Life is getting back to normal for us all, I noticed this morning that kids are going back to school again and there were lots of traffic jams on the roads this morning. Holidays are officially over and reality has kicked in. I slowly started working again last week, but struggled getting to work. I just wasn’t really motivated and still felt a bit sluggish while going back. It’s a new week now though and I was determined to start this week off better than last week. Technically the New Year started last week, but I feel like this week is a 'Get Shit Done' kind of week. Anyway, I thought I would share some of my tips to get us all motivated again after the holidays.

Water and diet

It’s not really that I am unmotivated, I want to do things, but like I said I am constantly feeling sluggish and tired. It’s why one of the first things I have tried to do is get my diet in check. Since last week I have made sure to drink plenty of water. At least two litres a day, to make sure I flush out everything. Besides that I also made sure to cut back on as many carbs and sugar as I can. I know both of these can make me feel tired and sleepy when I have had a bit too much. December has been a month where I have had a way too much sugar and way too many carbs. So since last week I have only eaten wholegrain carbs and only eat lots of fruit and veg to get some sugar inside of my body.

Tidy house, tidy mind

Another thing that really helped me get back into things, is doing a big old clean. Even though I spent so much time in and around the house, my room was a bit of a mess after Christmas and New Years. I also had an itch to put some fresh bed sheets on and vacuum my room. The only thing I have left to do for me is do another little wardrobe clear out. I guess what they say is really true, because the tidiness in my room has actually motivated me to slowly get back to work too.

Fix your sleeping pattern

For years December has been the month where I get the least amount of sleep. It’s probably because you hang out with so many people and have activities to do. Add the sugar intake into the equation and you’ve got me up all night. I am the worst sleeper anyway and suffer from insomnias. Anyway, I am currently trying to fix my sleeping pattern again so I don’t fall asleep at 3 and try to wake up at 8. I try to do this by avoiding caffeine and alcohol, to eat my dinner early and to prepare myself for bed with a bedtime routine. I still have a long way to go, but fixing your sleeping pattern will definitely help you find back your motivation.

Get properly dressed in the morning

One of the things I sometimes struggle with because I work from home is I sit in my PJ’s all day. This makes it easier for me to get back into bed or work from my sofa under a blanket. It’s cosy for sure, but not very practical as it usually means I’ll either be in bed for a quick nap or turn the TV on for some background noise and end up watching something. I find that getting dressed in the morning somehow makes it easier for me to avoid that. I get dressed in the morning and try to wear jeans. Jeans are appropriate to wear inside the house and my jeans are always comfortable to work and sit in behind my desk. If I feel extremely distracted I am more likely to go outside and work from another spot instead of staying inside the house all day and not really getting anything done.

Go outside for some fresh air

Some days I might feel a little extra sluggish after lunchtime. Somehow that’s my time of the day to be sleepy. Getting outside for some fresh air always helps me snap back my work mode again. Some days I might go for a little walk around the block, but other days I like to go out for some groceries or I might hop into town on my scooter to run some errands. Getting outside is always good and it’s especially good to get your body moving to do some work again.

Start with an easy task

The hardest part is actually getting to work. It’s usually because there are these huge tasks you have ahead of you and feel ugh and unmotivated to even start those tasks. It’s why I always try to start my days with an easy task to slowly ease myself into the day and the workload. Slowly work your way up from there to get those bigger tasks you need to do done either by the end of the day or week.