How to keep yourself motivated at work

For some staying motivated at work is a simple task, but for others this occurs to be difficult to achieve. Hands up who is motivated 24/7? We didn’t expect to see many hands, because simply nobody is motivated all day long. But if you are struggling to find your motivation at work, the following tips might make the change you need.

Exercise

This might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s about finding the right balance. If you manage to for example squeeze in a workout before you start your workday you are starting the day on the right foot. Exercise also gives you more energy throughout the day which can work beneficial again when you are at work.

Get to know your colleagues

You spend so much time at work with your colleagues that it’s important to get to know them. You don’t have to become best friends but you might be surprised how motivating it can be to have a good friendship in the workplace.

Keep developing yourself

Self-development is key to stay motivated. Stay up to date with what is happening and the latest trends in your industry. Invest some of your time in your own professional development. You can do this by for example reading books or following a course.

Go outside of your comfort zone

If you feel comfortable with your work that is completely fine, but with feeling comfortable you will get into a rut which will result in loosing motivation. Sometimes actually pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can be inspiring.

Sleep and little breaks

Yes, really! Sleep is very important to stay on top of your game. In addition to a good sleep routine, it’s also important to take daily breaks from your work. If you’re stressed out over a project or something else, just take a little break from your desk. Getting up and removing yourself from your desk is the only way to reframe your perspective, allowing you to come back to the office feeling energized and ready to take on the challenge.

Goals

Set long and short-term goals and work towards them. Set goals as means of getting motivated. There are some good apps for keeping track of your goals as well which should make it easier to keep the overview. Give these apps a try: GoalsOnTrack, Way of Life and Strides.

Lists

Lists can have the same result as setting goals. Make a to-do list every day and tick the boxes of the tasks you’ve done. Everybody loves ticking off boxes of work they have done right?

Asks for feedback

This can be a little scary because nobody really likes bad feedback on their work, but both positive as well as negative feedback can work motivating. if you’ve done well, feedback can serve as an ego boost and a motivator. If your work is lacking in certain areas, the constructive criticism can push you to amp up your work and continue to do better.

Don’t waste your energy on the uncontrollable

It’s a waste of energy when you are focused on things that you can’t control. Work is no exception to that. To stay as motivated as possible, leave out those uncontrollables from your mindsets as focusing on them could impede your progress at work on the broader scale. Rather, worry about the things you do have power to excel in, and use your energy on those.

Dressing the part

Dressing the part at work can help you remain focused in the office. Head to your favourite store and pick out some new things, it can work as an incentive to get your work done in an excellent manner.

Set a time to leave your work

Nobody is motivated 24/7. It’s unrealistic to feel energized all the time, to want to work through tasks all the time. You need to give yourself a rest, and if that means giving yourself a specified set time to unplug or turn away from the demands of your job, then do it.

Sometimes your motivation is very hard to find. However, by trying some of these tips for getting motivated, you might quickly see some positive changes happening.