5 easy ways to find the motivation to start working
Do you have tons of things on your to-do list but don’t feel like doing anything at all?
Here are five easy and actionable tips for finding motivation when we feel overwhelmed with the to-do list in front of us.
1. Clean your desk
Take a couple of minutes to tidy up and clean your desk or wherever you are working from home. This would help you gain a sense of control over your environment and improve your mood by providing a sense of satisfaction.
2. Take the smallest action
They say “well begun is half done”: By beginning a task or project in the best manner possible, it will take, or seem to take, less effort to complete it. When there is an overwhelming and/or complicated project ahead, what I will suggest is to don’t focus on the “best manner possible” part and just start working on it. Sometimes we build more walls by overthinking and over-planning the process and procrastinate to start.
3. Celebrate ALL wins
It may be hard to be patient to see the bigger results and think “Ugh, I haven’t done anything useful again today!” Write down everything — even the smallest actions you did for your business. Try to do keep doing this every evening, this can be done at the end of every week too. Try it! This will help you to see your progress. You will feel more productive and motivated. It will show you how much you actually achieved. I bet it will turn out more than you think!
4. Focus on one thing
Single-tasking (or mono-tasking) is avoiding the potential distractions and focusing on performing one task (or subtask) until it is completed. So it is the opposite of multi-tasking.
I say multi-tasking is only useful if you are preparing a big breakfast and trying to prepare the egg, toast and tea at the same time. So basically, stop checking your WhatsApp messages or e-mails until finishing to read that article in front of you. This would help you to finish tasks faster and easier, which would bring some peace element to your day and overwhelming to-do list.
My favourite method for mono-tasking is Pomodoro🍅.
5. Take a break!
There will be days that are impossible to find any energy to take action. You are allowed to take a break! From work, from exercising, from studying, from everything! It’s a chance to review your progress and your goals. Also, a well-rested day off would boost your focus and creativity. Take a day off, and be proud of this action! Have some rest and recharge. Nap, binge-watch Seinfeld, chat with friends, cook, take a walk… Whatever you need!
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