How To Be Productive Even When You Have No Motivation!

We all work hard to earn our money. Everyday, we give it our best, but sometimes, we will have times when our energy and mood is low, and we don’t want to work. We would rather go on vacation or watch Netflix than be in the office.

Usually, these moments will come by when something happens in our life, or when we work so hard that our “fuel tank” is empty. We usually don’t know what to do during periods like this other than just moan and groan and not do anything in the office. Well, instead of doing that, here are 4 tips on how to be productive in the office even when you have zero mood!

1. Create to-do lists when you have energy.

Even in periods of low motivation, energy continues to go up and down. Make use of the times when you have more energy to make a to-do list. Put your emotions into the to-do list so you will take it seriously. Add notes on your tasks, maybe remind yourself about why you want to achieve this goal and what vision do you have in mind for yourself. Instead of telling yourself “I need to finish this so I don’t have to do it anymore.”, motivate yourself with things like “I need to do this so I can grow as a person prove to myself I can face difficult challenges.”

2. Work with someone who can motivate you. 

If you are unmotivated, try to find a friend or colleague to motivate you. Push each other to complete your goals and tasks, keep up on how each other is doing and support each other through hard times so both of you will achieve your goals. Sometimes, an extra incentive is also good, make money bets, if you don’t do a task, give them RM10 or buy them lunch or something, it will keep both of you on your toes.

A recent study shows that it is often easier for people to blame others for their mistakes than take personal responsibility when they don’t achieve their goals or get work done. But, playing the blame game can derail your efforts at accountability because you’ll struggle in understanding the relationship between taking massive action and getting results." With a motivational friend, you are forced to acknowledge your mistakes and take full personal responsibility.

3. Eliminate distractions.

This is easier said than done, but without any distractions you are always able to keep your productivity high. Put away your smartphones, listen to some songs without lyrics like Lo-Fi or Jazz, and just bang at your work. As long as you throw yourself into it, you will get into the zone and slowly tune out the outside world as you focus solely on your tasks at hand.

4. Switch up workspaces.

If you’re going back to the same workspace every single day and trying to feel different about your productivity, it may be hard. So, if you work from a home office, move your desk to the other side of the room and add a plant. If you always work from the same desk in the office, try to move your workspace somewhere else. A new environment can change your motivation and mood dramatically. Finding your right “Feng Shui” helps you get more in the zone.

Motivation is often hard to pin down, it is up and down and available at some periods of our lives more than others. If you need rest and reflection more than you need to be productive, honor yourself. You may return to your work more productive than ever.