TeamYour job isn’t always exciting. Sometimes, you have to struggle to find the will to work, and that’s normal. However, there’s something that you can do about it. You can learn how to stay motivated to work with the help of these 8 tips:
1. Set goals and break them down into steps.
Your goals need to be clear to you. For instance, maybe you’re trying to write a book. If you would decide that you were going to write the entire book in a day, you probably wouldn’t achieve your goal. On the other hand, if you decide that you’re going to research the setting today and write the opening paragraph tomorrow, you can keep working on the book the next day. Eventually, you are going to have a finished book and this is because you broke down your goal into smaller steps. Set your big goals, but don’t be focused on an impossibly vast project. Instead, create a list of steps that you actually can achieve on a daily basis to get closer to your goal.
2. Reward yourself.
When you don’t know how to stay motivated to work, it might be because you’re not getting a reward for your efforts. Without a reward, you have nothing to look forward to while you’re working on achieving your goals. Choose rewards that will help you to stay motivated to work, and they can be small or big. For instance, you could reward yourself with a cup of coffee in the breakroom after responding to all the emails. Or, you could buy yourself something that you wanted for a long time after you finish your project.
3. Take a break.
You can stay focused for about two hours, and your brain will need a break afterward. Take short breaks throughout the day and make sure to schedule them so that you would know when it’s time for a break. Use the short breaks to get away from the workspace, even if it’s just stepping outside to stretch or take a quick walk. If you work on a computer, it’s especially important to get some time away from the screen, preferably outside. Taking regular breaks can increase productivity, and you can use the Pomodoro Technique to achieve this.
4. Consider the big picture.
Instead of focusing solely on the boring task that you have to do, consider the big picture. Why are you doing the thing that you need to do? Maybe your work fulfills you, or you want to reach future career goals such as getting a raise or a promotion. To learn how to stay motivated to work you should break down your big goals into smaller steps, but this works the other way around too. When you’re taking the small steps, stay focused on the big goal that they’re leading to. This way, your to-do list can become a plan to achieve your dreams.
5. Create a motivating environment.
Your workspace should be clean and organized to make you more productive. It’s the place where you’ll spend a lot of your time, so make sure that you enjoy being there. This can mean displaying some personal items, getting proper lighting, or buying a comfy office chair. If you work from home, make sure to set a boundary between your workspace and your personal life. Schedule the time when you’ll start working and when your business hours will end if you don’t have them set by your employer. It would be great if you would have a dedicated office space, but if you don’t, use creative ways to separate your job from your personal life.
6. Dress for success.
You don’t have to wear a suit to work, but dressing appropriately can get you into the right mood. If you work from home, it can be tempting to just stay in your pajamas or sweat pants, but dress up as if you were going on a real meeting. When you want to learn how to stay motivated to work, dress the part and you’ll see an increase in motivation and productivity.
7. Find the time for your hobbies and interests.
Burnouts and lack of motivation easily happen when you spend all your time at work. Make sure to find the time for your hobbies and interests too. Find a release that will help you stay motivated to work when you’re at your workplace. This means pursuing your passions outside of the workspace which will also give you something to look forward to in your free time.
8. Track and sustain your progress.
When someone sets a goal, they’re usually motivated at the beginning but lose motivation afterward. To prevent this from happening, consider yourself closer to the finish line. For instance, you can conclude that the project started when you accepted it, not when you first started working on it. Moving the starting point further back in your past makes it seem like your goal is much closer, which will motivate you. Remind yourself of the progress you’ve made so far and think about what’s left to be done. Track and sustain your progress to stay motivated.
