Some days are great. You wake up, feel wonderful, go to work, enjoy the day, and accomplish all of your goals. Unfortunately, such days are rare. Most of the time, professionals may be under-the-weather, stressed, anxious, tired, bored, frustrated, or just plain unmotivated. The most successful individuals, though, find ways to stay productive even when they’re not at 100%. There is an art to getting work done in adverse conditions. Today, we’ll share five quick tips for powering through the dog days at the office, so that you can make your career ambitions a reality. Check them out here:

Inject Joy Into Your Routine

The more static your routine becomes, the more work can come to feel like a grind. Part of this may be outside of your control, but the reality is that all professionals can find ways to spice up their regular regimen with the odd happy moment. Planning simple, but pleasing activities like going for a walk or treating yourself to a snack, throughout the day can help break up the monotony and give you a much-needed boost.

Ask Questions

Have you ever been saddled with a task that you considered to be a waste of time? Odds are, you have. Usually, professionals take on such assignments with good humor and resist the urge to “rock the boat.” However, if you feel that a project truly isn’t necessary, consider asking your boss about it. Do so in a respectful manner and one of two things will likely happen: one, your boss will provide you with a good reason you’d overlooked. Or two, your boss will recognize that you have a point and remove the task from your agenda.

Volunteer

Rarely will a business leader turn down an employee who’s asking for more meaningful challenges. If you feel your skills are being underutilized –– say something about it. Volunteering for new assignments will help keep things fresh and allow you to learn new things while on the job.

Break the Day Down

As with any large undertaking, it’s always easier to get through something if you break it down into smaller intervals. In order to combat regular office malaise, consider breaking your day down into thirty-or-sixty-minute “chunks” and taking them on one at a time.

Eliminate Distractions

Occasionally, the only way to power through a tough day is to isolate yourself from the rest of the world and to focus solely on the task before you. Plug in your earphones, close your windows, and tell your friends you’ll have to call them back later. Eliminating distractions isn’t easy, but it can pay huge dividends in the long run.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re part of a team that sells products like pharmacy POS software or you operate independently as a freelance designer, we all struggle to do our best work from time to time. Rather than worrying about this fact, it’s crucial to learn how to stay effective even during “off” times. Do this, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving professional success!