Are you feeling unmotivated? Some days it’s difficult to be excited about what you do, which makes it difficult to be productive.
If you’re wanting to boost your effectiveness as you work, try adding these 3 simple steps into your daily routine to help you get more out of your day.
- Write out a game plan
If you don’t make a plan, you won’t have any chance of following through with a plan. Before you start your workday, set aside time to schedule all of your to-do’s. Whether you make a list with pen and paper or you block off times in Google Calendar to work, find a method of planning that works best for you.
What’s the most urgent task that needs to get done? Is there anything time-sensitive? Be sure to put those things first on your list. You can order the rest of your day around the most crucial tasks that need to be completed. This kind of schedule helps you be intentional about the energy that you pour into your work and helps you to use that energy more effectively.
- Give yourself an incentive
All work and no play is no fun. Think about the things that you look forward to most- maybe it’s a long walk with your dog at sunset, or maybe it’s enjoying a nice dinner with a few close friends.
In any case, find the activity that makes you smile and let that motivate you. When you know that you have something exciting to look forward to, it makes it a lot easier to get the job done. Having an end in sight helps you find more willpower to be productive during your day.
- Make small rules for yourself
It’s annoying to have people nag you about what you should be doing while you work or the best way to be productive. But the truth of the matter is that the only person that knows how you work best is you! Sometimes it helps to set rules for yourself that would make you more efficient if you follow them.
For example, you may get tired throughout the day and have a tendency to fall asleep on the couch if you sit down for a period of time. In this case rule for yourself is that you’re not going to sit on the couch until your workday is done. Whatever rules that you set for yourself, make sure that your main goal is to free up your time and mental space to work better.
