We've all had days where we feel like nothing can stop us. Our mind creeps into autopilot and we enter a flow state where our thoughts effortlessly spill out into our work. Then, there are the days when it feels like you're struggling to stay on task - fighting every step of the way. Why can't all of our days be like the former? I've curated a short list of ways that may help you tip your work day in your favor.
This is a list of things I incorporate into my daily life that have helped me and is in no way based on an ounce of scientific research.
1. Easy tasks first
You've eaten breakfast, drank your coffee, brushed your teeth, and now you've sat down to start your day feeling energized and ready to take on your toughest task of the day. An hour into the endeavor you've hardly made a dent; The eagerness and motivation you had to start the day have evaporated into thin air as you trudge your way through your assignment. I've been there far too many times.
Picking up the heaviest part of today's workload without partaking in the mental warmup leaves you with a strained cerebrum. Kick off your day by tackling a couple of easier tasks to gain a bit of momentum and confidence to tackle the more challenging requests. Bonus points if you sandwich your hard tasks with easy ones. I'll elaborate on that later
2. Lose the phone
"Yeah dude, duh."
I know, it's low-hanging fruit so I'll keep it short. Put your dang phone in another room. Nothing kills your momentum quite like the buzzing, beeping, or flashing of your 8 GB pacifier. An innocent glance at a single Instagram reel turns into a 30-minute sidequest where there is no loot at the end. Do yourself a huge favor and remove your phone from your workspace. You can still hear calls from another room if it's important.
3. Create a morning routine
Think of a snowball being pushed down a steep hill. Small and insignificant looking to begin, but with each roll gaining speed and menace. Being deliberate about your morning routine seems to create a similar effect.
Whatever it may be; Brushing your teeth, making your bed, taking a cold shower, etc. Completing these everyday mundane morning engagements (in order) day in and day out gives you an early sense of achievement, a sense of "I've already gotten so much done today!". Let's see how long we can keep that snowball moving.
4. Take a break
This one may seem counterintuitive as interrupting your workflow seems like a direct attack on keeping your momentum (if you're counting how many times I say 'momentum', quit it). I can see how it would initially look that way, but taking a mental break helps your brain recover from all of the work you just put it through. Powering your way through workload day after day will inevitably lead to burnout, which kills...
you guessed it...
momentum.
So, give yourself a break and go touch some grass.
Set yourself up for the next day
This is where the easy task sandwich comes back into play. This one is my favorite tactic to keep the momentum going. You've executed the other 4 to perfection and you want to better your odds every day you sit down to work.
End your day with another easy task, and queue up another for tomorrow.
This is a great way to ensure you end your day with a positive attitude and a feeling of accomplishment, which I've found greatly indicates the mood in which I sit down to start working the next day.
5. Conclusion
There are many ways to sustain momentum during your work week and these are just a handful of ways I've found success in doing so. If you find yourself struggling to keep the ball rolling, give these a try. Better yet, let me know some of your tactics!
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