5 Tips to Help You Stay Motivated at Work

Motivated at Work

Just 29% of American employees consider themselves engaged at work. And an unmotivated workforce costs companies in the United States $300 billion each year.

When you’re emotionally and intellectually invested in your job, remaining focused can be simple. But for many people, trying to summon up the motivation to get through the workday can seem like a full-time job itself.

If this sounds like you, read on to learn how you can stay motivated at work.

1. Surround Yourself By Motivated People

You may have heard the saying “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” It makes sense right? If you’re spending all of your free time with people who are unmotivated, lack direction, and are always negative, trying to stay motivated and positive will feel like an uphill battle.

In an office, you may not be able to change who you’re spending most of the day near. But you can choose who you spend time with out of the office. Think carefully about which people make you feel happy, inspired, and motivated, and aim to spend more time with these types of people.

2. Be Grateful

Gratitude reduces depression and increases happiness. It also helps improve your self-esteem, reduces stress, and increases mental strength.

One of the best ways you can increase workplace motivation? Start a gratitude list. If you find yourself struggling to get ready for work in the morning, take a few minutes to write a list of five things you’re grateful for. Make sure that one or two of them are related to your job.

Once you’re actually at work, try to savor the positive experiences and happy moments you have throughout the day. Share what’s going on in your life with your coworkers (especially good news). Focus on the positives of your office. Make a point of expressing gratitude to your coworkers when they do something nice or make your job easier.

3. Celebrate Your Wins

Even if no one else is patting you on the back, there’s no reason why you can’t clap for yourself when you have a workplace win.

Finished an important project? Take the time to treat yourself to a latte and share the news. Even when workplace wins sound small, celebrating them can boost your motivation in a big way.

You’ll find that even celebrating micro-wins can help. Examples of micro-wins include reconnecting with old friends, scoring a great parking spot, choosing a healthy snack over your coworker’s cupcakes, or handling a difficult customer or client without losing your temper.

When you’re at work for most of your day, celebrating these small wins can give you a steady sense of accomplishment. Progress and motivation go hand-in-hand- there’s a reason why people who use Fitbits take 43% more steps than those that don’t.

4. Set Goals

Often, a lack of motivation at work can be a symptom of a lack of direction elsewhere in your life. It may be a good idea to look at your overall life plan and decide what it is you’re hoping to get from your career.

How often are you stepping outside your comfort zone? If you’ve been in the same role for some time, and you’re not feeling like you’re growing in that role, it may be time to try something new. Maybe you need to talk to your boss about a promotion or the opportunity to do some training.

It’s easy to get used to the status quo, and if you’re finding your job boring and unfulfilling, it’s up to you to find a way to increase your value.

Take some time to write down your goals. What do you want your life to look like in the next year? What about the next five years? How about the next ten years?

Goals help you grow, and if you’re not feeling motivated at work, it may be because you don’t have a clear career path.

5. Get Feedback

One of the best things you can do to stay motivated? Get feedback on your work. This is hugely motivating when you’ve done a great job. But it can also be a good way to help you further hone your skills so you’re more valuable as an employee and can have further opportunities in the future.

If you don’t know how you’re performing, or you feel like no one is noticing your work, it’s easy to lose motivation. Ask your manager or boss for a performance evaluation or even a check-in meeting once a month.

If you’ve been considering asking for a pay rise in the future, this can also be a good way for you to see where you need to improve before you make your case.

Staying Motivated at Work: Wrap up

We all wonder how to stay motivated at work sometimes. But creating a successful career depends on your levels of engagement and motivation. While it’s normal to go through periods where you lack direction, this shouldn’t be the status quo in your job.

If you’re aiming to increase your motivation at work, the above tips are a good place to start. If you find that whatever you do, you simply can’t get motivated, the answer could be a career or job change.

While workplace motivation is a struggle for many people, you can choose not to let it define your experience at the office. By creating an “attitude of gratitude”, setting goals, and celebrating your wins, you can make the most of your time at work.

For more ways to live your best life, check out some more of our helpful blog posts today.