Sometimes, it is hard to stay motivated in the workplace. This is especially true if you experience burnout due to prolonged stress and overwork. You may also lose your motivation if you feel like you are not getting the rewards and compensation you deserve for the things you do in the workplace.
However, it is crucial to note that whether you hate or love your job, you need to continue motivating yourself during your work hours. Remember that a happy and motivated worker will turn out to be a more effective, efficient, and productive worker.
Regardless if you are working in a company, which focuses on endorsing a culture that is people-oriented, or you are an employee allowed to be left working on your own, it is crucial to look for purpose and balance in your job so you can retain and increase motivation for a long time.
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Why Do You Lose Motivation at Work?
Probably, the first thing that you ought to do when trying to stay motivated at work is to find out the exact reason why you are losing it in the first place. It is crucial for you to be aware of the reason for your dwindling motivation as it is the key to addressing the problem directly.
The following are just a few of the reasons why you are becoming less and less motivated at work:
Burnout
You may experience burnout due to continuous work-related stress brought on by several factors – one of which is not receiving rewards for your work or your tendency to overwork. It can result in a high level of physical and mental frustration, causing burnout and dwindling willpower.
Low Salary/Compensation
It is no longer a secret that salary and compensation are among the biggest factors that affect a worker’s level of satisfaction. It is mainly because most employees work to earn money for their financial obligations or to fulfill their desires and passions, like traveling the world.
If you are paid low, and you feel like you deserve more, there is a high chance for you to lose your motivation eventually. This is especially true if most of your important tasks have a tight deadline while you are still being compensated less than what you think you deserve.
Lack of Rest/Sleep
If you don’t have enough rest or sleep, burnout and other mental and physical problems may come out. It may cause you to be drained both mentally and physically, which will slowly destroy your willpower and motivation.
Toxic Work Environment
You may also notice a sudden decrease in your ability to motivate yourself if you work in a toxic environment. It could be toxic because of bullies in the workplace, manipulation, and constant arguments and conflicts.
It could also be that you have a hard time aligning with the culture of the company and with your boss and colleagues. With that, completing your tasks will be more challenging for you. Plus, you will find it hard to focus and find the best ideas for the success of the company.
You Have No Autonomy
Some companies and positions may cause you to work according to a protocol. This means you do not have any room to formulate your decisions. All the components of your job follow a standard and your superior or boss may be the one who dictates the way you should do your work.
There are times when you feel like there is a better way to perform your tasks than following the standard process. You have new ideas on how to get things done. However, you can’t practice the new and fresh ideas you have in mind since you have to stick to the protocol and obey your superior.
This lack of freedom and autonomy may cause you to have a hard time staying motivated in the company or organization you are in.
How to Restore and Gain Motivation Again in the Workplace?
Once you have identified the exact reason for losing your motivation, you have to work on restoring it. Find highly effective motivational strategies that will help you address the identified reason and focus more on attaining career development.
Your chosen motivational technique should also focus on preventing burnout, connecting more with the people in your workplace, and having a positive influence on your work environment. It should aim to build your productivity and boost your work performance once again.
To help you rediscover your love and passion for your work and increase your engagement with it, here is a dozen of the most effective strategies for staying motivated that you can apply in the workplace.
#1 – Think of your impact or influence on others
One way to find motivation is to remember the specific people served by your work or career. In this tip, you need to gain a much clearer understanding of your “why”. This means understanding the real purpose behind your work.
You have to be clear as to the reason for your work as it can provide the stimulus needed in staying on course. You also have to be clear as to the impact or influence of your work.
Does your work help someone’s life better? Then learning your job’s positive impact on others, even on strangers, can push and motivate you to fulfill your duties every day.
#2 – Look at the bigger picture
Note that even if you feel like you have landed your dream job, there are still several instances when you will feel frustrated. There are times when your tasks will become too complicated, boring, or repetitive, causing your motivation to slip away.
In that case, looking at the bigger picture can help. This tip involves reminding yourself of the exact reason why you applied for your job. Ask yourself about what you aspire to achieve in the future.
The goal here is to obtain a clear understanding of not only where you are but also where you intend to be after a certain period. You also have to identify how you plan to get there. By knowing all these things, there is a high possibility for you to stay motivated in the workplace.
#3 – Be accountable
Make sure that you work on holding yourself accountable for your job. This is vital if you want to avoid temptations and distractions. You can obtain accountability not only through yourself but also through others.
For instance, you can make yourself accountable by keeping track of the time you spent working on a particularly big project. You should then compare it to your target or goal.
You can also hold yourself accountable with the help of others. For instance, when your manager or colleague keeps track of or monitors your progress on the task or project assigned to your team.
#4 – Break one big task into smaller chunks
If you are assigned an overwhelmingly big task or project, and you find yourself losing inspiration because of the many things that you have to do to complete it, you can break it down into smaller tasks. By doing that, you can stop looking at this major project as extremely daunting.
By breaking it down into smaller and more manageable chunks, you will feel motivated since it will be a lot clearer where and how you should start. It will also make the task/project less intimidating and easier to accomplish.
As a matter of fact, you can see yourself starting to tick off the small tasks on your to-do list. One more thing that this tip can do is that you will feel inspired to continue because of the sense of accomplishment you gain as you tick off and complete each task in your to-do list.
#5 – Celebrate wins
Reward yourself every now and then for every accomplishment you made, no matter how small. This is the key to motivating yourself to work. Make sure that you also constantly provide yourself with anything that you can look forward to.
