Slacking off after the holidays? This is how to get back on track!

Year after year we open a new page with the first days of September. We finish the biggest projects with the beginning of summer and dive into pleasures of sun-filled holidays on the beach, at grandma’s, or God knows where eyes take us. We drink full palms of enjoyment, relaxation, good time and happiness. But at some point, it inevitably comes to an end. And then we have the little New Year — starting all over again. Desks full of papers and tasks that seek our attention. Projects to be created and executed. New colleagues to be employed and trained. Loads of work suddenly piling up. And yet there is still that lingering feeling of sunburned skin and pleasurable holidays. So close and so memorable. You just can’t get it out of your head. And it makes it difficult to get right back on track. Luckily, there are so many ways to help ourselves!

Motivation is key. Rewards help to forge it.

All of us have found ourselves in a place where we have piles of work to do, yet it is difficult to move even a finger. Simply put, we lack motivation. After those amazing holidays and freedom of reading the books we enjoy, going to bed whenever we feel like and dozing off because of yet another night of a Netflix marathon, we don’t feel that there is anything for us at work, school or wherever we have to get back to. All the rewards were reaped and we find ourselves staring at a wall (or an empty Word document that needs writing to do). Find ways to motivate yourself again. What could be better if not a reward to look forward to?

Sometimes my attention problems and bad habits get ahold of me. So, I tend to play games with myself… Every pesky task has a little reward. Being a bit of a coffee addict it always goes for me if I know that after I do a few little things, I could make a nice cup of tasty vanilla Americano. And after going through important emails I can go and grab a piece of black chocolate. Oh, and there is a nice episode of good series waiting for me in the evening (oooonly if I manage to finish all the tasks on my list today!).

And every important goal achieved has a corresponding award. In spring I had a project that became a headache. It was time-consuming and annoying, but I kept on. After I finished, I bought a kitchen table that caught my attention quite some time ago. Now every time dining I remember that project, and it gives me a sense of achievement. I have several important projects that I am working on now, and there are possible rewards in my mind. It simplifies my task and spices things up as I am already looking forward to achieving those goals (and getting my rewards!).

And if you are laughing and think that it is a childish way to go, I can only say that it is pure neuroscience. The reward pathway is an actual thing. This circuit is based on neurotransmitter dopamine being fired in our circuits and emitting pleasure and positive feelings. Dopamine is distributed to amygdala, prefrontal cortex and other parts of our brain. Simply put, it is the feeling of being happy (the same as if eating chocolate). Naturally, subconciously we want to repeat the action to get that same reward in the future. This leads to a change in our behaviour. The Icahn School of Medicinehas a detailed neuroscientific explanation if anyone would be more interested (it could be found here).

No doubt, motivation is very important to keep on going. If we can not get a grip on our own attitudes and behaviours, it becomes difficult to work towards the goals. Luckily, rewards spark some excitement and make us happy enough to keep motivated.

Good planning leads to good execution

I heard a lot of people discussing planning, diaries, and to-do lists. There are as many ways to do things as there are people walking the earth. However, I strongly believe that writing it down has strong power. Warren Buffet — the giant of the financial world — once said that he tends to write down every meeting and every task in a little journal. And then he forgets about it until he needs to plan that particular day or week.

When put down to paper, the task suddenly materializes and gains form. In my opinion, it starts a certain lifecycle. If it is something important, it will get the attention needed. If it is something a bit more trivial, the time will come for it to be remembered (but we have a clear head for now, since it is already put to paper).

Writing my tasks down is always a good start. Maybe simply because I — like many others out there — am a kinesthetic learner. Meaning that I remember better when there is writing involved. So, the task is somewhere in my head, but I know that it is not needing my attention. Yet.

However, when it comes to the usual work journals, they don’t go for me. The days are sectioned equally and it can not possibly be that every day of every week is the same. Sometimes we have a day packed of timed meetings and sometimes we have days full of nonending tasks. How can one put all of that into equally arranged work journals? Some of us start bullet journals or just have an abstract list of things to do. Anything goes, really. As long as it helps us remember everything that is important, and gives a hand to prioritize, schedule and work it out.

