It’s Monday morning and you’ve just arrived at the office. There is a big pile of work on your desk and with the holidays coming up you are in a rush to finish everything by the deadlines. What goes through your mind as this reality sinks in? Are you excited about meeting these challenges or do you dread it? If you don’t feel motivated, what are the reasons and what can you do about it? We’ve got the answers for you.
1. Figure Out What Drives You
Take a moment and reflect on where you are in life. What is one facet of your life that you’d like to see improve? For instance, it might be your job. Think about what drew you to that job. Also think about your purpose. Write down a list of the things you are looking for in a job and ask yourself if your current job contains these traits. Focus on the positives and determine what steps you can take to steer yourself in the right direction.
2. Keep Up the Momentum
Sometimes the best way to get motivated is to find your rhythm. As you sit there procrastinating and feeling lethargic, you might begin to feel as though the job will never get done. But as soon as you jump into it, you’ll discover that it becomes so much easier to get the work done. You begin to really get in the zone, concentrating on the tasks and finishing them one by one. However, it is important to pace yourself and take occasional breaks in order to avoid burnout.
3. Change Your Approach and Don’t Get Discouraged
There are times when you just get the sense that something isn’t working the way you were hoping. Perhaps you aren’t generating the right ideas. Or you are having a difficult time finding a solution to a problem. This is when you need to pause and consider taking a different approach. This is not a zero-sum game in which there is only one way to accomplish a goal. With just a few weeks, you’ll be on the right track!
4. Organization is Everything
Tidy up your desk. Store things in the drawers and cabinets. Make sure the folders and binders are properly labeled so that you can easily retrieve whatever documents you need. You will immediately notice that once everything is arranged orderly, you will feel less overwhelmed and so much more focused on the tasks at hand!
5. Create the Right Environment
This perfectly compliments the previous step. Once your office space is tidy and organized, make it a place that you look forward to calling your own for 8 hours a day. This could mean decorating the walls or your cubicle. If you have your own office room, invest in shelves and place items on it that are a reflection of your personality and interests, such as books, toys, and knicknacks. Do you get work done better when you put the headphones on and listen to soothing music? That’s another environmental tweak that can help motivate you!
6. Recognize Your Progress
As you are working on a task, the best approach is to split it into smaller parts and stages. Think of it in the same way that you work on your long-term goals. For instance, when you decide you want to lose 30lb, you break it down into smaller milestones such as every time you drop 5lb. The same should apply as it relates to your work. Don’t merely track your progress; appreciate that you are making progress! This will allow you to look at the big picture, which will motivate you to continue progressing.
7. Stop Multitasking
If you work on three things at the same time, studies have shown you are likely to only concentrate 20% of your efforts on each respective task while spending 60% of your time making a transition between them. This is highly inefficient to say the least! In addition, when you focus on one task, you will obviously finish it more quickly, and you’ll feel satisfied that there is one less thing to worry about!
8. Reward Yourself
Work shouldn’t just be about being a clog in a machine. Determine what you can deliver and reward yourself every time you get the results you want. This could mean going for a coffee run or even treating yourself to a cupcake. In essence, you motivate yourself because you know that as soon as you get a job done, there’s a pleasurable experience waiting for you!
Conclusions on Staying Motivated
As you can see, taking your life to the next stage doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. You might initially be hesitant to make big changes out of fear of the unknown or because you don’t like to step out of your comfort zone, but as soon as you realize how simple it can be, you will discover just how motivated you feel!
