How to Maintain Productivity and Motivation in Changing Conditions

Today, the whole world is forced to live by new rules and adapt to new circumstances. The human psyche is designed to successfully adjust to any changing conditions.

But when transitioning from the familiar to the new, we go through a stage of resistance, says psychologist Nataliia Vovk, director of the “Tomalogy Center.”

“Why? Simply because we resist what we don’t want, what we consider difficult, or what will require restructuring our daily routines, and so on. When we return to the office after adapting to working from home, we may face resistance — or even resistance to our own resistance — increased anxiety, and other emotional baggage that can make life at work more difficult,” explains the psychologist.

According to Nataliia Vovk, the best way to adapt to new conditions is to focus your attention on the task or activity you’re engaged in at the moment.

“This is a skill that must be cultivated, because we naturally tend to get distracted from the present task, spending more time analyzing, sorting through our inner conflicts, or engaging in imaginary dialogues with others. This drains our energy — and that energy is exactly what we need to adapt and stay productive.”

“When you realize you’re feeling tense — even if you’re not sure why — you need to ‘return to yourself’: become aware of how your body is positioned in space right now, shift your focus to your physical sensations. Notice what you’re seeing, what sounds you hear. This will break the mental loop around a difficult topic or problem, give you a break, help you catch your breath. After a couple of minutes, you’ll notice you feel less tense and have a bit more energy to tackle your tasks,” she says.

Another crucial skill is learning to separate facts from your emotional response to them.
“This is incredibly helpful for stopping yourself from spiraling or worrying about things you can’t control, and focusing on changing the things you can.

Learn to talk about yourself, your feelings, and what you can do — instead of what you can’t.
This helps avoid misunderstandings — for example, when we take on extra obligations just to appear dependable, even when we physically don’t have the capacity to follow through,” emphasizes Nataliia.

She also highlights the importance of acknowledging your emotions and gaining self-mastery.

“Learn to acknowledge your emotions for what they are — anger, irritation, apathy, and so on. When we name them, we stop fighting them, and they naturally subside. This is the first step toward mastering yourself and your emotions,” the psychologist explains.

To successfully adapt, you must also learn to live in the present moment.

“Live in the now. This is essential, because as soon as the mind shifts toward the future, we immediately increase the amount of fear we feel in the present. The future brings unpredictability and uncertainty — which the mind interprets as danger — triggering a physical response to prepare for defense. But in reality, there’s no immediate threat, so your energy is wasted, and you begin to feel increasingly fatigued,” advises Nataliia.

It’s important to give yourself time to adapt, using realistic planning rather than demanding hyper-productivity from yourself.

“Use the energy resource available to you right now. Don’t be angry at yourself for not being able to ‘run a marathon’ at this moment. Train gradually, and you’ll get there.

And finally: if you feel like you’ve done everything you can but still don’t have enough energy, or your mood feels chronically ‘cloudy,’ reach out to a specialist who can teach you how to interact with yourself in a healthier way,” Nataliia recommends.