5 Ways to Beat the Winter Slump

Motivational slumps happen to the best of us. Especially in the dreary winter months before we get the full force of the spring sunshine.

Find yourself in a slump? Here are some tips to help re-motivate yourself:

1. Change your mindset

A lot of your slump is in your head. Our productivity has a lot to do with our emotions and how we're feeling. Even if you don't feel optimistic or you aren’t in a good mood, surround yourself with positive, like-minded individuals and try to change your perspective by looking at the bigger picture.

2. Find incentives

Create rewards for yourself. For example, if I finish this project by the end of this week, I'm going to treat myself to going to a bowl of ice cream on Friday night. If you don't meet the goal by the deadline, set another! Don’t give up.

3. Take baby steps

If there's a big "to-do" on your list, start with smaller tasks and work your way up to the big task. Better yet, try and split the one big task into several smaller tasks. Don't try and bite off more than you can chew at one time.

4. Track your progress

Make lists and cross off items as you go. You'll feel more accomplished if you can see the progress you're making as you go. Celebrating your successes can be the best form of motivation.

5. Mix it up

Physically, a change of scenery can do you some good. If you normally work sitting, stand up instead. Get creative in shaking up your routine. If you normally work in the morning, try working in the evening. Always be willing to change things up to enhance your productivity.

If all else fails and you are still finding yourself in a rut, take a break! You can take a walk outside, mediate for 15 minutes, watch a few TED talks, or listen to a podcast. If time allows, work on something else for the remainder of the week and come back to the project later, once you've had some time to focus on something else and refresh.

Motivational ruts can be frustrating, but tackle the slump head on with these tips.

Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.

About Leah: As a Solutions Consultant at Advoco, Leah is responsible for implementing and configuring EAM solutions for our clients. She graduated from Georgia Tech (Go Jackets!) and has experience in the mobile industry. When she's not in office, you can find her spending time with family, taking her retriever mutt Tucker for a walk in downtown Greenville, or traveling for pleasure (she has an ambitious bucket list). Have a question for Leah? Send her an email!