15 digital hacks to keep you motivated

The autumn doldrums are here, with darkness hitting by 5pm. With shorter days and less time in the office, it is not surprising that it’s hard to stay motivated. 

 

Despite autumn’s approach, there are ways to stay on track. Follow our quick digital hacks for work inspiration.

 

 

Digital hack 1: Connect regularly

 

Touch base with colleagues daily. Whether it’s for a scheduled call or a hello, speaking to others during the workday makes it less isolating.

 

 

Digital hack 2: Get dressed

 

There’s something psychologically empowering about putting on professional clothes. Rather than work from home in pyjamas, a crisp outfit signals the brain that it’s time to get serious.

 

 

Digital hack 3: Switch up the media

 

Use email, phone, video, and chat to engage staff. Keep up morale by dropping hellos and greetings. The key is to use the media for different purposes. Email is best for official business, whereas chats are great for quick touch points. Face-to-face is best for serious issues.  

 

 

Digital hack 4: Recognise efforts frequently

 

Call out to staff who are putting in the extra mile. You may want to dedicate a forum. Human capital platforms have built-in tools to applaud and praise staff for outstanding work. Awardco and Nectar both use a points-based system for acknowledgement.

 

 

Digital hack 5: Be sympathetic

 

There are global events happening that are striking fear into minority populations. Addressing how colleagues might be impacted goes a long way to helping people stay on track. Be specific about how charity leave and sympathy policies apply.

 

 

Digital hack 6: Respect boundaries

 

Encourage staff, both senior and junior, to set digital boundaries. Block off time in the diary for lunch and breaks in the afternoon if needed. When on communication platforms, use your online status – away, do not disturb, and available – so that people know when to reach out. For managers, respect that team members need to decompress from the digital world.

 

 

Digital hack 7: Be picky about productivity tools

 

There are so many tools out there for time tracking, project management, deep-working, and communication. But, when thinking about staying motivated, less is more. As a team, decide which channels work best and stick to them. Do the same prioritisation for projects. 

 

 

Digital hack 8: Encourage healthy competition

 

Set internal team goals and encourage staff to have fun. Competitions don’t have to be work related. You can start charting who has the highest step count or best Halloween costume.

 

 

Digital hack 9: Use digital to foster trust

 

At Charity Digital, we believe that using charity communications builds trust. Using those principles, be honest and transparent about work expectations. Let your manager know what you’re working on and where there are challenges. For people managers, show what impact teams are having across the wider organisation.

 

 

Digital hack 10: Still be personal

 

Find time to share personal details, like you would in the office. This could be showing off your pet dog or simply mentioning your surroundings. Let others know your personal obligations when you need to dash off so that you can build a better understanding. Letting people know you have outside of work priorities sets the precedent for work-life balance.

 

 

Digital hack 11: Give feedback often

 

Forbes Magazine says feedback motivates the team. To really pack a punch, their top tips all encourage positivity. Of the three, focusing on the future stands out. They say: “Rather than focusing on what went wrong, focus on what can be done better next time.”

 

 

Digital hack 12: Track time

 

Keep yourself and your team motivated by tracking the time spent online. Having digital monitoring tools and check-ins can show managers how much time remote workers are putting in. Staff might also find improvements – simplify tasks that take too long.

 

 

Digital hack 13: Teamwork matters

 

Just because working is digital doesn’t mean there isn’t room for collaboration. Complete tasks as a team. Platforms that allow for multiple edits simultaneously to deliver a project are great examples of how to work online. Check out Google Sheets as a start.

 

 

Digital hack 14: Avoid burnout

 

Check internally around mental health resources and understand how the organisation can help. Then, get on top of those people feeling disengaged or who are unusual quiet.  Our top tip here is to take burnout risk seriously – it may be that staff need a doctor’s note or mental health days.

 

 

Digital hack 15: Stay flexible

 

Continue to empower staff to manage their own days. In general, it may mean that staff don’t necessarily work standard hours. Platforms that support asynchronous communication ensures a smooth transition between those on- and offline. For the sector as a whole, staying flexible is one way to stay motivated and retain staff.