8 ways to boost motivation and pull employees out of a summer slump
July 26, 2021 3:47 PM
If your employees are finding it hard to focus at work, it maye not be the pandemic’s fault — it’s the time of year.
Employee productivity has managed to stay relatively high throughout the pandemic and work-from-home policies — in fact, 41% of respondents say they are getting their work done in fewer hours per week than when they worked in the office, a survey by Nintex found.
But an overly-productive workforce often means a burned out workforce, and with several weeks of summer still ahead, employees may be in need of some supplemental support to help them make it to the fall.
“We're still navigating to what's going to fit our new normal,” says Anita Kanti, executive leadership coach at Anita K Solutions, a self-titled life and career coaching practice. “There’s the underlying foundation of what we started experiencing at the beginning of 2020 coupled with the now, and for a lot of individuals, they feel like they're in a slump because of fear and uncertainty and there being too much going on.”
In the span of a year, employees have been forced to find sustainable methods to balance their work life and their homelife, all while working through the emotional complexities of experiencing a global pandemic. That kind of stress — conscious or unconscious — is slowly draining workers of their motivation, and it only worsens over time.
That stress, paired with the slow summer months, is a recipe for disaster, Kanti says. Employees are overwhelmed and under-stimulated, and it’s affecting not only their work, but their overall mental state.
“Sometimes we're focused on the wrong goals,” she says. “A lot of people are demotivated by all the decision-making we've had to deal with — and as a result, they may get a little lazy and not be able to be creative. They don’t know how to ignite any kind of productivity or sustain it.”
Kanti shared with us a few tips, both big and small, employees in search of a bit of midsummer motivation can put into practice.
Take 10 minutes of “you” time
“This is one of the best brain exercises,” she says. “Take the time to focus on breathing and meditation. Nothing formal — take a walk outside, take your bike to the park, go watch some of the kids play or go home and walk your dog.”
Keep track of your passions
“I tell some of my clients to make a working document called ‘Things I'm Passionate About,'” Kanti says. “It’s to help them stay in inspiration mode. And if they have two or three or four, they can rank them and make a commitment to at least one.”
Listen to a productivity playlist
Eighty-five percent of employees say that listening to music improved their well-being and productivity during COVID, according to a survey by Sound United, an audio brand company. Additionally, 79% of respondents said music reduces their feelings of loneliness.
Change location
“If you're working from home or you're in an office it's still very isolated,” she says. “If you're in an office or hybrid — go work in a conference room for the next hour or go work in the corporate cafeteria. If you're at home, you could change your location within your residence. And if you can’t, can you take your next meeting on a walk around the block? Or at a new coffee shop?”
Alternate your work schedule
“If possible, maybe for a couple of days a week [instead of working 9 to 5] you're working 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM,” she says. “Or maybe you request an optional (and applicable) work schedule that might help kind of change things up.”
Look forward to moments as rewards
“Remind yourself that it's the summer — all the days are longer,” she says. “We still have plenty of time after work to go out and go to the park or workout or meet a friend for a drink. Looking forward to the fun times as rewards can help you stay motivated and focused during the day.”
Enhance your workspace
“You can get energized by adding a splash of color or changing a trinket around or cleaning up all those ugly wires by your workstation,” she says. “The visual reminders are absolutely imperative to creating an environment and enhancing your workspace that supports you.”
Chase down your neighborhood ice cream truck
“I think it's important when we're working — and this is more if you're working remotely — to feel 30 seconds of joy and excitement about having a choice and engaging in something sweet,” Kanti says.
