Yesterday morning, I found myself sitting at my desk restlessly flipping through tabs: LinkedIn, a draft in google docs, a TED talk on well-being, two email accounts, Asana, a design project on Canva, a research article. I had a handful of tasks at the ready, and I didn’t want to do any of them. My motivation was shot.
It was a weird time of day – 10:30am – but I hadn’t had breakfast yet, so I decided to take a break, get myself a breakfast sandwich, and call it brunch. (Weekday brunch can be a thing, right?)
I left my phone at home, took a stroll to the closest bagel joint, and stopped at a nearby park to get some fresh air before heading back to my desk. By the time I got back – less than 20 minutes later – I was brimming with ideas about the one project I knew I wanted to jump into first.
When you’re feeling unmotivated, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy. A lack of motivation is usually a symptom.
Maybe you didn’t get a great night’s sleep or you’re under the weather and your lack of motivation is a symptom of exhaustion or illness. Perhaps you’re overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done and don’t know where to start. You may be experiencing discomfort in your body that’s distracting you: thirst, hunger, muscle pain, etc. Maybe you’ve been feeling unappreciated or that your efforts never make a difference, and it’s killing your confidence.
There are hundreds of reasons you could be feeling unmotivated. Instead of forcing yourself on a drudge march of productivity, try one of these tactics.
Close your Tabs
It’s no secret that we are digitally distracted. In any given moment you have dozens of potential demands on your attention. By leaving multiple tabs open, you are inviting those demands into your mental focus. Shut them all down, then only open the ones that serve the task at hand.
Clean Your Workspace
Marie Kondo wouldn’t be so popular if there wasn’t something magical about tidying. There’s some truth to the old adage, “cluttered space, cluttered mind.” Take a couple of minutes to tidy up your workspace. It’ll give your mind a break and you’ll come back to work with a clean slate.
Help a Colleague
If you can’t tackle your own projects, you might as well help someone else with theirs, right? When you’re helping a colleague, you get to take direction, giving yourself a break from decision-making. You are also cultivating a relationship with a colleague which has a myriad of health and productivity benefits for both of you.
Take a Break
We need breaks. According to science, the most productive amongst us take a break every hour. To get the most of your break, walk away from your workspace, and leave your phone behind.
Do the Easiest Thing on Your List
Completing tasks gives us both a boost of confidence and a boost of dopamine. By tackling something easy, you may be able to leverage those motivating shots to take on a more daunting project.
Run an Errand
If you’re unmotivated to get work done, why not run an errand. It’s something that is going to otherwise take up your time later. The change in scenery and activity can provide a needed break, and you’ll free up time later in your day or week when you might be more motivated.
Stretch
Sitting all day takes a toll on our bodies. You may be carrying tension (or pain) in your neck, back, shoulders or hips. You may be cooking up a gnarly tension headache. Stretching can relieve the tensions caused by prolonged sitting and stimulate blood flow throughout your body. (Try these desk stretches!)
Eat Something
This is a big one for me. Nine times out of ten, when I find myself distracted I either a) haven’t eaten in a fqew hours or b) haven’t eaten anything nutritious. If you realize that hunger is impacting your motivation, aim for snacks and meals that are rich in nutrients, include protein and a little fat. This combo will help you feel satiated and give your body the critical fuel it needs.
Drink Water
If you lack motivation and haven’t had a drink, nor gone to the bathroom in two hours, you may be mildly dehydrated. Even mild dehydration can cause brain fog, impair our decision-making ability, and sap our energy. Take a stroll to the water cooler.