It is nice outside, perfect even. There’s biking, hiking, golf and playing softball. There are barbq’s, boats, and girls walking their dogs. And then, there’s work.

If we lived in France, you would have the entire summer off. Ok, I am kidding, maybe half of it is all. Those French .wimps.

But you don’t. You have to work, and every day too.

So, how can you motivate yourself, especially if you are relatively new to the workforce…and used to having summers off, just like those silly French.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Man up. Or, woman up. Welcome to the real world. You are in charge now, you can mope around and wish for days gone by or you can make something happen.

2. Make something happen. I don’t care what kind of job you have. Someone is watching or observing or depending upon you. Know that redneck comedian, whatshisname, oh yeah, Larry the Cable Guy?–even he knows what to do—”Git-R-done,” he says. (Do I know popular culture or what?)

3. Learn something new. Unless you know everything already, chances are learning a new skill will help you break loose of the I WANNA PLAY all day syndrome.

4. Don’t wait to be told what to do. You go find it. There is NOT a job around that is smaller than the person holding it. You can always make it better. Find out how, do some research, what do others in similar jobs do. It’s like what my friend Eddie used to tell me at recess every day, ‘tag, you’re it,’ he said.

5. Some days you have more energy, right? Right? What made you feel that way? Repeat.