Have you been feeling down in the dumps lately and struggling to focus at work? A few simple adjustments to routine habits may be all that is needed to turn things sunny side up.

Here are actions that require a minimal input of effort, and which can result in significant gains to your productivity.

Set Bite-Sized Goals

Are you losing traction on your original “ready to smash this!” goal-conquering plan? Slow down, Bolt. The initial super-charged mode is indeed exhilarating but let’s make this effort sustainable.

Break up your goal into smaller steps and take a more measured approach. As you reach each milestone, you will feel a small sense of achievement that gives you the boost of motivation and the clear confidence you need to propel you to the finish line.

Let A Little Meditation In

Set aside 5-10 minutes each morning to meditate. This should get you in the right headspace to kick start your day. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t be any less busy (sorry!) but the difference maker here is you won’t go into the day feeling overwhelmed. Instead your morning swag looks like this: positive energy, clarity of mind, and a calm demeanour. Who can refuse that?

Make Changes to Your Working Environment

You may be spending too much time in one place. So while you may be proud of the nifty workstation you’ve set up in a designated section of the house, try setting yourself up somewhere else on occasion. Maybe all you need to regain focus at work is not seeing the same painting on the same wall.

Social Media Distancing

Be honest: do you find yourself thumbing mindlessly through social feeds?

While it’s great to stay connected, the time and attention you are investing in endless chatter or trolling (sorry, scrolling) are distracting you from more important priorities.

Make a conscious effort to take substantial breaks from social media. Perhaps that means not keeping your phone by your side, or turning it completely off, or scheduling social media checks strictly during planned time segments of the day. Figure out what works for you and make it happen. Several distraction-free hours later, you’ll be patting yourself on the back.

Hydrate

Accompany those sneaky snack breaks – or better yet replace them, with water breaks. Who doesn’t feel refreshed and newly energized after a cool glass of water. Or, three.

Sleep is NOT Over-Rated, Get Rest

Ensure that you are clocking in a decent amount of hours in sleep each week. Your body and mind need those sleep nutrients. If you feel your mind or your body powering down during the day, take a 20 minute nap – right there, sitting upright in your chair. Chances are you will wake up alert and ready to tackle the next priority of the day. The revival powers of afternoon siestas are legendary.

Take Timeouts, Take Walks

Be sure to get up and move away from your laptop or device every couple hours. Go stretch those legs and clear that mind. Walking can be a quick workout and it requires no fitness club commitment. It does absolute wonders for the mind and will whip you back into renewed focus at work.

Well, what are you waiting for? Aren’t you out the door yet?