There is More to Motivation Than Meets the Coffee

Home
>
Coffee
>
There is More to Motivation Than Meets the Coffee

There is More to Motivation Than Meets the Coffee

The stress of unemployment can really take a toll on ones confidence and state of mind. For some individuals, it could lead to depression, for others ? a mere lack of motivation and feeling of hopelessness. Employment is one of the main structures that helps individuals in our society to feel positive, develop financial independence, as well as establish hope for the future.

Even for those with jobs, motivation is a hard state to attain and maintain. Businesses are losing thousands of hours' worth of productivity each year - with staff being distracted from their jobs by everything from 'cyber-surfing to taking 5 coffee breaks a day (which by the way may leave you broke considering the raise in recent coffee prices).

In a recent survey conducted by silicon.com, results found that "While cyber-loafing was identified by 23 per cent of respondents as the main obstacle to a productive workforce, 'low staff morale and lack of motivation' was identified by 32 per cent of respondents."

So, besides the short-term benefits of early morning coffee consumption, what are some alternatives to getting motivated for work?

Stimulate your mind and your mouth

It has been proven time and time again that having breakfast in the morning gives you a nutritional boost both physically and mentally. But what about emotionally ? can breakfast alone be enough to get you motivated for your day? Getting your day off on the right start doesn't mean walking into your office on a full stomach. It means walking in on a full stomach and a full set of ideas.

Participating in mental activities like doing a crossword puzzle or meditating can really sharpen your mind within a short period of time. If neither exercises appeal to you, then pick up the newspaper or read a book that is relevant to your line of work. By doing so, you may be able to get fresh new ideas for your business, or learn more about new industry trends.

You've got mail! Get your daily dose of wisdom

My favorite time of the day is when I get inspirational quotes in my inbox. You can subscribe to a few inspirational newsletters by browsing the Web. My personal favorite is the John Baines Forum (www.ihpny.org). The minute I finish reading them, I instantly feel a powerful connection between my mind and spirit ? the 2 most essential ingredients for outer productivity and inner happiness.

Get outside the (office) box

Ever heard of the phrase "Being so close to the forest that you can't see the trees"? Well, a lot of times people experience this in their work environments ? and rightfully so! Your environment determines your level of productivity and it is not always easy to see the trees (ideas) when you are always in the forest (office). Some times the best remedy is getting outside the box - I mean, office. If you have a meeting in your office with a client, see if you can rearrange it to your favorite neighborhood café instead. Not only does this provide a more relaxed setting for both individuals, but also allows you to connect more on a human level.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with your time and energy, turn off you computer, take a walk outside, and breathe deeply. If this doesn't help, see if there are any seminars or roundtables you can attend that week on time management and fatigue.

Start your week with a weekly report

Whether you have a job or not, the most important thing to do before your "work week" starts is writing down all the goals you have for that week. Make sure to put a specific timeline on completing your goals. That way, you will be accountable to yourself if you miss your deadline. Set aside punishments and rewards to keep yourself in check.

I personally like to print my weekly report and tape it to my desk so it is always in front of me. Always have a highlighter right next to you so that when you finish, you mark off what you have completed. If you are computer savvy, you may use programs like ACT or Outlook.

In sum, true motivation lies within your heart. If you cannot find it there, it may be because you lack the resources, techniques, and appropriate environment that is conducive to your personal productivity. If these resources are aligned properly, not only will you be able to reach your highest levels of motivation, you may be able to reduce your monthly spending habits at your local Starbucks!

Dali Singh is the Managing Director for Blueliner Marketing (www.bluelinermarketing.com), a full-service marketing and communications firm. Dali is also a member of the Institute for Hermetic Philosophy, a spiritual school that provides tools to assist people in developing themselves on a personal and practical level. Visit www.ihpny.org or sign up for weekly inspirational quotes at http://www.ihpny.org/template.asp?page=mailing .