So, write it down to plan it. And then just do it.

Procrastination can be a good thing

When we get stuck with certain tasks or goals, people tend to say that we are procrastinating and it will bring us no good. However, only a few know that procrastination has two forms — active and passive. Surprisingly, active procrastination can actually be a very good thing. As the famous happyologist and writer Susanna Newsonen stated in The Psychology Today:

Sometimes procrastination is your mind and intuition trying to tell you that you shouldn’t be doing something — or telling you to process something before making a rushed decision.

Basically, S. Newsonen emphasizes that we never procrastinate on urgent matters that are truly important to us. So, in a way procrastination helps to evaluate our to-do list and to prioritize the tasks. Procrastinating on certain tasks either means that they are not very important and could be done later (or maybe lose significance in the process and be totally taken out of the list), or that they are important and time-consuming (which is why we put it aside and focus on smaller tasks that are easier to achieve and take out of our to-do list). Either way, active procrastination helps us to get things done. We take care of smaller tasks in order to give full attention to the important ones. And in the process, we give ourselves a chance to contemplate the big upcoming work that is left for the end. Later it helps us to achieve our goals as we already have a strategy and an execution plan in mind.

So, could it be that sometimes procrastination is not so much of procrastinating after all?

Stop micromanaging

Does not matter what exactly your work is, but most of us tend to micromanage everything we do. It is a disaster for perfectionists because they tend to get in a loop where nothing is ever up to their standard. Everything has to be double-checked, changed, and still is not good enough. Being stuck and unhappy. Feeling helpless. This is the usual result. And it is absolutely unnecessary.

There are general and specific tasks. And when most of the specifics get to be small and very time consuming, the majority of our everyday tasks are quite general. Be it at work or even at home. It is a very good question whether we would be absolutely happy with the results of each task. But the more important question is whether the result satisfies the need. And if it does, maybe there are more important tasks to attend to.

It is very typical around the office. Some managers simply do not know how to manage. They are not satisfied with the work of their team — either it is not up to the company’s standard, or does not comply with their personal standard. Instead of asking the person responsible to do a better job (or assisting them in doing a better job so that they would actually understand how to do it), they take it on themselves. Hello, long extra hours and sulky expression on the face!.. I have been that person. And on top of not being happy, I was angry at my colleagues for not doing their job. But truth to be told, I was the one not doing my job: I was micromanaging. Being a manager means managing others in order for them to do their job well and the department/organization to succeed.

So, stop micromanaging, and start generalizing. There are so many things to be done every single day. If we focus on every little task to be polish-perfect, we can not move forward, and piles of new work will come up. It is perfectly fine to wish to do better, but it is unacceptable to get stuck with little tasks and neglect other important things.

Helping others to help us

This goes right after the micromanaging because it is about the work environment. September is the time when fresh projects kick-off and new recruits enter the company. It means that they could be lacking in experience (or just don’t have any idea how things work in your company). Be helpful. Be understanding. Be a colleague that lifts everyone up. And keep in mind that if you do right by them, they will become your biggest support.

A good employee is the biggest asset of any company. They create value, ensure brand recognition, give outstanding customer support, drive sales… Employees are the backbone of any business. However, when coming to work to a new company, it is challenging to get used to the new environment, make friends, get social, etc. The key to productivity is helping people out:

• Defining their tasks and goals
• Making sure they understand their job
• Putting time frames
• Establishing good communication
• Having a system of reporting
• Establishing accountability
• Defining the needs of the employee
• Coaching and training
• Providing all the information and support needed
• Empowering people to make their own decisions
• Giving constructive feedback

The list could carry on. However, I am sure that all of you got the point. Ensuring that people are equipped to do their jobs to the best capabilities guarantees that we can focus on our own tasks.

Sleep affects our cognitive performance and focus

Having many tasks to deal with and personal lives to attend to many of us start cutting hours of precious sleep. And even though it is not a good solution, in the short run it can solve a problem or two. However, good sleep is essential if we want to keep a clear head, remember information and make well-calculated decisions.

