You are a Productivity Powerhouse!
Maybe you just don't feel like it today. No worries though! It's easy enough to get back on track with just a few baby steps in the right direction.
We all have it inside of us, that little wick soaked in potential energy just waiting to be lit. Those ideas, plans, dreams… those talents we have inside of us that we just know would set the world on fire! But where do we inevitably find ourselves? On that dang hamster wheel of endless distractions! Work, school, kids, social media, lunches, dinners, laundry. It's life. It happens to the biggest power players out there. But here are some quick tips for getting back your work mojo.
1. Get Organized
Simple Living. Minimalism. Downsizing. These ideas have been bandied about a good bit this year but there is truth behind the buzzwords. Having an uncluttered workspace often translates to a likewise uncluttered mind. Take a general look at your work area, looking for anything you can spot that you know can immediately go. Decide how you want to re-home the items – trash, donate, sell – and commit to removing them from your home. Reevaluate your “to keep” items and develop a sorting system that is comfortable for you. Check out organization-themed boards on Pinterest for inspiration on cute ways to store and file what you intend to keep.
2. Make Your Workspace Fun!
Increase Employee Productivity
Whether you work in your home or away from it, keeping a light, fun vibe around you is key to keeping you motivated. Some companies do limit personalization of work spaces, but you'd be surprised what just a small pop of color can do to your spirits! Find ways to inject your inner child into your everyday duties – surround yourself with calming or invigorating colors, silly pens or de-stress squeeze dolls to make you laugh, maybe a little ball to toss around while you think things out. Make yourself a motivational playlist of energy-pumping songs you can play during breaks to give yourself an extra boost.
3. Make those Big Goals Bite Sized
One of the biggest roadblocks to success is being faced with a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. It's not, though! This is where those baby steps really come in to play. Consider the end goal you need to reach and then plan out smaller hourly, daily or weekly checkpoints you can more easily focus on so you're not overwhelmed by the bigger picture. Setting smaller, more immediately attainable goals instantly lowers stress and anxiety levels. Which leads me into my next tip…
4. Give Yourself Incentives
That's right, I said treat yourself! Well, when you reach one of your goals that is. Be your own best boss ever! Maybe even amp up the incentives incrementally as you work closer to the finish line. Maybe start out with lunch at a favorite place you go for special occasions, working up to a weekend away somewhere. Whatever the reward, find and embrace your inner cheerleader. Acknowledge your work well done. Yes, you DO deserve it! Now keep rockin' it out til you strut across that deadline like the boss you are!
Now, the last two tips I want to mention are perhaps the most important, at least in my experience. They also happen to be some of the toughest to remind ourselves to follow, but strive to embrace them just the same.
5. Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
I'm not sure how society came to develop this idea that asking for help was a sign of weakness, but we need to turn that around. If anything, it's a sign of strength! Some of the greatest military strategists in history have touted the importance of “strength in numbers”, “divide and conquer” etc. In fact, it takes a good deal of courage to humbly admit that something has grown bigger than you alone can handle. No one worth having on your team will ever shame you for that. More likely, they will be only too glad to help ease some of the tension off of you. Because again, we've all been there.
6. Don't Underestimate the Power of Rest
I saved this one for last because it is the one I cannot stress enough, and also the one I actually struggle the most with myself. It's proven science though, the body does requre rest to function at peak performance. If you don't have time for a full on snooze, at least take a mental break, even if it's only for 10-15 minutes. Go back to that playlist I suggested making. Make a cup of tea. Go out for a quiet walk. Watch a Hallmark movie…. whatever works best for you, just do make the time to give your brain a breather! Not only will you come back recharged and ready to tackle the next task, but it also gives your brain time to process what you've already been mulling around up there, hopefully leading you to come up with new, possibly previously blocked ideas.
So there you have it. These have been my tried-and-trues over the years for getting the most out of your day. Do I have them all down to perfection? If only! But they do prove invaluable when it comes to finding my way back to the main roads to the land of Done & Done.
