How do you motivate your demotivated koala?
One of my work colleagues (friends) sent me this image today as a joke...Well, somewhat as a joke and probably partially as a bit of a hint as to how she's feeling at the moment...She's feeling a little like the koala I think as she's pretty bogged down with her workload at the moment. We have a few new procedure's rolling out in the next month or so and she's doing much of the lead-up work in addition to her daily job function. She'll be ok though I think and the image is more tongue in cheek than anything else.
It reminded me me of how easily some people give up these days though. Society is full of people who try but fail then simply give up like our koala friend above. A perfect example could be the rising divorce rate which to me indicates how easily people enter into a situation and then simply give up at the first hint of trouble. Whether in the work place, a relationship, sporting or recreational endeavour, hobby or in a learning environment persistence is one of the key elements of success. It seems this koala missed that memo...Like so many others.
Success means different things to each of us but the requirement to succeed at the tasks or activities which combine to create success is common to us all. If we don't do those things success doesn't present itself. It's not always easy of course and we all struggle for motivation at some point, and feel a decline in attitude when failure comes to visit and that's what I wanted to ask about today.
What strategies do you employ to maintain momentum and a positive [productive] attitude in pursuit of successful outcomes when things go awry?
Feel free to comment on this post and offer your opinion or even strategies that keep you on track when you feel like the koala in the image. It may be in your relationship or at work, on the sporting field or at school...How do you switch on your productivness and positive attitude? You never know, the reply you put below could be the element that helps someone switch on the right attitude within them and help to attain their own version of success. How good would that be!
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default.
Posted using Partiko Android
When I have almost nothing to do I will do less but when I am swamped I will do more then needed...
Posted using Partiko iOS
Yep, I know where your coming from. That's that good stress I replied to my brother's comment with. I feel the same. I can be monumentally unproductive unless I have that little bit of direction and the motivation of having a lot on the go.
Well said and thank you for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it.
Posted using Partiko Android
Necessity is the mother of productivity for me, especially at the moment. I work best when there is a little stress and timeline pressure.
I hear you load and clear. A little good stress can motivate and drive productivity but the wrong sort of stress destroys it. A fine balance sometimes. I hope to get a few responses as I'm interested to see what others do and what results they gain.
Posted using Partiko Android
Looks you got some decent replies on this :)
Yeah, was happy with the interaction and some great comments too I think.
Posted using Partiko Android
It is always like your mention the persistence that produce the result!
Posted using Partiko Android
Persistence is a key element in motivation, and finding the reasons to be persistent also.
Thanks for reading my blog and your comment. I appreciate it.
Posted using Partiko Android
You are welcome and have a great day ahead. :)
Hi @galenkp, I avow sometimes life is not a bed of roses but I when I'm down and I feel I can not go on, I just take a break then spend a couple of hours reading stories of people that made it in life. It really encourages me a lot to know that someone made it.
Ah yes, finding motivation from those who went before you and probably felt the same lack of motivation as you. That's a great way to go; There is a great deal of wisdom and knowledge to be gained from simply understanding what other people did and it's a smart method to find your own motivation and way forward
We all hope that those down times don't arrive however in reality we know they will. Best to be prepared for them right?
Thanks for commenting, I really appreciate people reading and interacting with my posts. Thank you so much, I am very grateful.
Posted using Partiko Android
Well, I guess it's different from everyone. After all, we all want to be productive in different areas of life and for me, it's mostly writing. Whenever I find myself dreading to go back to a story or writing just for the sake of it and you know, knowing I'm not producing something of quality, I stop. And I start something new. It's a bit difficult, because there's always the guilt of abandoning the first one, but hey, often enough, the second attempt is so much fun and I'm so proud of it that once I'm done with that, I can return to the first one with renewed interest.
Now, obviously this doesn't really apply to your friend at work, as she can't really say fuck it (probably). But I do think it's a healthy attitude to take towards other aspects in life...
Then, there are pre-burnout moments, which might apply more generally (since burnout so darlingly blesses us all). When I'm feeling I really can't do anything anymore and I can't start something new and I'm running on empty, I just take a break from it all. I allow myself an imposed vacation (a week, 10 days, even a month, whatever I need) in which I do mindless time-wasting shit. I play games, I read a lot (okay, not so timewasting), I binge watch TV shows, I draw :P, I walk...anything that isn't write-related. Did that in December and by January, I was brimming with ideas and very eager to write again. I think balance is the most important thing, like with anything, you know?
Sorry for the long comment :D
Don't apologize.
Yeah that's another good strategy. It's almost like hitting the reset button. Dropping something and then coming back with fresh eyes or perspective is a great process to assist productivity. They say a writer should let the piece cool prior to finalising right? I do that with business emails a lot. You say, renewed interest and that's exactly what a little break can achieve.
I agree that your imposed vacation or break can also help snap a person back to the matter at hand with renewed attention or interest. That applies to life in general for sure. It's harder to deploy in a work scenario but there are ways. I often take a break at work and go for a short walk, 10 minutes or so, and come back refreshed and more productive. It's a similar process to your vacation only shorter.
I'm glad you replied because your work is different to most. The same as @eveuncovered I guess...You work, but in a less traditional manner. She just wrote a blog on the tax implications of what she does actually which is what made me think of mentioning her. Motivation can be harder to find when you're essentially self-employed like you and Eve, and then again it can be a strong motivator. You know, that good stress some of the other comments mention.
