Yep. I bet we all feel it. It is something in the air that changes, also at the work Place. The colleague that you saw smiling after summer vacations is no longer so cheerful when you meet in the hallway. Doubling the coffee amount might not be enough. It just feels like too much to get up early, these days!
This year I decided, that I would not let the "fall mood" get to me. I have read a great deal about motivation, and now is the time to take those pieces of advice to use. Here are a couple of tips, also you may like to be reminded of:
1. Be gentle on yourself. If you are ambitious like me, you probably have several goals you are working on simultaneously. When trying to reach those goals, it feels like you have to witness your progress to yourself every day. Here's the catch. Many achievements take a long time to reach, and require consistence to reach. It is hence not possible to see the progress points daily, and sometimes not even weekly.
The solution is to keep believing that the hard work will eventually reward you. Even if you think that the 20 min. extra you put on top of your working day, it might be just as important to relax and keep relying on the process. When your mind is relaxed, you are more likely to succeed in whichever task you have at hand.
2. Remember to take care of the routines. When rushing, it not only feels difficult to take an extra break, but also it may be difficult to take care of the basics/ essentials. This is very simple, in fact: sleep, excercise and eat healthy. If you are like me, the rising stress levels make you grasp whatever (unhealthy) snack that comes your way before making it to the fridge. When getting home from work, slipping into your sleeping bag instead of your jogging shoes might feel more tempting, but trust me, leaving is hardest. When you are out there, fresh air actually feels really good! Also, you will sleep better during the night.
These tips are very simple. Only, it takes the effort to remember these two things to survive from this one more fall. Also, sometimes Netflix is just as good an option as doing the extra homework. Surely, studying pays off, but let's not overdo it.
Perhaps, then, when you least expect it, you may start to feel the urge again. The motivation, like efficiency, will be visible if we just allow that. Eventually most of us who get to work with what we love, are lucky, and just need some freedom to be reminded of it.
So with these words, I wish you (and me) good luck - we can do it!
