We’ve all had the familiar feeling of losing motivation at work. You might start off raring to go and be full of ideas to change the world, but before long, you’re going through the motions and everything just doesn’t feel like it’s adding up to much. You punch the clock, complete the tasks you’re assigned, and leave work feeling unfulfilled and unmotivated.
The good news is that this is almost never an irreversible situation. With just a little work, you can motivate yourself and feel good about the job you’re doing once again. Whether it’s refocusing your attention or restructuring your responsibilities, here are some of the ways that you can stay motivated at work!
Keep your eyes on the prize
Losing sight of your organisation’s long-term goal can be one of the biggest reasons you lose motivation. If you don’t know what your tasks are achieving or what you’re working towards, it’s easy to lose motivation, so don’t be afraid to talk to your manager or coworkers and clarify your position and what impact it’s having on the company overall. You’d be surprised by just how much this can pep you up and make you feel motivated to work towards your objectives again.
Ask for a raise
Here’s a much more practical – if much more daunting – solution to a lack of motivation. Not knowing your worth, or feeling like you’re not being compensated as much as you should be for your work, can contribute hugely to a lack of motivation. If you think you’re entitled to a raise – especially if you’re seeing colleagues around you getting paid more and more while you’re still on the same salary – then it could be time to open up pay negotiations with your manager.
Take on more challenging tasks
Depending on your level of autonomy in your job, you may want to try taking on more challenging and demanding tasks if you want to increase your motivation. This will prevent you from feeling like you’re going through the motions and just doing everything the same way you’ve always done it; you’ll need to think outside the box and develop a novel approach to new challenges, which should keep you on your toes and lift you out of the doldrums.
Take more regular breaks
Paradoxically, you may be able to increase your motivation at work if you take more regular breaks. Stepping away from your job and taking some time to do the things you love can remind you of why you enjoy your work in the first place, and it can also refresh your mind, meaning you’re not bogged down by long-term tasks and deeply entrenched ways of thinking anymore. Take the holidays you’re owed; you’re entitled to them, after all!
Open up to friends and family
If you hoard your feelings to yourself and never share them, then you’re not going to make progress in terms of resolving conflicts or issues. It’s important to communicate with your friends and family so that they know what you’re going through, and what’s more, they may be able to offer a remedy to your lack of motivation. Simply tell them that you’re struggling to feel motivated at work and listen to what they have to say – you never know when a pearl of wisdom will reveal itself.
Set yourself clear goals
When a new task lands on your desk, it can be a daunting experience, especially if it’s a massive task that’s hard to break down into its constituent parts. Nevertheless, it’s important to try and do this; don’t see the task as one mammoth, looming thing, but rather as several smaller tasks that can be completed one by one. This will make it easier to stay motivated, because you’ll always have your eyes on the short-term prize.
Don’t get distracted
It’s easy to lose motivation if you’re constantly being distracted by things around you. Try to stay focused on the task at hand and rid yourself of as many distractions as you can. Set your phone to silent and keep it away from you while you work (unless you need it for your job, of course). Listen to music that helps you with your productivity, and don’t drift away into podcasts or radio shows that are likely to divert your attention from your work.
Make sure you’re eating and drinking well
It might sound silly, but one of the best ways you can stay motivated at work is to ensure that your diet is correct. If you’re not eating properly, then you may find your energy levels dipping at certain points during the day, and that will contribute to a lower level of focus and concentration overall. Eat healthy food at regular intervals and make sure to stay hydrated, and you’ll keep your energy levels high, which should hopefully be conducive to more efficient work.
Pitch new projects yourself
Are you feeling like the projects you’re taking on just aren’t having a material impact within your company? It may be time to start pitching some projects of your own. If you’ve been sitting on an idea that you’re sure has some potential but that you just haven’t managed to get off the ground yet, now could be the perfect time to schedule a meeting with your manager and talk that idea through. You simply never know when you might get the approval to start the project that will change your life (and your career)!
