How to Stay Motivated at Work: The Ultimate Guide

Read the Definitive Guide to Being Motivated at Work

Every worker knows that motivation sags on occasion. It could be a mundane task or a challenging project that never seems to end. In fact, research shows that almost 85% of employees are disengaged at work. If you are disengaged at work, this way you end up being less productive and relatively quicker to be lost. In this article you’ll learn actionable strategies to increase and sustain motivation at work.

Understanding Your Motivation

• Identifying Your Work Values

It is important to know your own motivations. Motivation can be intrinsic, which is to say you have fun doing what you do, or extrinsic, as in external rewards and recognition.

Actionable Tip: Take some time to evaluate your values. Reflect on what is meaningful to you at work and how this is aligned in what you do on a day-to-day basis.

The ability to recognize motivation demotivating signals

There are issues at every workplace that sap motivation. If employees feel unrecognized, if their goals are vague or if their workloads feel insurmountable, they might burnout.

Action Step: Record your thoughts in a journal for seven days. Keep a memo of how you feel and what are the patterns or triggers that throttle back your motivation level.

SMART goals can really sharpen your focus.

Example From Real Life: Instead of, “I want to improve communication skills,” say, “I will lead a team meeting every month for next three months to practice my communication skills.”

Nurturing a Great Work Environment

• Establishing Good Relations

Having good relationships with coworkers so that there is a positive work environment. Two heads are better than one.

How to take action: Engage in team building. Encourage camaraderie through lunches or casual conversations.

Colleagues Reaching Out for Guidance

Having a mentor can help you in the right path and support you. Mentorship aids in skills building and increases confidence.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance

Burnout is one of the biggest killers when it comes to remaining motivated.

Actionable Tip: Establish boundaries. Establish specific times for work and personal life in order to separate the two.

• Developing Skills and Knowledge
• Ongoing Learning & Growth

One of the best things you can do to help motivate yourself is to invest in your education. Taking It to the Next Level: Learning New Skills.

Actionable Tip: Find Yourself in Areas Where You Want to Grow Look for workshops or online classes.

Looking Forward to New Challenges and Responsibilities

Finding new things to try on the job can help keep work fresh. You can even challenge each other, which can create engagement and excitement.

Real World Example: A colleague moved to a project outside of her normal area of expertise and discovered new energy — and recognition from her manager.

Leveraging Strengths and Delegating Weaknesses

Concentrating on the things you’re good at can improve job satisfaction. Outsource the stuff that makes you tire to people who enjoy it.

Tip for Action: as a skills assessment. Take stock of your strengths and determine how to delegate tasks.

• Ways To Increase Your Motivation
• Practicing mindfulness and practicing self-care
• Meditation, for example, can empty the mind.

Actionable Tip: Set aside a couple of minutes throughout the day for short exercises. Deep breathing can help a lot.

Celebrating (Big and Small) Accomplishments

Acknowledge your achievements, even small-scale ones, to strengthen motivation. Celebration creates a positive mindset.

Actionable Tip: Make an award or a recognition system for yourself. Treat yourself for accomplishing them, whether it’s a small goal, a big goal.

Seeking Feedback and Recognition

Written feedback can create a nuanced environment in itself, and whether it was candid or evasive makes a big difference in your job satisfaction. Knowing what role, you play in a team is motivating.

Statistic: Employees who receive regular recognition are 14 times more likely to be engaged at work, according to research.

• Sustaining Motivation over the Long Term
• Reflecting and re-evaluating regularly

Actionable Tip: Block out time to evaluate your goals, accomplishments and your why. Reflection is helpful to keep focus.

Building Resilience

Resilience allows you to deal with setbacks. It takes care to ensure that challenges don’t shake your motivation.

Expert Quote: “Resilience is the capacity to take on adversity and return moving and stronger.” - Anonymous

Re-evaluating Career Goals

It is essential that your work contributes to your long-term goals. Frequent check ins on whether your role aligns with your career goals.

Actionable Tip: Take a career reactor quiz. Think hard about what you are aiming for in life and whether your current job is getting you there.

Conclusion

It takes conscious effort and constant deep reflection to stay motivated at work. With time, as you implement the strategies discussed, you will find improvement in your workplace motivation. Keep in mind that the smallest actions can often create big transformation.

Apply these methods today and see your motivation skyrocket!