It can be difficult if not impossible to get work done when you aren’t feeling motivated. There can be many reasons why one feels unmotivated and they can range from “simple” exhaustion to outright frustration at work. The sad thing is that many can’t afford the luxury of not working at all. Fortunately, there are ways that you can remain productive even if you really aren’t feeling it. Here are the top productivity tips for those who are truly unmotivated.
Re-evaluate the Why.
The Why are the reasons why you need and want to work to begin with. This can be anything from dreams of starting your own business, the desire to purchase a home or a car, or even just wanting to travel around more. For some, this can also be because they want to ensure a stable future for their children and their families. When you stop to think about these goals, it can propel you to push yourself to productivity knowing there’s a great trade-off down the line.
Eat Well.
The lack of motivation when it comes to work can be exacerbated by a poor diet. After all, de-motivation is characterized primarily as a lack of energy. If you aren’t eating right, your body isn’t producing what it needs to propel itself forward through a day. Eating well is a function of two things. The first is that you should not skip meals during the day. The second is to eat foods that are good for you–like vegetables and fruits. When you do, you find you at least have the physical energy that you badly need.
Create Organized Lists.
Another great productivity hack is to physically write down all that you need to accomplish. When things are laid out in front of you, you have a better perspective on the challenges that you need to overcome. More than that, you also allow yourself the opportunity to prioritize which things go first, and which ones can wait for another day. Many times, you will find that the challenges aren’t nearly as insurmountable as you first thought when you organize things in written form.
Gamify Work.
While you really should take your job seriously, there really is such a thing as taking things too seriously. With a list set out, you can set milestone rewards for yourself to push you to keep going. This can be anything from taking a long break out of office after hitting a set number of tasks, to maybe buying yourself something special when you finish everything. The point of all of this is to give you rewards to look forward to even as you work hard to get things done.
Do Away With Distractions
Being unmotivated can be bad enough, but things can take a turn for the worse if you have a lot of distractions around you. Social media can be a sinkhole for those who aren’t “feeling” work at the moment–making it easy to get lost scrolling through your timeline. If you aren’t up for just turning your phone off completely, make checking out social media or tending to your distractions one of your reward milestones with your tasks. Just make sure to set a time limit.
Try an App
There are many apps out there that are geared towards not just improving productivity but also making it fun. Perhaps the most famous of these are Pomodoro timers. These allow you to work at set intervals with ample break times in-between. The structured nature of these productivity apps helps you feel guided through your work day. Pair these with guided meditation apps that help you relax and recenter yourself. Those are particularly useful on a very stressful day.
While it might be difficult to find motivation when the going gets tough, we all need to get work done. If you’re feeling a bit off when it comes to motivation, try these tips. They’re sure to help you get going or at least have a little fun as you fight through a tough day.
