Motivation is something I struggle with. Whether it be cleaning my space, blogging, or even cooking a meal versus eating something frozen, motivation can sometimes be hard to find.
I shared a while back that I deal with bouts of depression. One big symptom of it is lack of motivation. Right now with all of the coronavirus craziness my guess is the number of cases of depression have increased as well.
Whether you’re working from home for the time being, you are a blogger trying to create content, or you just want to stay organized while you’re at home, these tips below will help increase your productivity.
Get dressed
Staying in your pajamas all day, while super comfy, is not very conducive to getting work done. Now you don’t need to put on your full business casual work wear, but putting on your favorite athleisure wear (maybe a cute sweatshirt) will keep you feeling good and like you’ve gotten dressed.
Use the Pomodoro Technique
I love the Pomodoro Technique and think it’s amazing for productivity. The idea is you work for 25 minutes on whatever your task is, then you take a 5 minute break. After 4 cycles of this you can take a longer break (20-30 minutes).
This may seem like a lot of break time, but I think the reason why it works is because you get yourself to be fully focused on your task during your work periods. Imagine, in an hour you will have worked for 50 minutes and taken 10 minutes worth of breaks. That’s a lot of work time versus trying to work for an hour straight and getting distracted by something every few minutes.
Even if you only make it though one 25 minute cycle, you did something! I always think doing something, even something small, is way better than doing nothing at all.
Meditate
Taking some time to clear your head may just be what you need to get going on your task. I actually think taking a walk and being mindful of your surroundings is wonderful for this. However, if you don’t want to leave the house there are so many guided mediations available online and on YouTube.
Think of the end result
Imagine your home fully clean and refreshed. Or your blog posts finished and posted. Focusing on what the end result is (especially when it’s something really positive) can help push you to work toward getting to that goal.
Break it down
If thinking of the end result overwhelms your unmotivated self, figure out how to break down your task into smaller goals.
Let’s take cleaning a room- you can first remove any clutter that doesn’t belong in the room. Then move on to dusting or wiping down surfaces. If there are linens in the room change them out. Then organize everything back to where it belongs. Having specific tasks makes things feel more manageable than just saying it’s time to clean your bedroom.
You can even combine this idea with the Pomodoro technique and get super productive!
I hope these tips are helpful, and if you have any other motivation and productivity tips, share them in the comments!
Remember we’re all in this together.
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Linking up with Shelbee!
Emily, these are really great tips! I also struggle with motivation and when the depression sets in, it definitely makes it that much harder. Especially in a time of so much uncertainty, getting inspired to share different kinds of content can be overwhelming and stressful. Sometimes it is so important to take the breaks to let the inspiration find its way to you. I know when I am inspired, I am much more motivated. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and joining my link party!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Thank you for your kind words, Shelbee!
I’ve heard of the Pomodoro technique but didn’t remember the specifics of it or the name. Sometimes I have a difficult time focusing in on just one thing and can get scatterbrained. Thank you for sharing all of these techniques! I have a lot to get done later on today, so I’ll try the Pomodoro and see how it goes!
Sara Kelley
http://www.mindovermango.com
The Pomodoro technique seems incredibly helpful! I am also someone who struggles with action. I have so many ideas and tasks to get done, but then I rarely achieve them. Thank you for these super helpful tips!
Thanks for sharing all these tips! Get dressed on the morning is definitely what works for me!
Whoa! I need to try the Pomodoro Technique! I haven’t heard of that at all, but that would totally help me out with my productivity. Thanks for the tip!
I’ve never heard of the Pomodoro method before but I really like it! I know my productivity skills could be increased and I like the idea of working up to longer breaks!
I had never heard of the Pomodoro Technique, but it’s certainly appealing. I’ve been using time-blocking for a while now, and that’s kind of similar – and it’s become really beneficial in my routine. It’s good to stick to a schedule without feeling overloaded with tasks! These are awesome suggestions!
My friends use the pomodoro technique and swear by it. I might have to try it when I’m feeling in a rut for sure!
Great tips, especially the Pomodoro technique! I definitely have a hard time getting motivated to sit down and do a ton of work but just knowing I only have to do it for 25 minutes and then I get a break is a great way to get me to get off my butt and get things done!
These are great tips!! I find that diving into my work really helps to calm my anxiety so it has actually made more productive lately.
I have never heard about the Pomodoro Technique before but it sounds like a great way to fight all the distractions. I’ll give it a try this week.