If you put more in, you get more out. But if you’re unmotivated, it’s next to impossible to put more in. Taking it easy for a while (preferably while still getting paid and doing your job just about okay!) is fine for a while, but sooner or later you’re going to have to get yourself together to give yourself another push. Even more difficult if other commitments leave you with limited time to put in. Bit like restarting exercise after a long break.
For example, I do find a bit of my energy coming back when faced with the challenge of an impressively crappy IELTS textbook and a telephoning and emailing mini-course with no materials, but I really don’t have another spare hour for another such motivation and so have no choice but to request New Cutting Edge Intermediate again, as much as it pains me.
Not complaining, though it might sound like it, just musing. Also think it’s important to share those down moments too, so that people reading the positivity fest that is the TEFL blogosphere nowadays don’t think that they are the only ones who have off days/ weeks/ months/ years (had all of them myself, at times).
TEFLtastic 
You’re right about the positivity fest! I went through a bad patch this year and I wonder if reading all those blogs bursting with ideas and enthusiasm actually did me any good – although I avidly read them to try to get my own motivation back! In the end, I accepted that I didn’t have anything extra to give so I sat back and “stuck to the book” for a few months and gave myself a rest. That seems to have done the trick. So, thanks for sharing – although it’s not good to feel unmotivated, etc. – it’s good to know that it’s normal and that most people have times like that and that usually people get through them.
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We alll doooo…. :-/
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Karenne lacking motivation??? Surely not????
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