A man sits slumped in the seat, his right hand hovering over the computer mouse. His laptop lays open before him, a document left unfinished on the center of the screen. As hours tick away, he can feel his last few ounces of motivation seeping out of him, draining his desire to work.
The TV flashes and continues its rhythmic monotone in the next room across the hall. The man glances at the corner of the glittering TV screen visible through the open office door. His mind becomes captivated with thoughts of putting his work aside and joining the couch in front of the TV, where his heavy eyelids can surrender to a nice, long nap.
Is Procrastination Getting in the Way of Your Business?
Do you ever feel like the man above, knowing you must make progress but dreading the work to follow?
Maybe you have a pressing deadline ahead or a product launch coming up. Depending on the project, what you get done can make a huge impact on your career.
Motivation is a crucial element in the success of your business. It can make a difference in how well you work and the results you see in the coming months. Without it, not only will you lose productivity, but you can completely halt progress. Work will become a chore. Obstacles and challenges will become unbearable because you won't have the willpower to keep going.
What if I told you that there is a way to consistently stay motivated day after day, giving you the creative energy to make more progress and achieve your business objectives?
You can tap into an unlimited source of motivation again and again. You just have to know how.
Get Motivated
Finding motivation isn't always easy, but it can be done if you have the patience and discipline to make it happen.
The following are a few ways to get you started.
Define your purpose.Think of your big WHY, or the reason that drives you to do something. Why should you complete that project? Are there consequences of not getting the job done on time? What will you gain once the project is completed? Use these answers to help spur you on. As you work, remember your reason for working and what will happen after you've completed the project at hand.Set actionable goals.There's no point of working if you don't know how you'll complete the project or even what the end result will look like. Having a plan prevents you from getting confused later on, and you can keep working knowing that you'll achieve something in the long run. Use both short and long-term goals, creating actionable steps for each. When you get stuck, refer to your goals to stay on track. It also helps to set deadlines for each goal and reward yourself after every milestone. You'll then always have an incentive to make progress.
Get your friends and family involved.The more people who know about your goals, the more support you'll receive along the journey. Getting other people involved is also a good way to hold yourself accountable for your goals, increasing the likelihood that you'll see each task until completion.
Keep it stimulating.Change the scenery or find something new to capture your attention. Instead of working in your stuffy office all day, take your laptop outside and enjoy the fresh air. Mixing it up can keep you refreshed and change the way you feel about your workload.
Take occasional breaks.Let's face it: If you work for hours on end, you'll eventually crash. It's hard for your body to keep functioning in an optimal way if you're overworked. Take a small break after every work hour, especially on a long workday.
Don't procrastinate.Complete your goals one step at a time. Don't try to do everything at once or put the work off until the last minute. Doing so will cause a heap of stress, and you risk not meeting crucial deadlines. Separate your work into tasks, and complete each task at a time.
Read or listen to motivational material.The Internet is flooded with case studies, success stories, interviews, podcasts and inspirational articles, with hundreds of motivational books and magazines at your local library. You can also listen to inspiring music during your breaks that will move you to action, like Perpetuum Mobile by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
You'll achieve great results as you progress, but know that you aren't alone. Results come with action, so start making things happen.
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