If you can motivate yourself at will to get any task done, you'll have taken a huge step towards managing your time better. There are several practical ways to increase your motivation.
There are a couple of facts to remember about human beings in general. One, newness is a great spur to motivation. Think about when you took up a new job. Everything was fresh and you applied yourself to your work with great enthusiasm.
But that wore out after a few weeks or months. You settled down into a routine and work become dull and uninteresting again. That's because you lost your sense of newness.
The second thing to remember is that while the human mind can accomplish a stunning range of tasks, the same mind is also easily distracted. Some studies show that the average person's attention span does not exceed 35 minutes or so. Others claim it's even less.
This tendency to get distracted easily is a key reason why we often have a hard time motivating ourselves to do a task.
With that in mind, here are 8 things you can do to get and stay motivated.
#1. Recognize your penchant for getting distracted. Take short breaks every half an hour or so; walk away from your workstation. Experiment and find out the optimum length of time you can work before you need a break. You'll find your motivation goes up during the time you stay at the task.
#2. To satisfy your need for freshness and change, alternate between two tasks. If you keep at a single task for too long, you're almost certain to lose motivation.
You can even exchange specific tasks with another colleague, if your work situation permits it.
#3. It has been shown that soft music, especially baroque music, is a great aid to work. If possible, arrange for background music at your workplace.
#4. Make your work environment more appealing by using humorous posters (like those 'Dennis the Menace' posters) to make you smile. Have several available and once in a while, change the posters.
#5. On a related note, potted plants can be great stress relievers. Place one or two around your workstation. Do water them as needed; wilted plants are no good!
# 6. Create a list of the most important tasks you need to do the next day. Prioritize the list. And keep working in the order of your priorities. Being able to check off the most important items for each day is in itself a terrific motivator.
#7. Anytime you feel the stress getting to you or if you feel particularly distracted, just lean back in your chair and close your eyes for a minute or two. Hum a favorite tune softly. If you can't relax in your chair, go to the restroom and do so.
#8. Implement a reward system for yourself. Decide in advance what you'll reward yourself with when you complete certain tasks. It could be as small as an inexpensive trinket from a gift shop or a chocolate bar. It could even be a stroll in a nearby park.
Don't neglect the reward routine. It's one of the best motivators there is.
Burt Carlson is a top corporate executive whose passion is helping people get more out of life by managing their time better. He has written on time management skills, overcoming procrastination, time management at the workplace and many other topics.
Last week I had the privilege of spending some quality... Read More
Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More
It is not enough if you are busy. The question... Read More
Work more efficiently and be more productive using these time-management... Read More
Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the... Read More
In our time-crazed society, lots of time is what most... Read More
What keeping time really means is...being on time!You know, there... Read More
Microsoft wanted to know how individuals around the world were... Read More
As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More
Are you too busy to put yourself first? If a... Read More
Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More
Whatever providence has in store for us tomorrow is not... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
"At my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying... Read More
TIME MANAGEMENTWith the creation of the universe, God gave humankind... Read More
Do you have plenty to do, but don't have enough... Read More
Recently I was working with a new client who had... Read More
Any habit of mind or body that interferes with taking... Read More
It's amazing how many sayings there are in our culture... Read More
Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
So What Then Is The Opposite Of Procrastination? Urgency is... Read More
Time management is absolute crucial nowadays where business decisions have... Read More
Too much to do, too little time, constant stress. Most... Read More
What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More
Isn't it amazing that some people can produce huge results... Read More
If you are like most moms I know you think... Read More
Looking out through my picture window during a recent winter... Read More
"Work smarter, not harder" is a cliché that has darted... Read More
"Slaves to the clock" was the cover story in the... Read More
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of... Read More
Women's health issues often are focused on goals to reach:... Read More
If you work from home, you know the kind of... Read More
A new client recently admitted to me sheepishly that she... Read More
As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More
If you are like most moms I know you think... Read More
Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More
Everyday life can present us with opportunities to make us... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
Choose to be HappyHappiness is a choice. You can choose... Read More
We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of... Read More
How you spend the first sixty minutes of your day... Read More
Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase... Read More
"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
I would like to touch upon a subject that it... Read More
Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More
How much time do you spend on Mastering Your Time?... Read More
Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More
In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More
I give presentations on organizational skill building as it relates... Read More
An appointment is simply a mutual agreement to meet with... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
So What Then Is The Opposite Of Procrastination? Urgency is... Read More
Time is money in your online business, just as in... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
It's always a challenge finding time to clean my house.... Read More
It's amazing how many sayings there are in our culture... Read More
Sometime ago, my lovely wife woke me up in the... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
The ability to be able to set priorities and deal... Read More
One of the biggest problems most people have when it... Read More
If you're like most people, you want to get better... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
Years ago clients would tell me they could not identify... Read More
Time Management |