How do you motivate yourself to stay productive on an off day?

I try to spend a few seconds to see myself portrayed as I dream of myself in the future. That gives me enough inspiration to bring the focus back again.

With fresh air and being kind to yourself.

Same for me! I have a lot of energy on Monday/Tuesday and then Wednesday I feel like I need a break. So I accept that I can't be at 100% productivity all the time and embrace this. I do easier tasks that don't need a lot of brainpower so I can recharge for the next two days of the workweek. Or, because I have a flexible schedule, I work more hours on the days I feel productive and less hours when I don't.

Wednesday is a mid-day of the week, and most of the time, I feel very sleepy and lazy.

Lots of coffee ☕️

I thought that I was the only one whose productivity decreased on Wednesday, but I read the comments and realized that I am not alone. Does anyone even stay productive on the weekends? I just want to lie down, order some food and take a bath.

Examine your activities on Monday and Tuesday and ensure you’re taking enough breaks from directed attention and getting enough sleep, and then perhaps you won’t feel as tired midweek. It’s better for health and wellness to have a balanced work protocol throughout the week then go hard and crash.

I time-block my day, and I keep a list of my important to-dos.

I use Ivy Lee Method so I plan 6 tasks for each day of the work week, this really helps me stay focused. But, If im having a really hard day, i try to change my enviroment and work from coffee shop, from home and so on ☺️

If it's an "off" day, I allow it to be an "off" day and I don't try to pressure myself into being super productive on that day. That helps me get back into the groove of things, eventually.

I start by acknowledging we don’t control when things get hard, but we always control how we respond. On days like these, I like to start my day differently; today I took a new path walking to work. This kind of minor disruption is a great reset. The Stoics would often discuss a person's investment in "alive time" - quality time spent. I try to start my day with "alive time" (e.g. quality reading from a book or blog) and it gives me a boost of energy.

I use a range of techniques such as: Pomodoro, social motivation, and time blocking and skill tracking to stay productive. (Bit of a shameless plug) In short I use: https://confluo.app

Turn the little things into rewards. Coffee = reward. Complete a task then get a cup of Joe. Gym = reward. Complete a big task then go clear your mind and toss some iron around. Even just getting up and stretching can be a reward.

I start doing 5-minute chores. Whenever I finish a task/chore, I give myself a mental self-five. Once you get used to being productive, it gets easier to continue the rest of the day.

For me, I make a list of all the small/quick tasks I have and do those, then just leave bigger tasks for the following day. It allows me to still do work and accomplish some things without feeling overwhelmed or burdened.

Might I suggest allocating tasks that align with your energy throughout the week? In the daily context, you might know if you have better focus in the early mornings, afternoon or evenings - and plan work accordingly What if you can apply the same methodology to your week and intentionally time-block less menial work for Weds to give yourself a break, while still getting things done?

Rest enough 👌

Usually, schedule a lot of meetings where I check back with the team or stuff I have delegated sometime back.

For me it's important to rest enough 😉 When I'm tired motivation can't help me

Pick a small task that you can accomplish quickly to build momentum and get your productivity going. That's what I usually do when I am having an off day.