In The News:

Financial Post (blog)
NY coffee and sugar end at 21-month lows, cocoa down
Reuters
May 23 (Reuters) - Arabica coffee futures sank in heavy volume on Wednesday, closing at their lowest in 21 months as investors fled riskier assets and ran to currency investments, causing the market to trigger automatic sell orders.
Coffee Falls to 21-Month Low in NY; Sugar, Cocoa DropBusinessWeek
ICE sugar, coffee set new lows as commodities fallFinancial Post (blog)
NY sugar ends at 21-month trough; cocoa, coffee downReuters Africa
AgraNet (subscription)
all 16 news articles »

Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. Introduces Baridi Iced Coffee Blend
MarketWatch (press release)
EMERYVILLE, Calif., May 23, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. invites coffee drinkers to take a sip of summer with its new coffee offering, Baridi Iced Coffee Blend. Beginning today, Peet's will highlight this specially crafted blend to ...

and more »

PR Web
Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract Changes Weight Loss Supplement Industry After ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Dr Oz's pure green coffee bean extract TV episode sparked a loud debate over the legitimacy for natural weight loss using green coffee beans. Find out the Pure Green Coffee Extract results exposed by Doctor Oz as millions looked on.
Dr Oz Coins Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract As Fat Burning Coffee BeansSBWire (press release)
Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract for Natural Weight Loss - Significant Results ...DigitalJournal.com (press release)

all 6 news articles »

Singularity Hub
Study Suggests Coffee Is Healthy, Coffee Drinkers Are Not
Singularity Hub
by David J. Hill May 23rd, 2012 | Comments (0) Coffee turns out to be good for your health...as long as you drop all the bad habits that go with it. Older adults who drink coffee have a lower risk of death by about 10 percent, according to a large ...
Study links longer life to coffee consumptionWALB-TV
Coffee drinking linked to longer lifeWLBZ-TV
Drink coffee, live longer?People's World
Winnipeg Free Press -The Independent Florida Alligator -Shape Magazine (blog)
all 19 news articles »

Coffee shop a west-side hub
The Columbian
Anne McEnerny-Ogle enjoys an espresso drink during a meeting at Latte Da Coffee House to discuss neighborhood issues and to make connections. By Susan Parrish By Troy Wayrynen This Lincoln kiosk bulletin board was recently installed outside the main ...

Buffalo.com
Iced coffee to help children's hospital
Providence Eyewitness News
cup of the company's famous Iced Coffee for just $1.00. Additionally, a small Iced Coffee will be reduced to 75 cents and a large Iced Coffee will be reduced to $1.50. And the donations are for a good cause. Fifty cents from every iced coffee sold will ...
Today Is Iced Coffee Day At Dunkin DonutsPatch.com
Sweet Deal: Dunkin' Donuts Announces Free Donut Offer For National Donut Day ...MarketWatch (press release)
Iced Coffee Day for children's charitiesYNN Hudson Valley
WWLP 22News -Evening Observer
all 29 news articles »

Critical Alerts For Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Polo Ralph Lauren, Cree ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Today's PriceWatch Alerts cover the following stocks: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ:GMCR) , Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) , Cree (NASDAQ:CREE) , Nasdaq OMX (NASDAQ:NDAQ) , and Lennar (NYSE:LEN) . InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts contain ...

and more »

Kenyan Shilling Gains First Day in 3 on Higher Tea, Coffee Sales
Bloomberg
Kenya's shilling strengthened for the first time in three days after coffee and tea prices increased, leading to a higher inflow of dollars. The currency of East Africa's biggest economy appreciated as much as 0.3 percent to 84.90 per dollar and was ...
Kenya's top coffee prices up at latest saleReuters Africa

all 4 news articles »

Morning coffee brief
NASDAQ
The honeymoon for Chinese stimulus appears to be over as the short covering in the Asian markets seems to have come to a halt after euro zone worries began to reemerge late in the US trading session. During yesterday's US session former Greek Prime ...

and more »

Press Herald
Too much caffeine? Fair trade coffees fighting
BusinessWeek
By DAVE GRAM Two stalwarts in the fair-trade coffee movement are at odds over a move by a national certifying organization to expand beyond small, farmer-owned cooperatives and allow larger growers to sell their product with a fair trade label.
Conscientious Coffee: Students should make an effort to spend the extra dime ...Daily Bruin

all 30 news articles »

Google News