Top tips for motivating yourself at work

Most people start a business or career with great enthusiasm and excitement. They are full of possibility and expectation of what they can achieve. Unfortunately this initial euphoria can become a daily grind as they slowly loose motivation. So is it possible to maintain the vision and passion that was there at the beginning?

I’ve been a speaker and workshop facilitator for over 21 years and I’ve managed to maintain a consistent level of enthusiasm for this demanding work. So, it is possible to maintain a high level of motivation as long as you know what to do to keep you on track.

Here are my 5 top tips for motivating yourself at work:

Tip #1: Do what you enjoy & delegate the rest.

The first thing to do is to create 2 lists: On one list all the tasks you enjoy doing at work and on the other list all the tasks you don’t enjoy. Once this is complete your goal is to keep performing the tasks that you enjoy and delegate or stop doing completely as many of the tasks you don’t enjoy. The extent to which you can achieve this will impact your level of motivation because work will be more fun.

Tip #2: Create a WHY.

Now that you are in touch with what you enjoy and don’t enjoy about your work, you need to get in touch with your why. Having a reason why you do what you do allows you to focus is on the big picture. This will in turn “super charge” your motivation!

Tip #3: Set goals.

Get into the habit of setting yourself short term, medium term and long term goals. Short term can be anywhere from 7 days to 3 months; medium term can be 3 to 6 months and long term can be from 12 months to 5 years. Use what works for your career, your working style and industry. Setting and achieving clearly defined goals will give you a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Tip #4: Ask for what you want.

First write down exactly what you want and how it will increase your productivity. Then go and ask someone that can do something about you getting it, making sure to explain how it will help you better achieve the goals of your business. Make sure you bring this up with the appropriate person at a time when they are not under too much pressure or distracted by other matters.

Tip #5: Celebrate.

Whenever you achieve a goal or complete a task well, make sure to celebrate and then reward yourself in some way for a job well done before moving on to the next task or goal. This is something that is often overlooked because people don’t realise how important it is. By celebrating and rewarding yourself in the smallest way you will feel nurtured and motivated. This will help your productivity and motivate you to work towards your next goal.