Trends I Don’t Wanna Work: How To Regain Your Focus and Productivity Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Written by Mint.com Published Feb 18, 2011 3 min read Advertising Disclosure The views expressed on this blog are those of the bloggers, and not necessarily those of Intuit. Third-party blogger may have received compensation for their time and services. Click here to read full disclosure on third-party bloggers. This blog does not provide legal, financial, accounting or tax advice. The content on this blog is "as is" and carries no warranties. Intuit does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the content on this blog. After 20 days, comments are closed on posts. Intuit may, but has no obligation to, monitor comments. Comments that include profanity or abusive language will not be posted. Click here to read full Terms of Service. Do you ever have a day when you just don’t feel like working? Well, I’m having one of those right now. Fortunately for me, having my own business and being my own boss, I can very easily walk away from my desk, my email, and my work responsibilities for an hour, a day, or as long as I wish. The repercussions of my choices and actions regarding when and how I work only impact me as I am not accountable to anyone else in my professional capacity. For many who work in a more traditional environment—in an office, with a boss, with deadlines that others need you to meet—not working when you don’t feel like it is not an option, or at least it is not an option that you can deliberately voice and act upon. So, what can you do and what can you learn from the “I don’t wanna work” feeling? First, pause to examine what might be bringing on this feeling. It could be any of the following: have you been working too much and you’re feeling overwhelmed? Are you facing a daunting task and you don’t know where to start? Are you pre-occupied with something outside of work? Are you tired? Hungry? Bored? Annoyed? Missing human interaction? The list of possible pulls away from work can be endless. Next, figure out how to take care of yourself. Even in the busiest times of your workday, if you’re not working at your best, stepping out of your regular routine for even five minutes can feel like an oasis in the desert—a way to refresh a drained mind or body. Here are some examples: 1. You can’t seem to get excited about starting a new project; getting your initial ideas down seems impossible. Take ten minutes to get out of the physical space you are in. Walk to a conference room, a colleague’s office or just take a walk and allow yourself to see and think from a different place. 2. You’re exhausted from a few late nights and not great sleep. All you want to do is go home and nap. If you have a private office and can lock the door, put your head down for ten minutes. Set an alarm on your cell phone and take a catnap. If you don’t have the privacy, get up and stretch, jog in place or get some fresh air. 3. You are dealing with a family concern that has you worried about a loved one instead of concentrating on your work for the day. Lessen your worry. Make a phone call, send an email or get more information that makes you feel better for the moment. From just the above examples, you can see a pattern. Don’t ignore your thoughts and feelings when they pull you away from work. Notice the energy drain and try to plug it with a boost, a diversion, a change of pace or scenery. Taking time out is often the best solution for regaining your focus and productivity. This is also useful to remember in overwhelming home situations, too. So, what did I do to get out of my “I don’t wanna work” mode? I took my dog for a walk and got outside. The twenty-minute break and fresh air enhanced my energy and got me thinking creatively again. What do you need when you don’t want to work and what can you do about it? Let me know your creative ideas. And I would love to hear about situations where you feel like you can’t do a quick fix. I Don’t Wanna Work was provided by DivineCaroline.com. Previous Post America’s Worst Commutes Next Post Presidential Investments: How Obama Invested in 2009 Written by Mint.com More from Mint.com Browse Related Articles Mint App News Intuit Credit Karma welcomes all Minters! Retirement 101 5 Things the SECURE 2.0 Act changes about retirement Home Buying 101 What Are Homeowners Association (HOA) Fees and What Do … Financial Planning What Are Tax Deductions and Credits? 20 Ways To Save on… Financial Planning What Is Income Tax and How Is It Calculated? Investing 101 The 15 Best Investments for 2023 Investing 101 How To Buy Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide Investing 101 What Is Real Estate Wholesaling? Life What Is A Brushing Scam? Financial Planning WTFinance: Annuities vs Life Insurance