What to do when it’s a grind.

The daily grind.

Steady hard work; labour of a monotonous kind, esp. close and hard study; an instance of this, a dull and laborious task. -The Oxford Dictionary

Some days are harder than others. Some days everything is hard. Nothing is fun. Ever notice that?

Today, is one of those days for me. I got up, but not easily. I read my Bible, but through sleepy eyes. I went to work but dragging my feet. I accomplished a few tasks, but while fighting for clarity. Now it’s time to write, but I don’t want to write. I want to lay in my bed, read and sleep.

This is one of those days. One of those days with steady hard (everything is relative) work.

I don’t feel inspired.

Everything feels dull and laborious.

Ever feel like that? Feel like that today?

What to do when it’s a grind.

Here are 5 tips to help you get through your daily grind.

1. Recognize it’s just one of those days.

We will experience periods of our lives when things don’t flow. We’ll definitely not be in the zone. Don’t fight it. Call it what it is, and attack it accordingly.

2. Be intentional.

Living your life with purpose helps you find focus when your day feels out of sync. It helps you organize your thoughts. What is most important? The thing you were hired/called/inspired to do – even when you have to do the part of that job/calling/passion you don’t like to do.

3. Create a schedule.

At work I begin every morning with creating or updating a list of things I need to do for the week. On the blog, I know I need a new post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Both of these schedules help me push through even when I don’t feel like it. It gives me something concrete to focus on for the day or week.

4. Have a list of dreams.

When life is difficult you won’t dream (escaping to Cancun doesn’t count). I have a list of things I want to accomplish – dreams. That list inspires me to work even when I don’t want to work.

5. Quit early.

Today, I left work about an hour early. I accomplished most of what I needed for the day, and I knew I wasn’t going to be productive for the next hour.

You may not have a job with that flexibility, but you do have areas in your life when you can choose to cut back. I talked with a friend who held his son out of a sports tournament because the family needed a break over the weekend. Sometimes it’s okay to quit.

If tomorrow’s a grind…

If you wake up tomorrow to find it’s going to be a grind, pull out this list. Give yourself some space. You’ll get through it.

I just did.