This could be in the form of a small reward or treat, such as a cup of coffee in your favorite coffee shop, upon accomplishing your smaller objectives. For difficult and big tasks, reward yourself with something more significant, like finally watching the movie you have been longing to watch.
Make sure, though, that you exercise caution when using this technique. This is necessary in ensuring that you do not create bad habits along the process.
For instance, it may not be a good idea to reward yourself with too much sweets, like a box of donuts, every time you complete your task. This will turn out to be an unhealthy habit that will only make it hard for you to maintain or lose weight.
#6 – Track metrics and listen to constructive feedback
You can also find motivation to help drive your organization to success by monitoring your key metrics. You have to accompany this tip by listening to constructive user feedback.
For instance, if you realize that those who are supposed to be benefited from the things you do at work are unsatisfied and unhappy, then it may motivate you to recalibrate. It will also inspire you to double your efforts and work hard to gain their approval next time.
It also helps to set specific and clear goals not only for yourself but also for your team. This will provide you with a target in the workplace every day. Pay close attention to the primary metrics and pieces of data that will let you celebrate even minor accomplishments and progress with your team.
Do not forget to listen to constructive feedback, too. This can help you make some adjustments to the things you do in the workplace that will be of help in improving your work performance.
#7 – Discuss your target goals with your team leader
If you are a member of a team, you will have an easier time retaining your motivation if you have a clear idea of your target goals. In that case, it is advisable to set up a meeting with your team leader so you can talk about smaller goals that you can create for yourself.
Note that it is crucial to set goals for yourself, especially if you consider yourself an individual contributor to your team’s project. It is also crucial for you to know exactly what can give you more money and the rewards you deserve – for instance, a promotion or additional incentive.
Such rewards can instantly motivate you, thereby inspiring you to complete your important tasks quickly and achieve even smaller goals at first. With that, make it a point to discuss incentives that you can create for yourself with your team leader or manager, too.
Doing this will improve your work performance. In addition, it is the key to inspiring you to go out of your comfort zone. This is good as it can ensure your constant development not only as a worker or professional but also as a person.
#8 – Practice gratitude
Your much-needed motivation will also come out if you continue to practice gratitude while you are in the workplace. Your attitude of gratitude is what will help you reconnect with your values and establish good relationships with other people, particularly your colleagues.
To practice gratitude at work, you can recognize colleagues who support you and offer help. Give compliments to the members of your team, too. In addition, just the simple act of saying thank you to a colleague who gives you favor can help maintain your positivity at work. With that, you will look forward to each day at work.
#9 – Learn from experts
You can also inspire yourself to do better at work by learning from experts, specifically your team leader or a mentor. By seeking out mentorship from experienced people in your workplace, you will also be able to achieve professional growth.
Find the most convenient time for you to take brief training sessions with your chosen mentor. You may also talk about assignment or project topics. In addition, you can use this time to work on an important task together, which is a big help in obtaining a much deeper understanding of your main role.
What’s great about your decision to learn from a mentor is that it offers an opportunity to strengthen and improve your skills. It is also a great way to learn a new skill straight from real experts.
You can also use it to clarify misconceptions regarding your job. With that, you will obtain a newer and more positive perspective about your job.
#10 – Set deadlines or timelines
You also have an assurance that your motivation will not easily walk away from you if you set your own deadlines or timelines for certain tasks. You can set deadlines beyond the scope of what your superior or boss tells you. By doing that, you can continue engaging yourself and retaining your focus on vital tasks.
For instance, you can create a deadline for yourself that is around 2 to 3 days ahead of the one assigned by your boss. If you do that, you have an assurance that you can complete your task on time while still having extra time in case you have other tasks that take more time to complete.
#11 – Stay physically active
Staying physically active is not just for losing weight. You can also increase your physical activity if you want to keep your level of motivation at its peak. Remember that exercise is capable of releasing and producing hormones, like dopamine and serotonin, that can make you feel happier.
Also known as the reward chemical, dopamine can motivate you to take action, particularly one that can bring you closer to reaching your personal goals. Meanwhile, serotonin is necessary for preventing loneliness and depression.
By maintaining a more positive attitude through regular physical activities, there is a high possibility for your motivation to stay with you. Fortunately, there is no need to visit the gym and spend a lot of hours exercising.
You can be physically active by taking a short walk during your lunch break. Even fifteen minutes of exercise done every morning can already work wonders in boosting your mood and optimism.
Make it a habit to exercise even for a bit every morning and you will notice a significant rise in your energy and motivation that you can use throughout the day.
#12 – Stay organized
This tip means keeping your workspace free of mess and clutter. By keeping your work environment organized, you will deal with only minimal distractions. This can contribute a lot to staying focused and motivated.
Get rid of all the piles of unused and unnecessary papers from your work desk. Close unnecessary windows on your PC, too. The goal here is to keep your working environment as clean and clutter-free as possible.
By doing that, you will be motivated to do more tasks. Moreover, you will have a much better chance of boosting your productivity and maintaining a clear head while finishing your tasks.
Conclusion
If you are still asking yourself how to stay motivated at work and maintain a high level of focus, then you may want to apply the twelve tips mentioned in this article to your personal and professional life.
Hopefully, all the tips here will give you the optimal human motivation that will be the key to honing you into a more effective and efficient worker. What’s great about feeling motivated to work is that it can give you full control of your career path and your own life plus you can gain a much better work-life balance.