and feel defeated before you even start.

Instead, focus on what’s available right now. The sweepstakes world moves fast, and there are always new contests launching. Your energy is better spent on fresh opportunities than lamenting missed ones.

BRUSH YOUR TEETH

Just as you brush your teeth or exercise, at roughly the same time every day, make entering a regular part of your daily routine. My preference is in the evening after dinner because my best writing/work time is the morning and it gives me a breather at the end of a busy day. Make it a conscious decision for a few weeks, and you will find it’s become a habit.

The key here is consistency over intensity. Don’t try to make up for lost time by entering for three hours straight. You’ll burn out quickly. Instead, commit to 20-30 minutes daily at the same time.

Consider what time of day works best for your energy levels and schedule. Morning people might prefer entering with their coffee. Night owls might find it relaxing before bed. Parents might squeeze it in during naptime. The specific time matters less than the consistency.

BONUS TIP: Start Small, Win Big

Here’s an extra strategy I’ve learned from my own comeback experiences: start with easy wins. On your first day back, focus on instant win games and quick social media contests. The immediate gratification of seeing “Sorry, try again” or even better, “You won!” helps rebuild that entering excitement.

Save the essay contests and complex entries for when you’ve rebuilt your momentum. You want to associate your return to sweepstakes with fun and possibility, not frustration and writer’s block.

Your Turn

The summer is over, routines are settling back into place, and it’s time to get back in the game. Remember, every sweepstakes pro has taken breaks—what matters is coming back stronger.

What strategies do you employ to get back on track? I’d love to hear your comeback stories and tips in the comments below. After all, we’re all learning from each other’s experiences in this hobby.

Ready to start fresh? Clear those bookmarks, delete those old emails, and set your daily entering time. Your next big win is waiting!