Staring down an eight-hour day can be daunting. It’s easy to let your attention lag. However, it’s important to do what you can to keep your mind on work. First, your career will improve if you can find ways to boost your productivity and effectiveness, which can’t happen if you spend the day drowsy and distracted. Also, you will help your overall mental health by not giving in to boredom and workplace despair.
Of course, it’s easy to decide to get motivated, but it’s harder to accomplish it. Here are four concrete steps you can take to keep your mind on work:
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Set Mini Goals
Eight hours can be a long time. But if you think about your day as a series of two-hour blocks, and set appropriate goals for that time, the day will seem more manageable. Schedule what you want to get done before your morning break. Then see what you can accomplish before lunch, and so on through the afternoon.
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Take Breaks
Obviously, you can’t walk away from work at inappropriate times, but make sure to take a breather when you can. Even if you aren’t in a position to take a formal break, there should be a moment now and then to stretch and clear your head. If your mind starts to wander, take a trip to the water cooler or the bathroom, and then take the long way back. Get the blood pumping a bit and clear your head. Ultimately, you will be more productive with a brief refresher than if you tried to push through all the way until the end of the day.
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Don’t Get Hungry or Thirsty
It’s always tempting on a busy day to skip lunch and try to push through the day on caffeine and fumes from breakfast. Ultimately, though, the few minutes you save will likely get eaten up (pun intended) as hunger takes over and your effectiveness lags.
Life’s not a Snicker’s commercial, but keeping hunger at bay is a key step in staying invested in your workday. The same can be said for fending off thirst. Make sure to eat a proper lunch and keep snacks on hand, especially for that late-day push. Meanwhile, try not to survive on coffee alone and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
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Try Not to Look at the Clock
You know the expression “a watched pot never boils.” Well, the same is true for a clock: “A watched clock never reaches five.” If you get into the habit of counting down the minutes until quitting time, the day will become a never-ending drag. Try not to track the moments as they tick by – remove any clocks around you if you can, or at least get them out of your eyeline. Avoid checking your phone. And hopefully, find a way to engage more in the work at hand, so you are less tempted to count the minutes down.
Find a Job You Love!
Of course, the best way to stay motivated at work is to have a job that you love. A staffing agency is a good way to bolster your career and get expert advice about what positions might be best for you. Contact Qualified Staffing to get started looking for your dream job.