No Energy to Work? 3 Things to Know.
Updated: Nov 18, 2020
No matter what work you do or your work environment, you have the opportunity to make it impactful, energetic and engaging. The first part of doing this is to gain self-awareness. Once you have this awareness, you can strategically change your work habits. Here are 3 strategies you can use this week:
1. Know what motivates you - Are you the type of person that is always focused on the future and who struggles to stay in the present? Are you someone who is motivated by collaborating with others? Maybe you are someone who likes being the center of attention. Whether you are fast paced, calm, questioning or accepting , understanding what motivates you will allow you to tap into that energy and make work more engaging.
Example: Let’s say you are an accountant and are motivated by collaboration. Sitting at a desk all day goes completely against your top motivator. While this person can’t change the nature of their job, they can find ways to incorporate collaboration in the workplace. For example, they can ask a teammate to join them to work in the same office or at a coffee shop. They can make time for social lunches or ask a teammate to go over some ideas via Zoom at the end of the day.
2. Know what time of day you are most creative- Have you ever gotten an invite for a meeting at 4:30 pm and absolutely dreaded it? Maybe because at that time, you are tired, don’t want to be social or have wrapped up the day already. Some of us are morning people, some of us are night owls and some of us have short attention spans. It is important to plan your tasks to match your daily moods. Not all times of the day are equal. You can learn more about how to find your best timing in Daniel Pink's book "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing".
Example: Maybe you realize you have the easiest time focusing first thing in the morning. Do your creative tasks then. Save checking emails, going on LinkedIn, or entering data for the afternoon when your energy is lower. Write a blog, have a brainstorming session, create something, or do your most difficult task of the day when you have the most energy.
3. Know your distractions- Does having one message in your Inbox drive you insane? Do you have 10 tabs open at once? Do you get bored in the middle of a task and jump to another one or check the weather just because? Multitasking is impossible. You will get a lot more done if you focus on one task at a time. Know what distracts you and have a plan to discipline yourself from getting distracted.
Example: If you are constantly getting emails, close down your email tab or turn off notifications. Give yourself permission after 1 hour of focusing on a different task, to then go in and check for any emails that need to be addressed. Or if you get bored easily, give yourself a reward once you finish a task. Say if you work on this project for 2 hours, you get to read a fun article, scroll social media for 10 minutes, or go for a 15 minute walk.
*Note- These are also great things managers should know about their employees. That way they can plan better meeting times, help motivate their employees and assist on ideas to address an employee's needs.
