Keeping yourself motivated

nolf

Not cycling related but...

At the moment I've got a hideous amount of work and i'm struggling to stay concentrated/motivated.

I enjoy it, but I have a projected 70+ hours of work this week (have done a 12 hour day today already ), and need a strategy to keep myself motivated...

The work is quite intense and requires my full concentration, and I'm just struggling to stay concentrated at the tail end of 12 hours. I'm drinking and eating well, having a fair bit of caffeine, and not under the weather. Have done a single all nighter before, just ot used to the sustained long days.

Anyone got any tips/advice on how to keep the energy levels high for long days?
It's just for 2 more weeks and then I can have a couple of days off (like a weekend...!), but need to keep going till then.

ride_whenever

Don't try to work for 12 hours. Take a break every hour or so. Take decent breaks, go get a drink and stretch your legs. Don't eat at the work, eat as a separate event!

Oh, try and get some nookie, it helps keep you on your a-game.

shockedsoshocked

Why do you need to work for 12 hours plus, if you don't mind me asking?

Bhima

I don't know what kind of "work" you're doing, but most tasks can be split up in ways which make getting them done more efficient. If you look at things from another angle, there's often an easier way to do something... Thinking outside of the box like this can spark inspiration, making things easier.

Set targets. Make them time-based and very specific.

Once you reach each target, reward yourself somehow to keep your motivation up.

Does this "work" have to be completed to a very good standard? If time is running out, prioritize what's most important and get it done. Usually, it'll be the hardest part of the work so, if you start to get mentally drained, you know that the work will get easier as you go on.

desweller

I've had a few stints like that!

For me it boils down to disciplining my sleep patterns. So, making sure I don't go crazy with my caffeine intake for starters (don't have any when you're getting close to going home), not eating crap (too easy to abdicate the cooking at the end of the day and get a takeaway), not eating late, not staying up late.

And also <gasp!> quitting cycling into work for the duration, if you're a cycle commuter. I just can't take both cycle commuting and long hours, even though normally it's the best bit of the day...

Fact is, though, that overwork will make you tired whatever you do. It's also harder to deal with in the winter, I find. That doesn't really help, sorry.

Hope you get it all done in time. Good luck.

Des

nolf

Thanks for the help guys, appreciate it.

ATM I'm doing a few of those already, I make sure I take 5 mins every 2/3 hours with a 20 minute meal break every 5 hours, and am eating fairly healthily.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the work there aren't really any shortcuts or any one thing which is a higher priority than the other, so I'm just going to have to do all of it. I'm trying to keep a sustainable pace up though, so that I'm not overdoing it on any 1 day.

Das weller I reckon you're absolutely right. I'm trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, but it's hard, because when I get back I like to relax for a couple of hours before I sleep. Need to be up at 7, so working by 8:30 (big breakfasts I find help as well), then try to finish by 10pm so I can be back home by half past. Gives me an hour and a half to cook a bit of food and relax (weird how my music taste in the evening is so different, got really into mellow chillout music).

I've given up cycling completely for the last 5 weeks (bar 1 ride), cycle commuting although nice, just requires that bit extra energy- bus is warm, and the bus stop is literally opposite my house.

I got a big chunk done today, ready for the first meeting tomorrow morning, so barring a breakdown I feel confident that I'll finish. It will all be over before christmas however, so all is good.

Scrumple

Gibber filter applied

Scrumple

More gibber filter applied.

nolf

Scrumple- wasn't meant to come across as a whiney sympathy seeking post, as I don't feel a need for sympathy.

However strategies on dealing with a lot of work seems a legitimate querey on a forum, I was hoping to get some hard working people to give me some tips as to what keeps them chugging through the night for several weeks.

Not particularly whiny, not particularly unreasonable. If you don't wish to make a constructive comment, refrain from writing.

And I should point out that the casual mentioning of how many degrees and academic qualifications you have, and the vast quanitiy of work required to get there, could be construed as attempting to get a bit of sympathy yourself...

nolf

Deleted as no longer relevant!

teagar

Probably best not to spend time on forums if the work is that pressing.


I found scaring myself sh!tless into doing the work was what worked for me, but I know plenty of people who find that way does the opposite.

I found waking up and starting early helped, because I worked better in the morning and during daylight hours. My mate prefered a leisurely start and carried on till 2am most days.

What works for you!

Presumably if it's for uni or work, you should have worked out what gets you motivated to work and what doesn't by now.

pneumatic

Scrumple, decent of you.

To explain, when I was once in the same situation as Nolf, I got your originally posted response full in the face from a colleague.

