When my nieces decided to start reading the Harry Potter series, they soon realized the length of the books would challenge them even though they were both good readers. But when they discovered the illustrated versions that have been published in the last few years, they jumped into the series.
What changed? The actual words are the same. The illustrated versions aren’t abridged. The difference is that the illustrated versions have pictures. The text size is larger. The physical size of the pages is bigger. What they saw on each page was different, making the books more accessible for younger readers.
When their perspective changed, they stayed motivated to read. The different pictures and text in the illustrated version of the Harry Potter series gave my nieces something different to look at, a different way of reading the same stories that I first read in college twenty-something years ago.
When it comes to working on goals, both personal and professional, sitting down for hours at a time takes a toll. Physically, you get stiff from sitting, your feet start shifting to keep you awake. Mentally, your mind wanders to the urge to check email or social media, the urge to switch to an easier task. But when you’re on a deadline to finish something , or an employer expects a certain amount of work to be done, staying motivated to hit those goals sometimes requires a change in how you view your work. Literally and figuratively.
PHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE
While not everyone has the luxury of taking their work to a different location, more companies offer work-at-home or other remote options. And those already working from home, whether as a self-employed entrepreneur, freelance creative, or someone working on any kind of personal project, have built in flexibility.
- Change location – One of the easiest ways to change perspective is to physically move to a different location. For many writers, this often means heading to a local coffee shop or café. For those who might be too easily distracted by others, some areas now have co-working spaces where you can rent an office space for a few hours. There are also places like local libraries, open seating areas at colleges, or even casual restaurants that are quieter than a coffee shop or bookstore. Changing your visual perspective by changing your location forces your brain to look at new things. Those slight changes around you provide a creative boost to motivate you to get back to whatever project it is you’re working on.
- Change environment – If you’re not able to actually go to a different location to work, sometimes changing the perspective within your workspace increases motivation. If you’re in a typical corporate cubicle, the drab walls can feel claustrophobic at times. Try bringing in different personal items to add to your shelves. Find some inexpensive art pieces for framed quotes that can be hung on your wall. Or find a favorite poem or book passage, type it up, and print it on nice paper. If you work from home but can’t go to another location because of computer needs, etc…, try changing up your work space. Add new artwork. Try a different chair or change the background on your computer screen. Simple changes to your workspace shift your perspective towards things you can control – adding your own personality to an otherwise drab workspace – rather than only on the tasks to be done that day.
MENTAL PERSPECTIVE
While a physical change alter your visual perspective, there are times when this isn’t possible. Not everyone can relocate for the day. If you’re tied to a specific area, changing perspective requires a more defined mental shift. Mentally challenging yourself to change your perspective will be different for everyone, depending on your personality and your work conditions. But there are a few simple things anyone can do to change the way your brain processes the world around you.
- Change music – Many people listen to music while working. Whether you’re a writer jamming out to your favorite band while jamming out words, or someone stuck in a corporate cubicle blasting whatever you can to drown out your co-worker who chews on ice, listening to music helps maintain energy. But music also has its drawbacks. It’s easy to get caught up in the music itself rather than what you’re supposed to be doing. Changing the type of music you listen to changes your mental perspective by forcing your brain to process different words and rhythms. This, in turn, boosts your overall mental energy. Another option for those more easily distracted listening to classical/instrumental music boosts brain activity to process sound without trying to connect the lyrics. A dramatic classical piece or movie soundtrack increases endorphins, giving you more energy. Conversely, if you need more of a calming environment, listening to nature sounds (rain, a running creek) offers your brain a break from office noise. The calming sounds of nature changes your perspective from one of sitting inside with computers to a feeling or calm and quiet as if you were outside at a mountain cabin.
- Change tasks – Unless you’re in an old-fashioned office where you only do one thing and are told you can only do that task one way, sometimes all you need to change your perspective is to change what you’re doing. If you have some freedom in your daily work schedule, changing up what time you do a certain thing can give your motivation a boost. Most of us get into set routines, and for good reason. We find completing certain tasks either early or late in a day makes them more efficient. This is usually true. Systems work for a reason. But sometimes when you’re feeling a little unfocused, changing up that routine can boost your motivation. Changing your perspective towards how you work can go a long way in changing your motivation to complete mundane work.
We all have tasks we don’t want to do, and some that are just plain boring. Maintaining motivation to get those things done, whether for a job or for personal goals, can wane over time. But a few simple changes in how you view your workspace and your work day can go a long way in keeping you motivated. Changing your perspective towards how and where you work, even if only for a day, changes the way your brain processes information. As a result, it looks at the work in a different way. When your brain works differently, it challenges you work differently.
***What things do you use to keep yourself motivated during the work day? When your motivation changes, what do you do to get back on task?***
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