During these dog days of summer, it can be challenging to keep up your motivation. Longer days, more social activity, and warmer weather make it the perfect storm for a “motivation slump”. But, your motivation doesn’t have to flag during these lazy months – the truth is, your business dreams likely can’t afford a 3-month vacation. {wink}
We’ve already talked this month about the challenges of thriving during summer as you take advantage of the different pace to regroup and reevaluate your goals. But, what can you do to stay motivated with your normal work tasks? We have one simple idea: reward yourself.
We all need little rewards in our lives to keep us motivated. It’s a well-documented fact rewards do shape behavior. Think about it, when you were growing up, your parents likely employed this tactic. Maybe they took you out for a soft-serve sprinkle cone when you got a good report card. Or, let you pick some fun activity when you faithfully completed your chores.
So, maybe you’re not as into soft-serve sprinkle cone these days. But when you’ve accomplished something tough, it’s OK to reward yourself! Here are a few ideas that we gathered from around the web:
- Keep a folder of fun summer events nearby and schedule one a week to help keep you from feeling cranky or like summer is passing you by. You might consider scheduling one fun summer event each week — whether enjoying a cool drink on the patio with co-workers or hitting the splash pad with your kids. Having fun is part of summer. Having something to look forward to on the calendar can push you to complete your tasks on time so you can enjoy the nice weather stress-free.
- Take a walk at lunch and splurge on an iced coffee on your way back to the office.
- Take advantage of the longer daylight hours and book all your meetings on New York time–between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Get up early, work hard, and then enjoy the rest of the day to play!
- Come up with fun ways to keep focused on your goals. Consider things like happy hours, massages, and splurgier lunches. You might even consider treating yourself in the practical things like hiring a cleaning service as a reward. Indulging in small pleasures is very satisfying and energizing.
- The smallest of changes in context make a big difference in motivation levels. In fact, research tells us that changing our environment can lead to a burst of fresh thinking and increased drive. Switch things up for a day or two.
- Consider changing up your hours during the week to give yourself and long weekend. Leave work at noon on Friday, or take Fridays off completely by working extended hours during the week. Knowing you will have that extra time to enjoy the summer can help keep you motivated even on the hottest days.
What about you? What motivates you to put in the extra effort when you’d rather be poolside?
