Lately you’ve found you just have no motivation at work.
You’re dragging yourself in in the morning and and again at night, and every moment in between feels like you weigh 800,000 pounds.
You just really don’t want to be there or do the work you’re supposed to be doing.
You need to find a way to get your spark back or you – and your job – is going to be in serious trouble.
Functioning With No Motivation At Work
When you have to function with no motivation, it feels like walking through hurricane force winds. It feels impossible, truly exhausting, and possibly life threatening.
It’s not something you can keep up for very long.
But what choice do you have? You can’t just quit. You especially can’t justify quitting because you didn’t “like it.” Not without something else solid to fall back on.
So while you figure out that next plan, you have to figure out how to function.
Motivation For Work Is MIA
Even if you’re considering a career change, you’re stuck in your job for a while while you’re sorting through the logistics of making a move.
The plan is to fly under the radar, but that in itself is a serious problem. You know your boss is noticing, or at least you’re terrified that she is – and it’s causing you to have really creepy nightmares.
Plus, it’s just not like you to do work that’s not that good. I mean, when you have your heart in something, it really shows and your work is incredible. Unfortunately, when you don’t have your work in something, that really shows too. And right now it’s showing like you’re nine months pregnant.
In any case, you’ve got to figure out how to survive mentally and how not to get the ax before you keel over from sheer boredom.
It’s time to figure out how to increase your motivation at work.
Super Simple Ways To Increase Your Motivation At Work
I think we can agree that your goal is to get to a job where the work and motivation come more naturally to you, but until you can make it there, you can use these super simple ways to increase your motivation.
Focus on Why You’re There
If you can simply focus on the fact that you need this job and that it’s serving a purpose for you, it can be easier to see it as a good thing in your life rather than a bad one. You might only be there because of the paycheck, but still that paycheck is an important part of your life. Focus on the benefits you get for now, and use that as a stepping stone into work that is more meaningful.
Focus on the Relationships
Spend time getting to know the people you work with and building relationships with them both inside and outside of work. These relationships can not only enrich your life, but they can help you professionally in the future.
Focus on the Skills
You may be building new skills that you can use in future positions. If there is room to add a new skill, see if your boss will allow for training so that you can become more skilled. Sometimes general trainings can be very helpful in future positions rather than super specific skills that may not be as helpful if you are planning on changing careers.
Focus on Your Achievements
Do you feel like you can accomplish anything at work? You may not be enjoying yourself, but if you’re doing work that you can check off your list, no matter how small, try to feel good about it. Also, try to see why it matters. Even if the work doesn’t matter to you emotionally, it likely has some impact on someone somewhere.
Focus Outside of Work
Put work in its rightful place and realize that there’s more to life. Try to spend time enjoying the rest of your life, and you can have more energy to devote to work when you do need to be there.
Play a Game with Yourself
What if work were a challenge again? If there’s no real challenge there, is there a way you can create one for yourself? Set goals for yourself and see if you can meet them. Your motivation at work can be increased just because of your competitive nature.
Play a Game with Someone Else
There’s nothing that says these types of challenges have to be kept to yourself. Make it a game with someone else. Your “competitions” will be different depending on your job, but you can certainly devise some way to introduce a little friendly competition into your workday. Or, alternatively, you can see how you can build something together, and maybe increase motivation at work in general.
Ask for More Responsibility
Doing the same old thing day in and day out is not only boring, but it won’t build your skills. Asking for more responsibility can build your skills, engage you at work, and show your boss that you’re someone who is ready to rise up in the organization.
Even if you decide to move on from this company soon, looking good in the eyes of your boss and the organization will only help you as you network and interview with others who want to know who you are and what you were like at your last company. After all, do you want to be the person that flew under the radar and did the minimum, or the one that raised their hand and asked for more? Who do you think gets the job?
How To Truly Get More Motivated At Work
Use these simple ways to get more motivated at work, but remember they are a temporary fix. The real goal is to find work that you’re intrinsically motivated by, that is, the motivation comes from inside you rather than from the outside.
When you’re internally motivated, you don’t need any tricks to keep you motivated or hold you accountable for staying on task, because you own the work as much as you would if you were working on your own hobby. You’re thinking about it, about how to improve it, and when you can work on it again.
Finding work that you’re intrinsically motivated by doesn’t take a crystal ball. It’s just a matter of learning more about what makes you tick.
Ask yourself, what does really motivate you?
What are some of the things that are most important to you when it comes to work?
When you know that about yourself, you’ll understand one more piece about how to find work you love.