Most people who haven’t started working yet or have been, unemployed for a long time, or in dire need of money are always the ones who are excited with the prospects of working or simply just having a stable source of income. Arriving at interviews earlier to set a good first impression, dressed to impress, and hours of practicing in front of a mirror are only a few examples to land that job that you’ve been searching for. When you do get hired, you’re giddy and tend to overthink and daydream on how your first day at work will be like; excited, motivated, eager, and observant. Weeks pass and you’re still dedicated to work, building up relationships with your colleagues, learning a new trade or enhancing your knowledge. Months or years pass by and you feel you’re getting burned out from giving your all to the company. A few mistakes here and there that got you in trouble, some arguments you had with your superior and colleagues, some achievements that weren’t noticed, a few disputes with your family or spouse for coming home late and broken promises are only a fraction of what usually happens in your daily work life.
Though there are worse than good most days, it does not really outweigh the good things that happen. That simple gesture your supervisor gave you for a good report, the “thank you’s” that your colleagues gave you after helping them with a problem of theirs, that free lunch take-out that the manager ordered for everyone on the team, the company’s pet decided to take a nap in your area, however small the positivity is, they all eventually add up to brighten your day and keep your dedication to work solidified. If you find your self-motivation is getting low, here are some simple steps to get it back on track:
Back to Basics
Try to remember what pushed you to get a job in the first place, on how much you prayed to get the job you have now, on how eager you were to start working. Keep an open mind especially if you are given new work, it just means that the company regards you capable of doing more than what you’ve been used to doing and that there is a good possibility of a promotion if you do well. Not only that, but it also gives you additional skills you can add to your arsenal to give you an edge. Keep in mind that your job might be a saving grace to others, not only are you helping them with their problems, but you also become their inspiration.
Healthy Competition
Getting friendly with colleagues is both an ordeal and a blessing. There are some that will try and use you for their own personal gain, some will even try to sabotage your work so that you will look bad in front of your superiors. But there are also genuine friendships that will blossom from being nice and being helpful to your colleagues. Having good relationships with them can also be your motivation to work better. Competing with a colleague to finish a particular project or even just part of it, or which of you would have better sales then having the loser treat the other to drinks. It’s cliche, but it promotes friendly rivalry, better performance, and closer bonds. Though some might get irritated and lose confidence if they lose, try to joke around it and do better next time; we are given as many chances as we want.
Read related post: Why Teamwork Matters in Business
Rest and Relaxation
Restart your mind with a fresh and new outlook. Use your days off to do something productive or to enjoy your hobbies. Not long enough? Once you’ve accrued enough for a vacation leave, treat yourself to some well-deserved R&R. Mingle with people while you’re on your vacation, not only will it help you relax more, it can also give you newer insights on how to effectively do your job better; get those creative juices spinning. Your main goal in R&R though is to not think of work and just do what makes you happy, enjoying the breeze out in the sandy beach, watching that TV series you’ve been putting off, enjoying the company of your friends out in the pub, etc. Once you’re restarted, well rested, and happy, it’s time to go back into the battlefield known as corporate work with a renewed creative mind, purpose, and objective.
Read related post: Healthy Success Mindset Development
Self-Motivation starts with how we view things, how positive or negative a certain event will impact our state of mind. Most of the time we cannot help but pin these events as negative and try to voice out in our head why it’s negative. But always remember the good in everything and don’t overthink things.
Always try to go back to your ‘why’ and you should be able to get a renewed sense of motivation and fulfillment. So whenever you find yourself dragging your feet to work, or if you are having a lack of motivation at work just always go back to the basics, instill in the pain of having no income, the hardships you had to go through to get the job you have now, the need to establish yourself in society, and the endless possibilities that come from doing a good job and future endeavors that will merit you with better opportunities to showcase your skills and talents.