It can be hard to stay motivated on the job. Even people who run their own small business or love their work sometimes find themselves lacking motivation. This doesn’t mean you hate your job. It just means you need to boost your motivation. A lack of motivation can have serious ramifications. Your performance may suffer and your relationships with your employees or clients can be damaged. So how can you bounce back from a stretch of feeling blah about your job? We have four tips you can use from productivity experts.
Break down assignment goals
Job search website Indeed says, “If you have large work goals, like a long-term project or assignment, break them down into smaller objectives that you can easily accomplish. Separating your goal into smaller objectives can help you simplify your process and create manageable steps that lead toward the final results. Making your task load more manageable with smaller objectives can help you avoid overwhelm and stay productive.”
Use time management techniques
Indeed suggest that workers should “Take short breaks during your workday so you can quickly refresh and refocus. Time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Method and time management apps that let you set timers and notifications can remind you to take a break away from your desk. Using time management techniques for staying on track with your assignments is equally important as taking regular breaks. For instance, set a timer to track your progress while working on large assignments. Similarly, if you must complete smaller or brief tasks, set a timer to ensure the task doesn’t take you longer than necessary to finish up.” A Harvard study found that progress is one of the top motivators. So be sure to track your progress toward your goals. If you find you’re not making progress, reassess and make adjustments to your schedule.
Participate in team-building activities
Another great tip from Indeed is “Get more involved with your coworkers during company events and team-building exercises. If you have yet to attend a birthday party, for instance, make a plan to attend the next birthday celebration with your coworkers. Similarly, attend regular team training sessions and commit to offering your input and support. This leads to reciprocity within the team, and you can increase your network and build lasting professional relationships, which can help you stay motivated in your career.”
Use Positive Self-Talk
Don’t self-limit yourself. As productivity expert Erica Schultz writes for Business2Community, “Nothing can be more demotivating than the negative self-talk in your head.
I’m not good at this…I don’t like to do that…This won’t work….I don’t know enough about it…I need to do more research…If I do that people won’t like me…This is hard…I can do it later…
These are all self-limiting beliefs. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you can’t (and won’t). Positive self-talk can help get you in the success mindset. If you think you can, you’re more likely to get to it.”
Do you have any tips to up your motivation? We’d love to hear about them. And if you’d like tips on running a successful small business, be sure to check out my podcast “The Business Behind Small Business.” Each week my co-host and I share how we started and run our own small businesses. It’s available on multiple podcast platforms.