Staying motivated at work

25th Oct 2020

We investigate how you can bring more meaning and motivation to your day-to-day work.

Working from home

We’ve all been there when you find yourself staring at the computer screen - willing yourself to type, create, develop… anything. Motivation can be elusive. Some days you feel it, and other days you don’t.

According to penguins.co.uk, disengaged employees are thought to cost the UK £52-70 billion per year in lost productivity, with 70% of the UK workforce claiming to feel disengaged.

We explore the steps we can take to find motivation when it doesn’t seem to be there.

Step 1 – find the bigger picture

It’s easy to get lost in the details and forget about the bigger picture. After all, the details are what gets you from A to B in your daily work life.

However, focusing on the bigger picture will help you find reason behind your work; creating more meaning and keeping you focused on your goals.

Another reason to find the bigger picture is to help keep your daily tasks down. With the day-to-day tasks keeping you busy, you might end up taking on a too bigger workload. Finding the bigger picture will help you prioritise your work and keep menial tasks at bay.

It’s possible that you could be spending to much time on tasks, that in the grand scheme of thing, don’t require that much time and effort. It will also remind you why the day-to-day tasks matter.

Step 2 – surround yourself with positive people

The energy that positive people have will rub off on you. It will motivate you to put in more effort at work, as well as putting in more energy into group projects, helping colleagues – not to mention it will improve your general mood at work.

Staples.co.uk writes: “positive people tend to put more effort into developing their own future, which in essence can motivate you to do more to succeed.”

Just as you benefit when you surround yourself with people who make you happy, you suffer when those in your business or social circles are negative or narrow-minded.

In fact, business entrepreneur and life coach Tony Robinson said:

“If we surround ourselves with people who are successful, who are forward-moving, who are positive, who are focused on producing results, who support us, it will challenge us to be more and do more and share more. If you can surround yourself with people who will never let you settle for less than you can be, you have the greatest gift that anyone can hope for.” 

Whether you work at home or in an office, having people who are positive fuels your fire, inspires you and your desire to be motivated.

Step 3 – celebrate the little wins

It can be challenging to stay motivated and on top of things if there’s no reward in sight.

If you are constantly focused on a pay-rise, promotion or a new job title; you’ll forget how crucial all the little wins are. You’ll also forget that if you don’t pay attention to the little wins, you’ll never get to these big rewards.

Treat yourself with small things and don’t underestimate how gratifying it can feel to recognise those tiny achievements.

When you’re aiming for little wins, it’ll change the way you feel at work. You will feel like you’re achieving more, which will result in you feeling happier and determined to keep on achieving – creating more motivation at work. 

Plus, celebrating the little wins with colleagues will create bonds between teams and create an enjoyable work atmosphere – who doesn’t want to work in a positive environment?

Step 4 – take the lead

No matter how high up the ‘food chain’ you are, there will be plenty of possibilities for leadership. In fact, taking on more responsibility and leading a team towards a goal will give you a sense of purpose.

It starts with a simple question: ‘Who needs help, and how can I help them?’

According to iconnectengineers.com:

“Effective leadership will help grow confidence in you, your team, improve business operations and increase emotional intelligence.”

Being a leader not only gives you a sense of purpose, it creates bonds between you and your colleagues and spreads the motivation throughout the company.

Conclusion

You’re not alone when you have days or even weeks where you feel unmotivated. Putting a few steps into place can help you get back on the right track when you’re not in the right mindset.

Click here to read more about creating a fulfilling workplace