Keeping the energy high!

What are you celebrating today? Or are you trying to keep the energy high after a bad week? Have you had a good week, or do you feel like you are limping towards the weekend?

The problem with limping into the weekend on a negative is not only that it casts a shadow over the weekend, but it can really bring down a Sunday night/Monday morning.

How are your team feeling? If you’re in the office, you have the advantage of being able to see body language, overhear tone, maybe have an ad hoc conversation by the coffee or water machine. If you’re WFH, maybe it’s worth having a few quick calls and seeing how people are.

You might be feeling really boosted by something, but your team may be feeling quite the opposite. They might really need a thank you, a few morale-boosting words, a reason to look forward to next week – or simply to be heard.

So here are two lists of “Things You Can Do” to boost your own morale or to send out some helpful waves of positivity:

Things You Can Do to Hoist Up a Positive Flag

Do a Team Shout-Out

• praising the week’s effort / collaboration / kindnesses etc
• “Three things we nailed this week…”
• celebrate some milestones or achievement – even small progress markers keep momentum going

Publicly praise the effort of a person (ie. it’s not just about outcomes)

Privately send a specific message ie. thank you / recognition / morale boosting

Organise an afternoon tea/coffee call: ask everyone to share a positive thing ie.

• an achievement in the week / a social/personal event they enjoyed / something they are looking forward to during the weekend

Have a laugh. Share a funny meme, a short quiz, or a “Friday Playlist.”

Plant a positive flag for next week. “Monday we’ll start fresh with X” or “Next week’s challenge is…”

Check your tone: Model optimism in emails and team chats — energy travels through language.

If it’s been a really tough week:

• Check in, don’t check up. Call them and ask “How are you really doing?” — then just listen.
• Remind people of purpose: link the week’s work back to the bigger picture and why it matters.
• Suggest a team pow-wow: give the team a chance to regroup, review, find positive ways forward, to fix something that broke during the week.
• Plan some time out: Instead of the next team meeting being a call, make it a meeting in a coffee shop; or plan a “Walking Meeting in the Park” to re-energise thinking.
• Check workloads. Low morale can be a symptom of overload, not attitude.
• Encourage breaks. If you see burnout signs, give permission (explicitly) to step back.
• Permission to leave early.

 Things You Can Do to Keep Yourself Positive

Reset Your Mindset

• Name the feeling, then detach. Simply saying “I’m having a low day” separates you from it — it’s a passing state, not your identity.
• Switch your inner voice. Talk to yourself like you’d talk to a friend — encouraging, not critical.

Shift Your Focus

• Shrink your horizon. On a tough day, focus only on the next hour or next task. Success breeds momentum.
• Find a micro-win. Pick something you can complete quickly — clearing your inbox, ticking off a small task — to re-ignite motivation.

Re-energise Physically

• Change gear for a moment: Step outside, stretch, walk, play upbeat music, or tidy your workspace. Physical cues shift mental energy.

• Hydrate and fuel. Low energy often comes from dehydration or skipped meals. A glass of water or a handful of nuts can make a surprising difference.

If every week is a busy week…

• Morning routine check-in. Build in a ritual that starts your day with purpose (e.g., journaling, exercise, music).
• Protect energy peaks. Identify your natural high-energy times and schedule demanding work then.
• End-of-day reflection. Note what worked today — it’s like building a library of resilience for future rough patches.

If you’re looking for ways to motivate your team, contact me: hello@joannaanthony.com