Don’t bite off more than you can chew if you’re trying to motivate yourself to get things done and you’re going through a bit of a slump.
Motivation can be an elusive beast at times – especially if things in our personal lives or outside factors like the dark winter mornings affect us. But it’s always important to remember that a loss of motivation at work is usually only temporary. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad employee or that you’re lazy; everyone goes through slumps sometimes.
There are, of course, things you can do to put a bit of pep back in your professional step. If you’re in a leadership role it is particularly important to keep yourself motivated consistently as you’re responsible for inspiring an entire team of people. If you aren’t feeling good about your job it can really affect team dynamics.
Honesty is the best policy
Staying silent about your struggles will only make you – and your colleagues who have to carry you – more miserable in the long run. It can be hard to speak up if you’re having a bit of a rough patch but being open about the fact that you’re not loving the work can help. It might be a case of having a chat with your team or boss and taking on slightly different duties or doing something differently.
Focus on small wins
Need to claw back motivation fast? Get what you need to get done completed and don’t sweat the small stuff. The feeling of mentally ticking things off your list, no matter how long it is, will be of some reassurance to you and you may find your motivation slowly returning.
Do something differently
Getting stuck in a rut can really be a motivation killer so if you think that’s the reason behind your lack of enthusiasm at work, make a few changes. Whether it’s getting more sleep, getting up an hour earlier to go to the gym before work, investing in a standing desk or learning a new skill, there are lots of measures you can implement to shake things up and rejuvenate yourself.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
A word of warning: nothing kills motivation faster than the feeling of failure. So don’t set yourself up for failure, especially if you’re not firing on all cylinders. It’s a bad idea to set unrealistic goals like redecorating your home office while doing a course and keeping a full-time job and attempting to maintain some kind of personal life. Be lenient with yourself, but not too lenient – you still want to put some fire in your belly, after all.
Learn some new skills
Sometimes motivation spirals occur when workers find themselves stagnating. If you’re not finding yourself challenged enough in your career, you need to be proactive about doing something about it. Ask your boss if you can take a course or take on some new responsibilities so you can rediscover your mojo. Remember, the only consistent thing about the sci-tech industry is that it is always changing and evolving so keeping up your upskilling is never going to be any harm. There are lots of courses and programmes out there that you can do in your own time or as part of your working hours – you just need to have a chat about your learning and development with your employer.
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