Awakening and shifting don't happen by forcing them, they happen when your ready to take off the mask of being human. When I shift, I do it by letting go of the human side and letting the animal take the lead.
I can keep a shifting up for a month event while at work, though it is getting harder for me to get the animal to want to stir in the first place.
Major Depressive Disorder, Feline Therian, and a sunny day usually mean my furry side wants to sleep in a warm comfy place over playing.