E-Mail IMAGE: Count Your Blessings: Short Gratitude Intervention Can Increase Academic Motivation. Research by Ritsumeikan University and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan shows that a keeping a... view more Credit: Ritsumeikan University and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan It is difficult for us to succeed in whatever we set out to do if we lack motivation. We usually need it as a driving force to achieve both short- and long-term goals, from household chores to getting a degree. However, because of the ongoing pandemic, our lifestyles have been subjected to drastic and dynamic changes, and many work- and study-related activities are now carried out online exclusively. This, among other complex factors, have made it difficult for some people to stay focused and motivated, and psychology researchers are trying to find effective and widely applicable solutions to address such problems.