How To Motivate Yourself For A Productive Day

How To Motivate Yourself For A Productive Day

If you are feeling lazy and non-productive and it is a rare thing, that is probably ok.

If it happens regularly, then there is a downside to these feelings and they will begin to interfere in your life.

If you give in to feeling lazy regularly, you probably are not addressing your responsibilities and life itself. So let me suggest some ways that you can move past this and get back to being productive.

Avoid Negative Self Talk

Instead of coming up with negative self-talk – excuses, or reasons you do not like the job you have to do, tell yourself some positive affirmations such as:

I am motivated and like to get things done.

I get closer to my goals by doing what needs to be done.

I am excited and happy when I get my work done.

I use my time wisely.

See the way you can play self-affirmations as you use your computer.

It can reprogram your brain to help you accomplish your goals and overcome your motivation problems.

How To Stay Motivated

Then, let’s address how to stay motivated. Run a movie in your head about you being enthusiastic about getting your work completed. Do the visualization from the start to the finish.

So you must first work out the steps, even if on paper, and then run your movie.

Pay attention to the little details. Think about how you like to work and what motivates you – put that in your movie: So do you play a little music in the background, are the lights bright for plenty of light, or do you like a softer light? Put some positive feelings in there as well. You get the idea…

Run through the whole movie, right through to when the project is finished. Now run through the movie again twice as fast. Feel excited, sit up straight, and run it a time or two more at a fast speed. You note how much you get done and how good you feel.

Do this before you start the project and if you start to feel lazy or unmotivated during the project run it in your head again.

Start Small

To look at a big project and think of getting it done can be overwhelming. Break your big projects down into steps and then do one step after the other, as you finish check them off your list.

Checking each step off helps you see that you are making progress and you will likely begin to feel more productive.

Timer, Anyone?

I like using a timer. When you set the timer for a certain amount of time, it provides an incentive to focus and get things done. You summon up a little more energy and get motivated.

Plus you can see a start and an end to your current project. So you can race to beat the clock so to speak and evaluate at the end of the set time, whether to continue at that time or another time if the step or the whole project is not complete.

Pro Tip: If you have been working on the computer, make sure to get up and move around for a bit before starting in again, as it is hard on your back and hips to sit for a long time without a break.

Sometimes a little exercise during the break will get your energy up and you will get motivated to do more.

Don’t Multi-Task

Stick to doing one thing/task. Multi-tasking can break up your focus and be overwhelming. Dealing with many tasks can trigger feelings of laziness and procrastination. Then when one task is done, move on to do another task.

How To Not Procrastinate

Even though getting started can be the hardest part, just jump in and get started. Catch any negative thoughts and use the positive affirmations listed earlier in the article.

Avoid thinking about it much – just start! Once you start, it is easier to keep the momentum going.

Think Long Term

Even though you are focusing on one thing at a time, keep the long-term goal in mind. All these single tasks put together equal a completed project.

A completed project you can feel good about, which includes feeling good about yourself for getting it done.

Consider The Consequences Of Not Getting It Done

Consider the consequences when weighing out whether to procrastinate or not. Some people are wired to move away from pain.

There can be negative consequences to not getting things done.

If your boss asks for something done by Friday, you know it needs to be done

or suffer some consequences. If you do not get your bills paid, there will be late fees. If you don’t go grocery shopping, there will not be much in the house to eat, after a few days…

So if you find yourself putting things off, write a list of the negative consequences and read it out loud. That may be the motivation you need to start taking action.

You Can Do This!