Thanks for your perspective and ideas. I'll be interested to hear your perspective on my post going live in a several hours too.
Never say sorry for replying to me. It's not necessary.
Posted using Partiko Android
Exactly, sometimes you're so deep inside the problem, as it were, you're incapable of being objective, which isn't always the best, you know?
Oh, I do that, too :D I'm basically lazying around a lot :P I'm often going out for walks with no real purpose, just that I need to get away from the computer/a certain story for a bit.
It is, since at a more traditional workplace, you have a boss and colleagues who wouldn't take it too nicely if you're lazying around. At least, that's how I imagine it is :P But when it's just you, it's really easy to bypass that and just binge on the latest Netflix series (too often, I mean, as we've established it's good every now and then) :) But you're right, once you do find that self-imposed motivation, it's much stronger. Because it has to be, since in this scenario, you're your own worst enemy.
I'll look for it then :D
Fine, I won't apologize anymore :P
Who doesn't love a good Netflix binge!?
It takes a lot of effort to be self-employed: Discipline and ownership too. I've been self- employed and my wife is, has been for 27 years, and it's a lot of work. No different to you, or Eve, doing what you guys do.
Posted using Partiko Android
Right? :D I'm not one to go for 'in' things, which is the case with netflix, but I must admit they have some pretty awesome shows.
I know. I hate it when others assume it's easy or relaxed or whatever. Truth is, it probably takes more discipline to do what I do than what other kids do who just show up at uni and do as they're told. Same professionally. It's easy to lay the decisions on someone else's doorstep, isn't it?
Being driven to do something by someone else and having the drive to self-motivate are two completely different things. You have the latter...Self-drive.
Oh, I know they're different. It's just that many don't. Many assume that it's enough to enroll or apply for the job or whatever and that's their part done, then the boss drives them from then on and they feel like it's self-driven work. It's mostly not.
A great example can be seen with most young people. There's this great shift around my age, maybe a bit younger, when they're out of high school, possibly out of their parents' home also and they just drift...that's because they were driven by parents and teachers and now, they have all this freedom and don't know how to own up to it and use it wisely. Many go on like that for the rest of their lives...
You're right and I agree. This is why I wanted your ppinoon. Rather than me just go ahead and say what you did, likening your most recent reply. I agree completely. We don't drive people like that at the office. We set goals and targets and if they don't come up to scratch they are fired. Business is not school, or some sports day where everyone wins. It's business. It seems life in general is accepting of mediocrity though doesn't it and people embrace it with a passion. Well, no passion, that's another thing that fell by the wayside a while ago.
Posted using Partiko Android
The best trick for me is to take things step by step. When I look from above I might become frightened of the "immensity of the situation" and its challenges but when I focus on what I am currently doing and only the next step I am more inclined to succeed. I believe that scattered attention nowadays is a world's problem and one that we have developed thanks to social media. Anything can be fixed though.
A linear approach to each task taking you, inevitably, to the goal or desired result. Nice!
Yes, I agree, the world seems very distracted mostly, with many even being distracted away from their own lives! Crazy.
Taking the journey step by step, as you do, is a great option and allows 100% focus on the task at hand which will probably get completed more efficiently and thoroughly leading to attainment of the end-goal without getting overwhelmed by the enormity or complexity of it. A nice strategy.
Thanks for your reply and for joining bin. I am very grateful for your comment and input.
Posted using Partiko Android
I look at my work and time as an investment and giving up would make it useless so it motivates me to grind forward and be resilient. It has worked most of the time to kee me motivated.
Posted using Partiko iOS
I like that investment ethos because in a way it is an investment considering that work, for most of us, is essential to our lives, at least from an income perspective. The investment is not just in work but in our greater lives I guess.
Thanks for responding. Have a great day.
Posted using Partiko Android
I like to break things down into smaller targets. If you face a huge task that seems impossible I always go to the first thing. What is the most basic part of it that I can do now. Once you get that done do the next one. Every time you get a step finished it's a win and the task gets smaller.
Posted using Partiko Android
It's sort of like standing next to a building and only being able to see a small section of wall...Step back and more of it becomes visible. Until the entire building can be seen.
It's a good approach, know the end goal or result but break it into smaller sub-tasks that take you towards the end-goal once all completed. It also adds an element of certainty and quality as each task is probably completed more thoroughly through having a greater attention put on it.
Thanks for responding. There's been some great strategies and I think someone reading through all the comments would have a great basis from which to build a solid strategy to motivate themselves.
Posted using Partiko Android
Indeed @galenkp these are awesome strategies, @honeydue's guide works like a charm especially if you a kind that has a short attention span or you really write lengthy blogs. It is always nice to read your blogs, I must admit:))
Thank you Irene, I'm glad you enjoy my blogs and I appreciate that you take the time to read them.
Posted using Partiko Android
To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.
Brought to you by @tts. If you find it useful please consider upvoting this reply.
Thank you so much for being an awesome Partiko user! We have just given you a free upvote!
The more Partiko Points you have, the more likely you will get a free upvote from us! You can earn 30 Partiko Points for each post made using Partiko, and you can make 10 Points per comment.
One easy way to earn Partiko Point fast is to look at posts under the #introduceyourself tag and welcome new Steem users by commenting under their posts using Partiko!
If you have questions, don't feel hesitant to reach out to us by sending us a Partiko Message, or leaving a comment under our post!