It’s August and many of us have settled into summer and vacations. Taking a break every now and then is important, but sometimes a vacation can turn into the full-on summer doldrums. The kind where you sorta just space out, don’t feel super motivated and don’t really feel like doing anything work-related.
It’s tough to fight that feeling but with fall just a few weeks away, it’s good to have some strategies to snap out of it and get your mojo back.
- Give yourself permission to take a break. It’s ok to feel like chilling sometimes. Give yourself some time off and embrace a slower pace. Use the downtime to re-charge – sleep more, see your family and friends, do nothing – whatever relaxes you. But, set a limit. Pick a date for when you need to re-engage with work and have a plan for how to get back into the swing of things (see #4 below).
- Get outside and think. Don’t stay trapped at your desk if you’re itching to be outside. Schedule walking meetings or take your laptop outside. Just being outside can give you a motivational and creativity boost. Also, getting out of the office with colleagues is a great way to deepen your relationships. So while you may not feeling like “working,” you can still network and get to know your colleagues better.
- Adjust your schedule. Would a different routine feel better for the last few weeks of summer? Think about what you can change to give you more flexibility so you can still enjoy the summer while also getting your work done.
- Set some fall goals. It’s fine to take your foot off the gas a little bit in the summer. But it’s not a great idea to check out completely. Use August to create a plan for what you want to accomplish in the fall.
- Got a lot of thoughts swirling around in your head? Use this time to write them down and journal on them. Create space to think about the things that may be keeping you up at night.
- Make a to do list for September. You can start with the big goals and then identify the weekly and daily to do’s to reach those goals.
- Take some action before August ends – find one easy thing to do and do it. Taking action helps you move forward and prevents you from getting stuck. Doing this will help you leapfrog out of your current mindset and set you up for a productive September.
- Make an investment to hold yourself accountable. I recommend my group training and coaching program, The Badass Professional Woman’s Code (**see below for special offer). It starts September 12 and is designed to provide the clarity, motivation, tools and accountability to accelerate your career in the way that feels right for you.
5. Consider if fear is really sabotaging your motivation. Often, our fear and doubt are proportional with what we perceive to be waiting for us at the next level. So when we start to think about what’s next, fear, doubt and limiting mindsets can creep in. All of this keeps us stagnant. When this happens, think about how it would feel if you had already cleared up the old stories, self-sabotaging behaviors and limiting mindsets that keep popping back up.
Feeling unmotivated by something else and can’t quite put your finger on it? Grab my FREE Motivation Manager to identify 10 common causes of de-motivation and strategies to help you re-engage.
**Enroll in The Badass Professional Woman’s Code by August 24, and your friend or colleague can join for free. I’m offering this two-for-one bonus because I know sometimes we need that extra support and accountability to get the ball rolling and signing up with someone you know offers that – plus it’s more fun!
Originally published at www.mosaicgrowth.com