With Christmas a distant memory but the first payday of the year still a few weeks away, it's no wonder the third Monday of every year is known as Blue Monday. While it would be easy to hit snooze and go back to bed or snuggle up on the sofa with junk food and Netflix, January can often mean new targets, answering those emails that 'can wait until next year' and getting back into the office. So, how do you get your motivation back after you turn your out-of-office off?
Get that blood pumping
After living the horizontal life, it’s time to get up and GO! There is absolutely nothing that can compete with the feeling of blood rushing around your system after a high intensity workout. It boosts your feel-good chemicals and helps pump you up. You’ll feel as if you can tackle any challenge ahead of you with determination and vigour. Make time for exercise first thing in the morning so you set your day up right.
Establish a routine
If you don’t already have a routine then you’re bound to end up drifting aimlessly without direction. Set some firm rules for the morning. Wake up at a certain time, start off with a hot drink, wash your face. Do your workout and have a cold shower if you really want to rev up your system! Remove the thinking aspect from your morning time, otherwise you begin to deliberate whether you should do this, or do that and at what time. Schedule your day and execute the plan without even pondering on it. You’ll feel capable, confident and in control.
What motivates you?
Figure out what makes you tick! If it’s connecting with friends then think about having catch-ups with your peers when you get back to work and how nice it will feel to re-engage with your friends again. Or if you are job hunting, then reward yourself by phoning a friend every time you apply for five new roles. If you are motivated by achieving goals, then write out a to-do list and enjoy ticking off each box as you power through it. Make sure you put a reward at the end, so once it’s all done you have something nice to look forward to!
Don’t let procrastination take over
Putting things off, and then feeling terrible due to lack of productivity, is very real! One way to combat this is to set a deadline for your tasks and then commit to spending just 15 minutes on each task. Of course 15 minutes is not enough when you need to re-write your whole resume but, more often than not, the thought of starting is way harder than actually just doing it. Once you begin your tasks, it’s a lot easier as you find yourself in the flow and making good progress. If you find your focus slipping then take a break and go to your next task.
Book something to look forward to
After returning to work following Christmas and New Year, with a long period between brighter days and the next Bank Holiday, it can feel like there's nothing to look forward to! Annual Leave allocations often refresh at the start of the year so make the most of all those days of freedom and book in something to look forward to to motivate you through the winter months. This might be a summer holiday, a day at the spa, or maybe even just time to relax at home, but knowing you have some time booked in to spend on what you enjoy can make all the difference to your mood!
So, there's no time like the present! Put aside some time and get a plan together of what your days ahead will look like. With some organisation and tactical thought, you will be able to breeze through and tap back into your mojo in no time!
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