Tags
Eerie, Focus timers, Focused work, Games, Halloween, motivation, Music, Naps, Pomodoro, Scary
There’s nothing more motivating than a holiday. Halloween has been fun this year, because I used the entire month to celebrate by watching scary movies, concentrated my posts on scary topics, and had a great time playing my favorite mobile video games that have all added Halloween themes to their game experience.
Holidays are nice because they give us the freedom to choose what we will do and what we won’t. It’s a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the normal work week. Employers are having potlucks, employee dress ups, and even cutting folks loose early so they can get their kids out for their trick or treating.
Today, since yesterday was my “do nothing day”, I was ready to go. I was up at 3 am, writing, learning, reading, and so on. These little breaks can really add to your motivation to get back at it.
Speaking of breaks. Here are a few ways to maintain your motivation throughout the day:
- Use a focus timer like Pomodoro, which will have you work in a specific time-frame and then take a break. The default setup for this is 20 minutes, followed by 5-minutes, but most of these apps are highly customizable. I typically like working for 25 minutes, then take 5 minutes so I have a 30-minute work-break session.
- Plan rewarding times for yourself after each big chunk of activity. If you go to a gym, hit your favorite coffee shop on the way home. If you are working at your desk, perhaps you are a video game advocate like I am. Get in a session after you’ve knocked out some work.
- Naps are also a great reward, particularly if you work from home. Plan in a nap after lunch, before dinner, or whenever your schedule allows. Keep it to around 20 minutes so you don’t get too groggy to go back to work.
- Listen to some music, meditate, or do some creative planning for something you would like to do on the weekend.
These are just some ideas for you to start with. You know what you enjoy. Sprinkle in this fun throughout your day, in and around your work schedule, and you’ll find that each day will be much more satisfying and the work you do will be more motivating because you know there is some fun and relaxation waiting for you after each session of work.
I hope you have a great Monday and enjoy Halloween. We’ll be passing out candy to all the folks who come around for tricks and treats.
Until next time…
Dave
Daily Ramblings... 