The first week of a new year is likely always a breeze for you. Working out, killing it at work, and super pumped about your resolutions. How’s week 4 looking?! If you’ve lost that motivation, you are not alone. In fact, statistics shows that over 50% of people forget their resolutions after the first month. I’m not saying that’s an excuse, but life happens. One place where you really don’t want to lose that motivation is at work. I’m sharing 7 ways to help you stay motivated at work. Your work is your livelihood, or at least funds your livelihood, so you don’t want to slack there!
Start Your Day Right
Have you ever noticed the difference in how your day goes when you start it off with a great cup of coffee and taking your time to get ready, as opposed to waking up late and rushing to work? Night and day right? When you start your day in the right frame of mind, you’re already in a place to receive positivity. On the other hand, when your day starts off negative, everything after will likely be seen in a negative light.
If rushing is your normal routine, set your alarm 30 minutes to an hour earlier. Maybe you need to start waking up earlier so you don’t have to rush. It may not be the best the first few days, but once your body gets used to it, you will be fine. If waking up early isn’t an issue, then do some things to open yourself up to receiving positivity! Check out the article Make the Most of Your Mornings for some tips on how to do so.
Enjoy Your Environment
When you enjoy your environment, it makes it much easier to stay motivated. You may dread going to work (we hope not, but you might), but that doesn’t mean you have to dread where you sit. If you have your own cubicle or desk, make it unique to you. Put up some pictures, use cute office supplies (how cute is this marble desk set?), or add some small plants. Read Beautify Your Workspace for more ideas.
Set Realistic Goals
Without goals, how do you know what we want to achieve in life? The same applies to the office. If you don’t have goals in your job, how do you move forward? No one wants to be stuck in the same job with the same responsibilities forever, so start setting some goals.
Break down the goals into tasks that make the end-goal more achievable. If you have a big, daunting project looming over your head, start by setting breaking down the tasks you can do to help you finish that project. Also, knocking out smaller goals helps keep you motivated to finish the bigger goals.
Surround Yourself with Positive People
We’ve all been around the people who seem to complain about everything. While it’s easy to take what they say with a grain of salt, after hearing so much negativity, you begin to feel negative yourself. If you have co-workers that can’t seem to be quiet with the negative stuff, politely separate yourself from them.
Change the subject, run to the restroom, or let them know you have to get back to work. Surround yourself with co-workers that are inspired and have positive things to say. It will make a huge difference in how you perceive your environment. Check out How to Avoid Workplace Negativity.
Celebrate Small Wins
When you achieve a goal at work, get recognized by another co-worker or your manager, or wrap up your responsibilities, celebrate those wins! If you are constantly waiting for a long-term prize, you easily lose sight of the little wins that help get you to that long-term payoff. It’s much harder to stay motivated when the end-goal is far away, instead congratulate yourself for the little victories and keep moving forward.
Use Downtime to Learn
Did you finish your day’s tasks early? Are you done with your responsibilities for the week? Instead of sitting around being bored with nothing to do, use this welcomed downtime to learn. Does your employer offer learning and growth resources? What wellness activities are available to employees? See how you can gain more knowledge about your job or the job you want. If nothing is available for you, see if someone you look up to can share his or her journey or tips on moving up at work. Read 6 Ways to Maximize Office Downtime for some ideas!
Know When to Shut Down
How can you stay motivated when you eat, breathe, and sleep work? A burnout is inevitable, and that’s never good for motivation. When your workday is over, know when to turn off work mode. Head home and enjoy your favorite show with a glass of wine, meet up with a friend or family member, or work on your side hustle. Knowing when to check out from work will give you some time to recharge and be fresh for the next work day.
Related: Setting Goals for Your Career
Staying motivated at work sounds great, but sometimes it does require some effort. Take the 7 tips above to heart and make it a point to give them a try! How do you stay motivated to be your best you in the workplace? What tips can you share for making the most of your job? Please share your tips and feedback with other CGS readers by leaving a comment below!
1 thought on “7 Ways to Stay Motivated at Work”
I practice what I preach! When I’m not swamped at work, I love using downtime to watch educational LinkedIn videos or take web courses on a specific subject that I want to learn more about.