Unless you’re a high school or college senior in the grips of senioritis, Spring Fever is probably rearing it’s ugly head making it hard to get to work. Here’s what to watch out for.
Despite the allergies, I love Spring. I remember being in college struggling to get back into “work mode’ after Spring Break. With the beautiful weather warming things up on the East Coast, I see Spring Fever creeping in.
Symptoms of Spring Fever (And What You Can Do About Them!)
- Being easily
distracted like a dog chasing a squirrel, and then another and another. Whether
it’s the new movie, Game of Thrones episode or planning your weekend run, there
are so many things waiting to pull your attention away from the work at hand.
When you’re fighting distraction, make adjustments to your schedule to allow room for breaks. If all you’re doing is locking it down at your desk and not giving yourself a chance to enjoy the weather, your mind will wonder.
A great way to ease distraction is to plan walks in your day. Get outside, if only for 15 minutes, walk around, breathe the fresh air and then get back to your desk to finish out strong.
- Lack of
motivation to buckle down and get back into the swing of things, when all
you want to do is grab a book and lay out. Losing enthusiasm at work happens. It might be
a sign that you’ve been working too hard, or you’ve lost your passion for what
you’re working on.
If you’ve fallen into a rut, explore what’s going on. Are you tired of being so busy that you just don’t have the energy to put out another fire? Is the task or project so difficult and you’re tapped out of skills and knowledge to get it done?
Consider asking for a special assignment that will re-energize you, or collaborating with a team member who has complimentary skills to brainstorm with.
- Difficulty
focusing can be caused by a number of things. Maybe you’re tired from longer
hours enjoying all this daylight. Perhaps the histamines from your allergies
are dragging you down. Possibly, your task list is just so long, that you do’t
know where to start. Fatigue, stress and competing priorities will negatively
impact your ability to focus.
Start by getting enough rest. Create an environment that supports healthy sleep and create a routine that gets you to bed on time. While you’re at it, make sure you’re properly hydrating too! Then work on streamlining your tasks list. Take the time to cross of tasks that are outdated, no longer apply or don’t tie into your goals.
Think about what excites you. What project do you actually want to work on? What makes you want to jump out of bed and hit the ground running? Try to reconnect to those things and make time for them on your schedule. - Restlessness
and the desire to travel are common around this time of year. If you’re dealing
with the hum-drums and fighting the blahs, having a little bit of wanderlust is
normal. You want to explore, be outdoors and get away from the daily grind.
This time of year, we crave new experiences and adventures, making it hard to
stick with our usual routines.
It might not be a bad idea to shake things up a bit. Changing your routine can re-ignite your motivation and get you jazzed up about work again.
It may be a great time to plan a conference out of town, or go to a client or vendor site, or maybe work remotely from a coffee shop.
Need a cure for your Spring Fever? Let’s chat about ways you can reignite the passion.