Keeping a good level of motivation throughout your day and week can make a big difference in your productivity. But how do you maintain that high level of motivation? I’ve rounded up three tips that you can apply straight away to help you keep that motivation high all day long:
Block off specific hours of the day to work or innovate
Setting time specifically for innovation gives your mind permission to wander. I worked for a company that gave us a few hours every Friday afternoon to innovate. Every few weeks we would present what we had found or created to the rest of the team. I loved being able to bring cutting edge thinking to my job. And it turns out a relaxed mind is more receptive to ideas so Friday afternoons was a great fit time-wise! Generally speaking, chunking up your work day can be really effective in increasing productivity and an easy way to schedule short breaks.
Set a clear goal & visualize
When you have a big goal in front of you it can have the opposite effect on your productivity and lead you to procrastinate. By marking out the steps needed to achieve the goal you break it down into smaller pieces and make it more accessible. This can also help with time management. For me, I need my goals and steps written down in front of me to keep my on track. When I think of achieving this big goal, I am more motivated to continue completing whatever sub-task I’m working on.
Keep a list nearby of things you can do to increase motivation
Referring to a list short activities in those weaker hours of the day mean you’re less likely to wander off too far. If Facebook is a rabbit hole you don’t have the time to go down – don’t put it on the list. Instead, keep it to those activities that you know will be short and will take your mind away from work for 5-10 minutes. My list has a variety of things like: grab a coffee/water, read an article from a bookmarked industry blog, write a grocery list, take a walk, stretch (I sit for long periods in front of the computer) etc. If I choose social media then I set a timer so that I don’t get carried away.
Creating a sense of urgency in your work helps you energize your day and stay invested in the projects you’re involved in. It can only happen if you’re organized in your workflow and have a clear understanding of what’s required of you. Ambiguity tends to slow down productivity. So on those days when you really need to get stuff done – stay focused and have a clear outline of the required tasks. Start with the biggest pieces (the ones that will take the most time or are critical) and work your way down.
In the end, I try to find the things that work for me. I’m lucky as I have that flexibility. Not everyone does. But see how you can fit some of the above into your work day and you’ll soon notice shifts in your motivation (and productivity)! Good luck!
