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Having Trouble Getting Motivated Today!!!

Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
edited July 2010 in Strut Central
Hey Strutters,

Especially my 'old head' brothers and sisters (but youngins' can chime in too), do you ever have those days when it's tough to get going at work? I've been working my ass off lately (and I've started going to the gym again too; Yay!!!), so I'm having trouble getting motivated to start working. Do you have any suggestions on how to get going, or should I say "fuck it" since this is a holiday weekend (in the U.S., anyway)? I'm torn. Any thoughts???

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

  Comments

  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    maybe taking the break gives you some needed rest and maybe some perspective on the work you have been doing and still need to do....just a suggestion
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Stacks,

    I'm gonna tell you what I tell all the folks that work for me.......

    If you wake up in the morning and say "Oh shit, I don't want to work today", don't come in. And if it happens 3 days in a row find a new job.

    If you're not into it, you won't get much done OR do a good job....take the day off and make up for it another day.

    Rich
  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    Rockadelic said:
    Stacks,

    I'm gonna tell you what I tell all the folks that work for me.......

    If you wake up in the morning and say "Oh shit, I don't want to work today", don't come in. And if it happens 3 days in a row find a new job or just start posting regularly on soulstrut from the office

  • Garcia_VegaGarcia_Vega 2,428 Posts
    I feel you Stacks, I have no motivation today too. Often when I feel like this, I just need a break, walk away form the desk and go talk to one of the cute shorties at work. Then go back and if I'm still not motivated, I fuck around on the internet until the bell rings. Unfortunetly I don't have the luxury of leaving my job to go find a new one.
  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    drink an espresso with coffee ice cream in it!!! works for me.

    there is a lot of truth to rock's workplace advice. once you start not wanting to be at work for many mornings in a row, there is no getting out of that rut...time to start looking.
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Hey Guys,

    Thanks for the empathy and insights. Actually, I love my job I'm just tired. I've been a faculty member for 11 years and I've never had a sabbatical to take a break. I left my previous institution at the very time I was eligible to take a sabbatical. I'll apply for one to commence during the Fall 2012 semester, allowing the entire summer and fall off to solely work on research (i.e., no teaching during fall as I don't teach during summers to do research).

    I think I will take the day off, and just limited my work to calling a colleague to discuss how to revise and where to send a research paper recently rejected at a journal where we submitted it. Other than that, after my workout this afternoon, I'm chillin'!!! I'll hit the grind hard again at the beginning of next week.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Garcia_Vega said:
    walk away form the desk and go talk to one of the cute shorties at work.

    "Girl u know i wanna get u pregnant!"
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Sounds like u need a mental/psychological break vs a physical one.
  • dukeofdelridgedukeofdelridge urgent.monkey.mice 2,453 Posts
    Big_Stacks said:
    I'll apply for one to commence during the Fall 2012 semester,

    just in time for the end of the world!
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    batmon said:
    Sounds like u need a mental/psychological break vs a physical one.

    Good observation, Batmon, you're probably right. That post-tenure workload, more department/university service, advising doctoral students' research projects, working on my own research, teaching, and serving on 5 journal editorial boards reviewing submitted papers, is a bitch!!! The game has indeed changed and I'm feeling the effects of it.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,169 Posts
    Big_Stacks said:
    That post-tenure workload, more department/university service, advising doctoral students' research projects, working on my own research, teaching, and serving on 5 journal editorial boards reviewing submitted papers, is a bitch!!!

    I'm currently a post-doc, and I appreciate this position BECAUSE I'm anticipating this kind of workload in the future.

    If it's any consolation, everyone in my research community expects that people need time off to cope...if not a sabbatical, then even just a day here or there. I think the acceptance of soft deadlines (except from funders and sometimes conferences) is a reflection of this. So take a day off WITHOUT the guilt!
  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    Big_Stacks said:
    batmon said:
    Sounds like u need a mental/psychological break vs a physical one.
    The game has indeed changed and I'm feeling the effects of it.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak




    stacks, big props to you first of all for surviving and excelling in the academic grind. my mom did that shit her whole adult life and i witnessed the stress and dog eat dog that takes place. hats off to you. and remind ourself that youll be more effective when well rested.
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    tripledouble said:
    Big_Stacks said:
    batmon said:
    Sounds like u need a mental/psychological break vs a physical one.
    The game has indeed changed and I'm feeling the effects of it.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak




    stacks, big props to you first of all for surviving and excelling in the academic grind. my mom did that shit her whole adult life and i witnessed the stress and dog eat dog that takes place. hats off to you. and remind ourself that youll be more effective when well rested.

    Hey Tripledouble,

    Thanks for the kind words, and I totally agree with your advice. I think today was an amalgamation of the workload and getting back into the gym, all of which brought about some fatigue. I feel good after the workout, though, so now I'll lounge, ease back, and listen to some records.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    ketan said:
    Big_Stacks said:
    That post-tenure workload, more department/university service, advising doctoral students' research projects, working on my own research, teaching, and serving on 5 journal editorial boards reviewing submitted papers, is a bitch!!!

    I'm currently a post-doc, and I appreciate this position BECAUSE I'm anticipating this kind of workload in the future.

    If it's any consolation, everyone in my research community expects that people need time off to cope...if not a sabbatical, then even just a day here or there. I think the acceptance of soft deadlines (except from funders and sometimes conferences) is a reflection of this. So take a day off WITHOUT the guilt!

    I feel you, Ketan. That tenure-track grind is no joke, but it's worse post-tenure :real_headz: You take on a lot more professional, university, and departmental service work, IN ADDITION TO all the shit you're already doing. Fortunately, I have great doctoral students to help work on some of the research projects, in addition to wonderful colleagues. You're right, though, I definitely need some time off and I keep telling my wife I need a vacation. I don't think she can get the time off, so I'm sort of at an impasse of sorts right now. I'll just take it easy over the weekend.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Maybe it's the stars, because I feel exactly the same way today. As soon as I got to work I realized I was going to be useless and went home (this never happens, btw).
  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    What i do when i get in a slump is make a list of all the things i have to do
    work related and life stuff as well and break it down into small tasks
    (mail this, call so and so, write first chapter)
    i get over the first slump simply doing the list (better than twirling my thumbs)
    because i see the amount of stuff i have to do is big/pressing
    however if i am still lazy well i do a couple of little tasks on the list
    it feels good to scratch stuff off and doing personal errands is better than losing time on the internet
    so i feel less stressed the next day and some work got done (a break is still taken, but feels less bad than watching a full wire season in one sitting
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