Tag Archives: Motivation

Jul12

Get Your Best Work Done And Jumpstart Your Motivation With These Quick Wins

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Get Your Best Work Done And Jumpstart Your Motivation With These Quick Wins

Previously, we talked about how to get your best work done with 6 tried and tested time management strategies. In case you missed it, you can read the whole article here. If you don’t have a go-to time management system yet, you’re probably going to want to try the six strategies mentioned to see which one is a good fit for your work style. While you’re trying those approaches out, here are some quick wins to implement right away if you want to get started in improving your time management in the next 5 mins.

Get your workspace organized:

Remember your first day at the office? You were probably assigned to a clean desk with not much else but a desktop monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. Ok, maybe a notepad and some pens as well. Over time, that desk will start to accumulate clutter – papers, books, sticky pads, cables, filing folders, etc. Visual clutter affects your productivity. Studies show that people who feel overwhelmed with “stuff” are more likely to procrastinate. Disorganized workspaces reduce concentration and focus and increase anxiety. 

Quick win: Take 5 minutes to organize your desk. Throw away papers that have long served their purpose. Corral your pens into a mug or pen holder. Gather your books with bookends. Organize cables with cable ties or bulldog clips. Stack your notepads together. Keep your table-top free of anything except for your keyboard and mouse.

Turn OFF notifications

Studies show that the average employee switches between 10 – 25 apps in a day. Your phone apps all bid for your attention which makes it harder for you to achieve deep focus. When you can’t focus on your work – it takes longer to complete.

Quick win: While you could keep your phone on silent mode to avoid the constant distraction from a ringing or vibrating phone, it is best to just turn OFF your notifications or use the “Do Not Disturb” mode. 

Work in batches

Each time you switch between tasks, your brain has to adjust and reset. Like when you find yourself having to gather your thoughts in order to proceed with a new task. Constantly switching slows you down in terms of productivity and increases your exhaustion factor.

Quick win: Group together similar tasks. You’ll spend less time context switching and more time streamlining your workflow.

Stop multitasking

As previously mentioned, switching between tasks slows you down and drains your mental resources. You might feel like you’re accomplishing more, but the multitasking myth has already been debunked. You’re spreading yourself too thin and setting yourself up for “decision fatigue.”

Quick win: Focus on one task at a time. This will get you in a “flow state”. You know this as getting “in the zone.” Feels good, right? You work more efficiently and accomplish more if you concentrate on doing one thing.

How about you? What are your productivity quick win tips? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jan28

Your Morning Motivation Routine

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Your Morning Motivation Routine

Motivation is a very important factor in all things we do. It is weird because it works differently for different people. Sometimes it is a switch that (extremely) lucky people can just turn on or off. For the rest of us, it is a snowball that has to be built in order to gain momentum.

Motivation is defined as the desire or willingness to do something. Or it could be the reason for acting or behaving in a particular way. Naturally, our morning is the best time of the day to get particularly motivated. Mornings set the tone for the day so if we wake up sluggish, anxious, or unmotivated – guess how the rest of the day will turn out?

Unless you’re a four-year-old, no one wakes up in the morning excited and eager to take on the day. You will need to help yourself get into that mindset. For some, that comes easy. For others, not so much. So here are tips for the rest of us who will need time to get motivated.

Wake up on time
Freeze. Put your phone down and step away from that snooze button. No one wants to start the day harried, frazzled, and rushing. So stop hitting snooze and reclaim your mornings. You need to take the time to prepare and set your intentions for the day. You won’t be able to do that if you’re rushing to work.

Get some sun
Open your blinds and let the sunshine in. Sunlight signals the body to wake up. It can also facilitate the release of serotonin – a mood-boosting hormone that also helps bring calm and focus. These are things you need to keep yourself motivated.

Activate your body
If you can get a quick work out in – do it. If not, do a quick stretch while making coffee or brushing your teeth. Any activity can help jump-start your body and shake you out of sluggishness. Exercise also helps improve blood circulation, release endorphins (the feel-good hormones), activate your brain, and improve concentration. You can do light stretching, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, or running in place. Those exercises don’t need special equipment or a large space to complete.

Quiet time
Take some quiet time out for yourself. Wake up before the rest of the house does so that you can get some ME time in. This is important for settling into your thoughts and for preparing yourself mentally for the day.

Positive talk
Let go of negative talk and never ever berate yourself. If you catch yourself with a worried thought first thing in the morning – teach yourself to let it go and replace it with a positive thought. Start your day with a motivational quote or a mantra that you could repeat to yourself. You can tell start with something like “better done than perfect” to remind yourself that chasing perfection kills productivity.

What are your favorite motivation tips? Share them with us in the comments. Always remember to stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help