Now that the holiday rush has finished, do you have a to-do list piling up again? Finding the motivation to do those bits proving difficult?

I know I do. And am.

Full disclosure: I took complete advantage of the two weeks my son had off of school and my daughter had off from dance.

We relaxed, played, watched movies, and relaxed some more. I also was able to tackle a lot of my wants around the house that had been waiting around until I had an extra moment. The kids’ closets were purged, and I just need to go through all our papers and do bathrooms this weekend. That’s a huge deal in my book.

Now, it’s back to showing up not only consistently, but intentionally.

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I’ve realized a few areas that I got lazy with… and I have no one to blame but myself. Yes, we all get overloaded a time or two, and I always give myself a year after having a new little to get settled into a schedule and routine. So, I cut myself quite a bit of slack in the meantime.

That’s not to say I didn’t get a lot accomplished this past year. I did. My first coach, finished two products and an ebook (which will be promoted here soooonnnnnn — be on the lookout), managed to keep important items in the forefront, a new baby, established two businesses fully, big dog had two surgeries we helped her recover from, among a few other big checks off on the journey. But I put off a few other bits in order to reach those goals that I hope I to juggle a little better this year. And, now that the tiny one is getting bigger and a tad more independent, the new goals are entirely reachable.

Getting back in the saddle and finding that motivation to tackle the list can be a smidgen daunting after having taken so much time to re-set and be out of “work mode”, though.

Do you find the transition from a break back to working to be tough? Do you even take a break? I know plenty who don’t take a break, but I find that I do a much better job at wearing all the hats if I take the time to recoup once in a while (for longer than the two day weekends).

When I need to return to the daily grind, these are ways that help motivate me:

My Beloved Planner/Lists

The topic of writing your tasks down used to be one I’d chuff at. Then, I had kids. While some days I feel like a rockstar, there are days I forget where the phone I’m holding and talking on is and begin searching like a madman. Yeah, those are the days I know I need to slow my roll. Without my to-do list and jotting down my schedule, I would probably lose my mind. A friend or two can totally vouch for me here. I’ll agree to something without penciling it in, and while I hold up my end of the bargain still, I will completely forget until being reminded.

One of my favorite Christmas gifts I received this year (I have a lot of favorites, but still…)? A planning calendar I can hang up and it has slots for up to 5 people (family of 5 here!)! It came with helpful stickers, magnets already on for convenience, and a separate daily/weekly calendar to hang up on the fridge. Hopefully, I’ll be even better at writing everything down this year with this motivation.

Flexibility

Not the able-to-do-the-splits kind, although that wouldn’t hurt. I mean being able to know when my brain is at max capacity and needs a break. Or when my kiddos need some attention, food, changes. Maybe something other than work still needs more of my attention while we transition to me working during the daylight hours again. I may need to pick up the computer at night for a couple of hours while we flip that increase of work switch on again, as well. Having littles at home means I may not be able to work the same hours every day, the same amount of time each day, or predict any hiccups, but I surely can finish my work on time with that awareness.

Start and End My Day Positively

Sometimes that means beginning with a story or a game. Other times that means starting with a client project I know I’m going to enjoy. I’ll follow that with whatever I may be dreading — errands, task I need to learn, etc. And, we ALWAYS end our day reading before bed (and maybe a YouTube video). If we have time to do art, crafts, games, a puzzle, or another activity, then we do. If we don’t, then that’s okay. I still have my wind down time to hug, love, and just be with my family. This time in the evening also serves as an extra reminder of why I do what I do and continue to press on through the good and the bad. The life we have created and continuously build upon gives me purpose. Repeating this helps me a lot, too.

These suggestions can change the way you see working. If you watched my day, I may need to stop to dip one little or dance with another, but I’ll be intermittently checking of my to-do’s and moving forward. Finding motivation can simply be a matter of realizing the way to keep taking steps and accepting that you are doing your best.

What are some ways that you find motivation and get yourself into being productive again?

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