Five Effective Tips to Stay Motivated at the Workplace
By
RL Morris
Staying motivated during the daily grind from Monday to Friday is quite an uphill task for most people. The travails of commuting, the pressure of deadlines, and negativity are all part of the game, and so it is natural to feel your battery levels dipping.
Here are five effective tips to maintain momentum and to keep workplace blues at bay.
1 Plan a routine that suits you
Not all days are the same in the office. On some days, there are more client meetings, conferences, and presentations. Plan your daily schedules for each day in such a way that there is breathing space in between back-t0-back meetings. For example, if the meeting is scheduled for 60 minutes, tweak it in such a way that it gets over in 50 minutes. This will give you enough time to hydrate yourself, enjoy a cup of coffee with your pal, or even take a power nap. If routines for each day can be charted out, you can prevent burnout and lack of enthusiasm.
2 Set realistic objectives
One of the ways to prevent your motivation levels from crashing is to prepare a list of smaller tasks that can be finished in a day. Tick them off one by one as you complete them. There is no need to rush. Go at your own pace. Just remember to finish them all in a day. Once you have completed all tasks by the end of each day, you will feel a sense of accomplishment that is hard to explain. It provides enough fuel to keep you firing on all cylinders the following day. In the long run, you will achieve your long-term goals sooner than expected.
3 Make the workspace cool and comfy
Are you aware that your personal workspace can influence your mood and creativity? Picture this. How would you feel when you walk in every morning and park yourself in a cubicle or room where there are sheaves of paper lying on the table, a stained coffee mug grinning at you, books and stationery scattered around, and an overflowing trash can screaming for attention? Will you be inspired to bring out your best or even log into your system and promptly answer all official emails?
Before leaving the office, devote 10 minutes to tidying your workplace. It hardly takes a minute to rinse your coffee mug thoroughly and place it on a coaster. Arrange files and books in the cabinet and clip together all loose sheets of paper. Make sure all stationery is in its right place. Keep cute little mementos, paintings or photos on the table and the wall, and see the impact they create. Leave instructions to the house keeping staff to mop the floor and clean your chair and table thoroughly. Now, see the difference the next morning when you arrive. You will surely notice the brightness in your workstation, which is enough to make you hum a tune and start working with joy.
4 Say Hi to your colleagues
As they say, no man is an island. Taking time to say Hi to your colleagues can reduce stress and make your workplace brim with positive energy. It is important to maintain cordial relations with your colleagues as it can enhance morale. Moreover, they are the first responders during a crisis situation. Once a week, go out with your closest colleagues for coffee or lunch. Giving small gifts on their birthdays and leaving congratulatory notes on their work anniversaries or promotions can go a long way in ensuring that the office environment is harmonious and enriching.
5 Have a break
Knowing very well that deadlines are important and so are board meetings and presentations, it is important to realise that working non-stop can cause burnout and sometimes even a nervous breakdown. Taking short breaks of five or 10-minute duration can be refreshing. Go to an open window to breathe some fresh air, do some light neck and eye exercises, and have a glass of water. This will recharge your battery and help you focus better when you get back to your laptop or computer. Instead of processed or junk food, keep some assorted dry fruits in your cabinet or draw to munch on when you take some time away from the screen.
Pic Courtesy: pegasus/ images are subject to copyirght