Sleep is essential to concentration, attention, creativity, and synthesis of new ideas. According to the National Sleep Foundation:

As you sleep, memories are reactivated, connections between brain cells are strengthened, and information is transferred from short to long-term. Without enough quality sleep, we can become more forgetful. Studies suggest that sleeping shortly after we learn new information helps us retain and recall that information later.

When lacking sleep, our work quality drops, attention at school lingers, and results don’t live up to expectations. We also lose attention to detail and risk becoming sloppy. Moreover, it is normal to get irritated. This affects our social behaviour and disrupts relationships both at work and at home. And it only feeds into it more, leading to stress and anxiety, and cutting our sleep even further.

So, it is of the essence to understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. And sleep up to it.

Sports help our mental performance

Being a bookworm I am not exactly a sports person that enjoys running or taking part in a basketball game. However, I do like a good swim as it does wonders — helps to relax and unload after a difficult day, gives me a sense of happiness, helps to keep fit and sleep better. There are some other sports activities that I also enjoy. Most of them are more social than actually doing sports. I mean, you don’t even feel that it’s exercise!

Doing sports, however horrifying that may sound to some of us, is a simple, yet powerful way to seek productivity in our lives. According to Healthline, reduces stress and depression, increases productivity and improves your mood.

Get involved in a physical activity. Whether you are playing sports, working out at a gym, or taking a brisk walk, physical activity triggers brain chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed.

On top of the usual benefits of doing sports, it also proved by scientists that sports nourish leadership. A scientific study that was carried out in schools revealed that students taking part in sports showed better leadership skills in comparison to those who didn’t. It could be speculated that sports that include team-work and social interaction nourish leadership skills through troubleshooting and spontaneous problem-solving within the team. Moreover, sports contribute to improving our self-esteem as we feel that we are working with ourselves and improving the person we are. It boosts our confidence and fuels for more achievements.

So, hit that gym! There is no doubt that sports contribute to wellbeing, better concentration and higher achievements at work. It might be difficult for some of us to start moving, however, I am sure that there is the right sport for everyone out there. We just need to find it.

You are what you eat

In the era of veganism and healthy diets, I doubt that there is anything new that I could possibly say. We all know: some food is tasty, yet worthless, and some food may not be that amazing but is essential if we want to be healthy. 20 percent of all the calories that are gotten with food go to fuel the brain. Thus, there is no doubt that our diet affects concentration and processes within the brain. According to Medical News Today,

The foods we eat can have a big impact on the structure and health of our brains. Eating a brain-boosting diet can support both short- and long-term brain function

Not to go into small details about the types of food to be eaten, I just want to say that a healthy diet with a variety of vitamins and different natural supplies included is the best. All the fast foods and trendy snacks are a hindrance to health and wellbeing — they lack even the basics of good food. It is just fat covered with sugar and different flavoured colour coatings. Good food is as little processed as possible — nuts, fish, vegetables, grains, black chocolate… If you cook at home, I am sure you have a balanced and healthy diet that ensures you have all the vitamins and minerals needed and contributes to your concentration and outstanding results at home.

So, eat healthy, and it will help you to be more efficient and productive.

Ideas for the taking

I hope that my ideas and findings helped you to get back on track. The first days (and maybe even weeks) after coming back from holidays (or a low season at work) are difficult as we lack attention. It is difficult to concentrate and our personal lives have the upper hand in comparison to our work (or education). Luckily, there are countless ways to help ourselves!

To sum up this not so short article (believe me, I am surprised as much as you are), it is important to:

• Keep motivated. Remember the reward pathway? Work on it. It truly does wonders.
• Plan the plan. Start a work diary or a bullet journal to keep it organized and track the progress.
• Don’t fear procrastination, procrastinate in an active way.
• Do your tasks well, but don’t dive into micromanaging. It makes life easier.
• Be a good colleague and help others out. Someone might help you out later as well.
• Eat well, sleep well and do a bit of exercise every now and then.

And remember: positiveness and a wide smile can do wonders! Here is a nice video to leave you smiling!

(This article was originally published by The Medium)