Sometimes it’s difficult to maintain focus and motivation Monday through Friday (mostly Mondays). Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself at work.
It can be easier said than done to motivate yourself – especially when you’re at work. Are you having a hard time motivating yourself lately?
You’re certainly not alone, and there are actually a lot of tried-and-true tricks that can help you inspire yourself to work better. Your job will feel easier and you’ll get a lot more done when you know how to motivate yourself.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide full of key tips on how to motivate yourself. Ready to take charge of your productivity and enjoyment at work? Then keep reading!
1. Write Down Your Reasons
In order to motivate yourself at work, you have to have a compelling “why.” A good way to nail down that why is to start writing it down.
Your why will be more compelling if it involves some concrete things. “Make my boss happy” probably won’t motivate you quite as well as “feel confident enough to ask for a raise.” However, those are both essentially the same thing – if your boss is impressed with your work, it’s much easier to feel prepared to ask for more money.
Concrete goals also make it easier to track your progress and feel accomplished. Your goal might be “Get three reports turned in by Friday.” When it’s Wednesday and you already have two reports handed in, you’ll feel motivated to finish the task and maybe even start a new one.
Anchor all your goals with achievable, measurable steps, so you can feel accomplished along every step of the way. If you have a large, nebulous goal, break it down by figuring out what steps will help get you there. Then, write it all down.
2. List the Positives
Emotion is closely linked to our productivity. When we don’t feel positive about the tasks at hand or life in general, it’s much harder to stay motivated at work.
Of course, the work itself probably involves some uninspiring tasks, unless your job is naming crayon colors. So you’ll need to focus on feeling positive about life or your job as a whole.
Use a notebook or a notes app on your phone to start recording any work-related moments that make you smile. Anytime something in your workday brings you joy, record it.
This can include all kinds of different things. Maybe your favorite coworker brought you coffee. Maybe you successfully sent a difficult email. Maybe you just appreciate the comfortable shoes you work today.
If you’re having a hard time nailing down your goals at work, this can be a great way to get started. Eventually, you’ll start to see patterns in the things that bring you a job. Maybe you love certain tasks that involve managing other people. This can give you a hint that maybe you should start training for a management position.
Knowing the things that make you happy can also help you get out of an unproductive slump. If you know the little things that make your workplace feel like a better place, you can inject enough positivity into your day to inspire yourself no matter how you feel.
3. Start Out Small
Set yourself up for success by deciding on small steps forward that you can actually accomplish. For example, starting your workday an hour early might not be realistic if you’re not a morning person. But coming in to work for one extra day a month might be doable.
It’s also a good idea to start every day with a few small motivators. Before you get out of bed and start getting ready, think of a few things you’re grateful for. You might be thankful that your steady employment allows you to rent an apartment that you like, or that your commute isn’t too long.
When you first wake up, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the tasks looming ahead of you. Start by thinking positive and you’ll have a much more successful day ahead.
4. Confront Your Excuses
Excuses make it all too easy to avoid motivating yourself at work. However, you can’t just ignore or avoid your excuses – you need to confront them head-on to take away their power.
Learn to recognize excuses for what they are. Are you really too tired to keep working, or are you just bored with the task at hand? Learn to correct yourself – say “I need to get this task done, so that I won’t have to worry about it tomorrow.” When you stop believing your own excuses, after a while, they won’t have any more power.
5. Use Music to Motivate Yourself
Bring headphones to work and turn into your favorite inspirational playlist. It might seem counter-intuitive, but taking the time to listen to an upbeat song can give you the energy you need to keep going. Or, if you’re stressed, a soothing song might help bring your focus back.
Even if you can’t focus on work while music is playing (many people can’t), taking small breaks to tune into a song you love will make you more productive throughout the day.
6. Face Your Fears
Fear can become a major block to staying motivated at work. Face your fears by learning to see rejection and failure as a good thing rather than a bad one.
What would happen if you started trying to get rejected once a day? You’d have to aim much higher, chase bigger goals, and accept the chance of failure.
Although a daily rejection might not be doable for you, changing your attitude toward rejection by learning to embrace it is the ultimate goal. The next time the fear of failure keeps you from making a bold move at work, consider going for it instead. If facing your fears seems too hard to do on your own, a program like The Avatar Course can help you build up the confidence you need.
Many failures translate into wins in the long run. For example, even if your employer doesn’t accept your new lead-generating idea, they might still be impressed that you took the initiative to pitch it and consider you for new opportunities in the future.
Ready to Try These Motivation Tips?
When you need to motivate yourself, it’s all about developing new perspectives and new habits. Follow these tips every day, and you’ll soon find that motivating yourself at work feels easy.
Which of these motivation tips are you excited to try? Leave a comment and let us know!