Staying Motivated at Work


 No two workdays are the same, most of the time. Have you ever felt that just showing up to work seems like that is the best you’ll do? What I found is there are some re-framing and re-focusing can help with staying on track  


1.     Set Clear Milestones

You have a project to complete and it seems SO daunting. Instead of working endlessly toward that one end goal, set mini-goals or milestones for yourself. If you can meet a milestone every or every other day, it will be easier to keep your head up and pushing forward with the same vigor as day one.

 

2.     Prioritize and Plan

Many jobs include prioritizing work tasks. Take time at the beginning and end of every day to look at what you have done and what you need to do. Prioritizing and planning your workday (or the next one) will allow you to move seamlessly through your day without losing focus.

 

3.     Conquer Difficult Tasks First

That one task you are really dreading, like calling back an annoying client. Do it first. Get it off your list. The rest of the day will seem like a breeze, and you won’t use other tasks as a way of procrastinating.

 

4.     Be Aware of Limitations

You're  human! Limitations exist. Everyone has limitations. Be aware and admit these to yourself. That will make asking for help easier and help potentially hone in on areas for professional development.

5.     Don’t Stress

The first four tips in this list can be daunting. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 may require that you restructure your workday. Number three has occasionally given me heart palpitations (temporarily ;-)), and number four, who wants to admit to their own shortcomings? Do not let these tips stress you out. Instead, slowly work to implement the easiest of the suggestions (whichever that may be for you), and level up when you are ready.

 


 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My favorite "mom hacks" to simplify a crazy-busy life!

Image
  5  Mom Life Hacks That I Rely on to Simplify Life  We all want to accomplish more and have more free time. With limited time and energy, every trick that can potentially make life easier is worth investigating. There’s more than one way to catch a mouse, as they say! Use a timer. A simple timer can greatly increase your focus and productivity. For example, the next time you need to clean the kitchen, determine how long it should take. Then set a timer for a couple of minutes less than your guess. See if you finish before the time runs out. You’ll be more focused and get more done. I use this also for my kids, a 10 minute clean up timer at the end of the day, for them to clean up their bedrooms and playroom before bedtime.  Timers even help at work.  When possible, a 10-minute break every hour boost productivity over the other 50 minutes! I like to use the 10 minutes to take a quick walk or stretch,  get a drink of water, or deal with personal email. You’l...
Read more

Dealing with Your Critics, Without Cowering- or Cursing

Image
  Constructive criticism is fine, but some people are so relentlessly negative that they can suck the joy out of life. No matter what happy news you might have, they are guaranteed to find the cloud to fit your silver lining.   Here are 6 strategies I've used to deal with hypercritical people.   1.      Don’t Take It Personally It’s a safe bet that it's not you, it's them. Some people just hug their negativity around them like a security blanket, and it colors their view of the world. They criticize everything because that suits them. Watch how they treat other people. It’s almost guaranteed they criticize everybody, not just you.   2.      Listen to The Message Is the person obscuring the message? Maybe your critical colleague or friend is tactless, or bad at expressing themselves rather than being mean. Try to see past the messenger to understand what is really being said, otherwise you might miss out on som...
Read more

Self-Care Sundays

  Self-Care Sunday: Thoughts   Self-care has transformed a lot over the last few years. It began as a way to encourage people to do more for themselves, which is amazing. But somewhere along the way, it became something people felt like they were forced to do.   If you are feeling a little overwhelmed with this idea of the perfect self-care routine, it’s time to take a step back. Instead of focusing on having to fit it into your daily life, why not just start one day a week?     Why do Self-Care on Sunday?   Sunday is actually the perfect day to dedicate to yourself, since it is often already a day of rest for many people. You are winding down after a weekend, and likely getting ready for a new week to begin.    Setting Up A Weekly Self-Care Routine   First thing’s first – figure out what your routine is going to be on Sunday. As a mom, a lightbulb went off in my head when I realized that care doesn’t have to be done...
Read more