At the moment, a sizeable portion of the country is in the midst of a good, old fashioned summer heat wave. It’s hot. It’s humid. The walk from your car to your desk may leave you flush and sticky with sweat. Your productivity is waning. You’d rather be at the beach or the pool, or frankly anywhere other than your desk.
The lack of motivation isn’t reserved for just the dog days of summer. It also creeps up on us on crisp, beautiful autumn days. It’s there when our holiday celebrations and obligations take center stage. It shows up with the first buds on trees and we call it “Spring Fever.” Sometimes it doesn’t even need a reason. So, how do we get focused and get busy when we don’t want to?
Ignite the spark daily.
Zig Ziglar once proclaimed, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” If you’re getting up and going through the motions, expect motivation to wane. Kick your day off refilling your motivational reserves. Listen to TED talks or podcast on your commute. Review your
goals and refocus before you hit the ground running.
Go for bite-sized chunks.
Even at our most motivated, our energy levels ebb and flow. Don’t expect yourself to be on fire 24/7, or even just for an entire work day. Aim for short time blocks of focus. Whether it’s a half-hour of go-go-go on one project or a three-hour span between when you sit down and you break for lunch, aim for a manageable, set period of productivity. Then switch gears. Tackle your email, grab a cup of coffee or just switch tasks.
Fake it.
Sometimes motivation and focus are going to be elusive no matter what we do. Get up and push through
the to-do list anyway. Form habits that can move your forward even when your motivational reserves are depleted. Prioritize your routine to optimize your productivity. If, for example, checking your email tends to insert an array of new distractions clamoring for your attention, create a routine that allows you to complete time-sensitive tasks before you even open your inbox.
Give in to it.
As we discussed previously, sometimes the only way to reinvigorate your productivity and on-the-job effectiveness is to
embrace a little down time. Give yourself a break. Take a day, create yourself a long weekend, or plan the week-long vacation to that place you’ve been day dreaming about. Even cutting out early for an afternoon of me-time can get make a world of difference. And if that’s not possible, use the time you are away from the desk to really tune out the demands of the job. Disconnect and unplug. Don’t check emails while you channel surf at night. Don’t spend every weekend flipping through reports. Devote time to family. Spend quality time with your favorite hobby. Enjoy a good glass of wine and a book that doesn’t make you think too hard. Embrace the break.
Still feeling distracted from the pursuit of your goals and dreams? I’m here to help. Contact my office for a chat: 917-992-2928. Or email cyoung@creativeblueprints.com. Confidentiality assured.
