Hurray! Summer is finally here, and it seems like the weather actually got the memo, well at least for one weekend anyway.
Summer is the best season – bright mornings and that great stretch in the evenings. However, events, holidays and long weekends can sometimes lead to a lack of motivation and drive in our jobs, particularly when you’re working from home and looking out of your window at the sunshine flooded countryside.
It’s only natural to find yourself day dreaming about past and planned holidays, and unfortunately for most businesses, the Summer months tend to be the quietest of the year. So here are some helpful tips to make sure you stay motivated through the Summer months.
Set Summer Goals
If you get easily distracted by that unfamiliar circular shaped object in the sky, aka the sun, then why not set yourself some summer work goals. As it can be a slower time of year, this can be an opportunity to work on those side projects you’re usually too busy for.
Throughout the year we push some projects to the side as they aren’t a main priority, these jobs are the nice to have, rather than the must be done work. Maybe it’s a bit of employee training, or a charity programme, or even something more creative, like a new idea for the companies social media pages.
There is more time this summer than during any other, so take this time to incorporate these projects, which will help you keep your work focus and motivation, while showing your boss just how much drive you have.
Get Out and Enjoy the Sunshine
Summer days are few and far between, so when the opportunity arises make sure you make the most of it. Step away from your desk and get out into your garden, or balcony, or even take a walk around the block with a sandwich and chocolate to hand (a 99 sounds perfect).
It’s no surprise that keeping active and exercising is highly associated with improving people’s mental health and wellbeing, so, sticking yourself to your chair all day is not going to help yours. Get out for a walk or jog if you’re feeling up to it. You will get some fresh air and sunshine, and head back to the office (or home office) feeling happier in yourself.
Plan a Vacation
Staying motivated in work and planning a vacation can seem like two opposing things to do, particularly if flights are grounded, but studies have shown that people who take some time away from work have higher productivity overall. And of course, we all know if there is something to look forward to work seems a little bit easier.
Never think your too busy to take your holidays. Although you may feel like the foundation that holds it all together, as long as you have prepared your colleagues and clients for your time off there shouldn’t be any major issues.
When you are back from your holidays, DON’T forget to thank your colleagues who have maintained your work. Lastly and most importantly, a Duty Free Toblerone for the staff kitchen is essential upon your return – were you even away if you didn’t pick one up!
Have Fun at Work
Fun and work in the same sentence, could this be right? Yes, you heard right, of course you can have fun in work whenever you want, but summer is a good time to lift the moral, it can also benefit your employer in an attempt to keep motivation alive.
Ask your employer or manager if you could organise some company events. If a few of you are working from home, this could include, online lunches or ice cream breaks, or quizzes and games (a round of musical bingo on a team video call is great fun) that will give you and your colleagues the chance to take a break and get to know one another outside the work environment.
Summer is most people’s favourite time of year for multiple reasons, so let it be your favourite time of the year in work too. Co-workers bringing treats back from holidays, outdoor lunches, spare time to concentrate on fun work projects and longer evenings to enjoy with family and friends. Roll on the next few months!
Posted in: Blog
