5 Ways to Get to Work…Right Now!

Posted by Crystal on Aug 26, 2010 in Productivity | 3 comments

Feeling unmotivated? A lack of inspiration and motivation hit the best of us, even if we are normally good about sticking to a schedule and staying on task. All of us just have those days. As freelancers we don’t have anyone to force us into work, so we have to trick our own mindset into work mode. As designers, we need creativity to be productive, and sometimes that creativity spark just isn’t there.

Here are five ways anyone can get to work, right now, and then start getting things done.

1. The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a fast growing technique among solo workers in order to start a productive day. The idea is to work for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. You cannot do anything else but fully productive work for those 25 minutes, no matter how antsy you are or unmotivated. If you head on over to the website you can download a free guide for the technique that includes other time management skills for improving your productivity mindset.

The Wealthy Freelancer, a very popular book on successful freelancing, also uses a similar technique. He doesn’t call it the Pomodoro technique, but he does do something very similar. He works for 50 minutes straight instead, and then takes a 20 minute break. There are a few other key differences when it comes down to the details of his technique, but essentially they both work the same and can make any freelancer ultra productive.

2. Organize Your To-Do’s

Sometimes no motivation stems from having too much to do. An overwhelming feeling can come from not knowing what to do first, worrying about if you can get it all done, or the consequences of not meeting deadlines. These are all valid worries, but why procrastinate to make things even worse?

Organize your list of to-do’s in order of priority. What do you need to get done today? What items have deadlines? What items are among your top goals that you need to reach for professional satisfaction? Get what needs to get done first, and make a decision of what you can get done today. Don’t over do it though. Many times freelancers will put way too much on their plate for the day, only to fail to get it done and feel behind.

3. Have a Morning Routine

We always stress enough on here that waking up at the same time everyday, and preferably in the morning, is the best way to keep to a schedule and get to work. However, we don’t talk much about a good morning routine.

There was a recent post on FreelanceSwitch entitled, “Increasing Creativity and Productivity with Your Morning Routine.” It talked about the best routines for people just waking up that would inspire creativity and motivation. It was easy to tell that everyone’s preference would be different. Some felt most productive and inspired right when when woke up, some couldn’t feel creativity until they were showered, dressed, and had their coffee. Then, for others, they couldn’t feel inspired until a few hours after waking!

Whenever your ‘creativity spark’ hits, be sure to craft your routine around it. If it’s right when you wake up, give yourself time in the morning to get work done, even if it means waking up super early before the kids get up. If it’s in the afternoon, make sure you allow yourself that time block, and have everything else in place before that time comes.

4. Do Something Healthy

If your mind is wandering, it may be because your body is trying to tell you something. Have you eaten well today? Have you eaten at all today? (I often forget about breakfast when I get up and start working) Is your back sore because you’ve been sitting too long? When’s the last time you worked out?

I try to stay healthy just because I know I sit all day in front of a computer and need to stay active. Sometimes, though, I can get off track and realize I’ve just been bumming around a bit too much. Especially if you’ve been feeling unmotivated for a few days to a few weeks, look at your healthy routine. Start working out, get enough to drink and cut back on caffeine, and start eating healthy again.

For short-term motivation loss, get up and walk around, stretch, drink a glass of water, or eat a healthy and fulfilling meal.

5. Fill Up Your Day With Other Things

I found that I didn’t start being truly productive until I got another job, and I actually had less time to work on my freelance stuff. Another job and alternative activities helped me in several different ways:

• It got me out of my place, and out of my home office.
• It inspired creativity by introducing me to new things and new people.
• I didn’t have the “I’ll do it later” opportunity. I had to do something else at that time, so I had to get to work now.
• The less I could focus on what I love doing (my freelance work) the fonder and more appreciative I became of it.

It can be the road to failure if you just wake up everyday with nothing else planned but to work. You then have no structure, and no sense of urgency to get things done. Not many other freelancers may agree with getting a part-time job; it’s just what I did. Instead, apt for more flexible time-consumers like making plans with friends, joining a club, or dedicating your time to a volunteering situation.