He still lives, but I have never forgiven him.. You, at least, have had the grace to apologise.

Garry H

Don't know what type of work you do, but I find that exercising gives me energy and motivation. You work for 12 and sleep for 7, still leaves 5 hours...

Le Commentateur

Getting away from the always on broadband the internet helps for me.

Which reminds me, I've got work to finish...

Scrumple

Check my post time: I was very drunk.

I have deleted it as it was grade A gibber.

I do not drink often, and when I do it shows!!

Ironically, I did have an excuse... I had passed an exam. I need to stay away from internet forums, whilst intoxicated!

holmeboy

Now I'm here

nolf

Le Commentateur wrote:

Getting away from the always on broadband the internet helps for me.

Which reminds me, I've got work to finish...

I'm being good at the moment in terms of internet use! (except for now...)

Scrumple

.h

Garry H

nolf wrote:

Le Commentateur wrote:

Getting away from the always on broadband the internet helps for me.

Which reminds me, I've got work to finish...

I'm being good at the moment in terms of internet use! (except for now...)

But you still haven't mentioned what kind of work it is. Are you an "escort" or something?

holmeboy

Scrumple wrote:

to holmeboy above, please check your pm's

thanks

I'm below you now!

holmeboy

now I'm there

desweller

Ooh, one other thing (which you're either probably aware of, or doesn't affect you).

If you're starting to feel sluggish towards the end, it's worth just scrawling 'CHECK ME' on a piece of paper and leaving it on whatever you've just done, so when you get in to work the next day, you see the note and re-read what you've did the night before. You'd be amazed how rambling and incoherent tiredness can make you. I've gone over stuff the day after a late-nighter that didn't even make sense i.e. never mind the logic, the english wasn't even comprehensible!

In the same vein, do NOT send late night emails!

I hope none of my employers are on here.

holmeboy

Think I'll stay around around around

shouldbeinbed

don't overdo the caffeine, when it wears off you're worse off. moderation, use it when you really need a boost not as a crutch . drink plenty of water, 80 odd% of your brain is water. keep it topped up with whats good for it.

STEFANOS4784

Scrumple wrote:

Check my post time: I was very drunk.

I have deleted it as it was grade A gibber.

I do not drink often, and when I do it shows!!

Ironically, I did have an excuse... I had passed an exam. I need to stay away from internet forums, whilst intoxicated!

Haha, i do this all the time, nightmare checking the next day.........

nolf

Garry H wrote:

nolf wrote:

Le Commentateur wrote:

Getting away from the always on broadband the internet helps for me.

Which reminds me, I've got work to finish...

I'm being good at the moment in terms of internet use! (except for now...)

But you still haven't mentioned what kind of work it is. Are you an "escort" or something?

*Brain purge Ahead*

Pfft I wish.
At least then I could still get a chance for some "exercise".

Actually I be a student.
But work from home is generally innefficient so I work at the University library most of the time.
Whilst students generally get a bad rap for being lazy/not knowing hard work, I worked full time last year for a multi-national financial services company, in one of the worst recessions ever. I know what hard work/stress is like!!!

I treat my degree like a job, and at the moment I have a shit load of deadlines.
I have an assessed essay due next Thursday (around 30 hours left), working on a dissertation (around 15 hrs of work per week), revision for an open exam next Thursday (36 hours to write 2x2500 word essays, about 45 hrs more prep needed).

About 70 hours of work left before Thursday, when I'll have a solid 30 hours of work (allowing 6 for sleep).

Having a break atm over tea. Finding I'm really hungry even though not doing exercise...
Slightly stressing and really flagging today.

Whats annoying is that I know I could more than half that workload and get a 2.1 without too much pain, theres just this ridiculous jump up to a 1st.

Ooh I'm also trying to get a team sorted for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Global Business Challenge (CIMA GBC), a 2000 word report on a fictitious company, in the style of a consultant, involving financial analysis and strategic/tactical anaylsis (about 100 hours of work per 4 man team member), with an executive summary and presentation to top it off. Luckily thats not due until the end of January.

Sigh. Better get back to work

My breakdown/drunkeness next Saturday night is going to be epic.

Garry H

Know how you feel. Worked more or less full time for the 4 years while at uni.

Keep it up, it'll soon be over and you'll be sitting at a desk ten years later wishing you were still at uni

VinceEager

eat and drink sensibly & power nap if you can.

nolf

Thanks guys.

BTW If you can't be bothered to read the tirade, helpful summary-

waaawaawaa.