How To Get And Stay Motivated
I came across an article in the Harvard Business Review
called “How to Keep Working When You’re Just Not Feeling It”. It made me come to terms with the fact that I am, unfortunately, completely unmotivated.
This past year has been long, and for so many of us, we are feeling exhausted both mentally and physically, which is a main factor to lack of motivation. It can be immensely difficult to muster up the drive to get our work done when we just don’t feel like it.
A perfect example would be the difficulties I had getting motivated to write this blog, which is about motivation (Ironic? I think so!). It’s normal to feel unmotivated when we’ve been forced into a new way of working and living. For most, working from home due to the pandemic has become the new norm. Having to make our own schedules and stick to them becomes increasingly more difficult as time goes on.
Here are four ways you can get more motivated in your role:
No.1 – Create goals, not chores.
When we have a lot to do for work, it tends to feel like more of a chore than a job. Try shifting your mindset from your job feeling like a chore, to goals that you work hard to achieve each week. Any goals that you set for yourself should be specific and achievable. For example, my goal for this week is to complete 2 full weeks of scheduled posts on Later. While this can feel like a chore at times, I know based on experience that completing two weeks worth of posts is fully achievable and is a good goal to set for the week.
No.2 – Find the right rewards
Everyone deserves to treat themselves and celebrate their successes, no matter the size or weight of the accomplishment. It’s important to incentivize our work for the short, medium, and-long term so as to motivate us to get the job done. Finding effective rewards can be difficult at times, and we should never use a reward or incentive that is contradictory to our success. If your goal was to lose weight, you wouldn't reward yourself by binge eating a ton of unhealthy food, because that would contradict the hard work that you did. If you had a long work-week, try treating yourself to a dinner out or doing something you love.
No.3 – Keep the progress going
It’s normal to feel a lack of motivation toward the middle of a goal. When writing a paper, you might get a lot written right off the bat, then leave it for a few (or a lot of) days, then near the end before it’s due you may have a push of motivation and determination to get it done in a short period of time. Try breaking your goals up into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, if that paper has 7 sections, try tackling one section every couple of days until it is done. When you feel yourself in this middle slump, recall all the work you’ve already completed, then set your focus back onto what needs to be done. Mind over matter is a key component to getting the work done and to a standard that you and your superiors are proud of.
No.4 – Use the influence of others
The people in our lives are often the best motivators. When I was completing my undergrad, whenever I sat near or studied with people who were high-achievers, I was more motivated to do better and work harder. While that might also be attributed to my competitive side, I’ve found that if I merely watch these people, it can actually do the exact opposite of what I want to achieve. A tip would be to ask these people who are influential to you, what they are trying to achieve and how you can do the same!
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
If I can do it, SheCan too!
Author: Carlynn Overbury, Marketing Coordinator