Work, work, work, work, work, work! Yes, I am aware that’s a Rihanna song. But seriously it can be tough getting up for work every day. Some of us may have found our dream job, some of us haven’t, and honestly some of us probably work a job we hate. But let’s face it even if you love your job, it can still be hard to fight procrastination which ultimately gets in the way of you getting your work done. Obviously, it’s important that you do your job, but it’s equally important to continually work to be better at your job. The desire to be good at your job, can help make a terrible job a lot more tolerable. Here are 10 tips to help you stay motivated while at work.
1. Drink coffee, tea, or an energy drink!
This is probably the most obvious way to stay motivated because the caffeine will help you stay alert. Studies have proven that caffeine can increase your focus and alertness. In addition to this, just stepping away from your desk to grab or prepare these drinks may be a good way to break away from the task at hand and briefly clear your mind.
2. Listen to music!
Turn on some music that motivates and inspires you! There are several playlists available on all music platforms and on YouTube for study or focus music. Listening to music can help block out some of the other distractions around you.
3. Listen to an audiobook or podcast!
Find audiobooks or podcasts that interest you, just make sure they don’t hinder your work. When you get wrapped up in a book or discussion it can help to make the time go by quicker. It would help to search for podcasts and audiobooks that are motivational, if this subject interest you.
4. Make a daily to do list!
Without a to do list, it can become easier to get off course throughout the workday. You may forget what needed to be done, or several other tasks may be given to you that you did not expect. So, each day before starting your shift, create a to do list and adjust it throughout the day accordingly. This is extremely helpful if you work from home or you have your own business. Additionally, the process of tracking your progress and checking off completed tasks can be motivating, because it helps you see that you are getting things done.
5. Create a vision board!
Creating a mini vision board to keep at your desk and/or a large vision board that you can see everyday before you go to work will help remind you of why you go to work every day. Make sure this vision board is powerful and speaks to your heart. I suggest even including some affirmations on there too. However, it is imperative that you occasionally update or move your vision boards around. This way you don’t get complacent and begin to overlook them, because then they lose their power to motivate you. Plus, the act of creating your vision board is inspiring and motivating!
6. Stretch your body!
If you sit down all day your body can get too relaxed and taking a few minutes to get up and stretch or take a brief walk can help you clear your mind and help you finish your work. For those with desk jobs, there are many stretches that you can do at your desk. Here is a link to several desk stretches Stretching Exercises at Your Desk: 12 Simple Tips. Even just a walk to the restroom and back can be helpful. This tip is not just useful for those with desk jobs, it’s important to refresh your mind and body by taking breaks for any type of job.
7. Cut out distractions!
Too many distractions can take away your focus and make you unproductive. Depending on what you do for work, you may need to shut off your cell phone, the television, and your laptop because these cause major distractions. Additionally, you may need to cut out socializing, especially when what you are socializing about is not conducive to the task at hand. This could even require you to move to a different area, only if this is an option for you. You can do this by moving to a different area in the office, or if you work at home, by moving your work to a different location in the house. If you do not want to completely shut off your cell phone, you can silence it or put it on do not disturb. Many smartphones allow you to edit your do not disturb settings to allow messages and calls from the people you save as emergency or favorite contacts.
8. Get organized!
It can be extremely hard to stay motivated when you are overwhelmed, and if your mind is cluttered it can make it more difficult to get things done. You need to get more organized. Creating a list of the tasks that you must do can help with this, but make sure you add and set realistic time specific goals for when you want to complete each task to the list. Additionally, stay prepared by making sure you have all the tools you need to get your work done around you before you start each task. But most importantly, keep your work area clean and decluttered!
9. Don’t assume money will motivate you!
This one is pretty much straight forward. If your only source of motivation for working a job is because of the money, you will ultimately realize that money is not enough to get you through the day. This tip is more of a cautionary tip to inform you that money SHOULD NOT be the only reason you work a certain job. You are going to have to find other reasons to carry on. For example, if you have kids, and you need a job to support them, so you take any job that will help you do this the salary alone will not be enough to keep you motivated. Instead if you think about the job as a means for supporting your kids, and not just a means to getting money you would stay way more motivated, than you would if money was your only motivation. It’s about changing your perspective.
10. Continually check in with your reasons for carrying on!
Finally, this is the most important tip to staying motivated and we touched on this briefly in tip 9! When you are driven internally, you are unstoppable. It’s important to reconnect with why you even go to work. Whether its to support your family, yourself, or your job is a steppingstone to helping you reach a greater desire you have. Continually checking in with these reasons can be very powerful and can provide the boost you need to accomplish tasks that may be difficult to complete, or that just don’t interest you.
There are countless ways to stay motivated at work, especially depending on your career field. This list includes the top 10 most effective ways. Use as many of the tips as you can and find out what works best for you! It can be hard to find a job that you wake up happy to go to each day, but until you do and when you do, this list will help keep you motivated and stay a productive worker!
By: Tyler Garrett
