6 Steadfast Ways to Motivate Yourself at Work

The 9-to-5 cubicle life gets old after a while. So does clocking in and clocking out. And working from home in your pajamas. The thing is: Work is work. Sometimes it gets dull, and you can’t seem to channel the inner motivation that you had when you started. The answer is not, “Quit your job,” nor is it “Give up.” In fact, there are multiple ways to motivate yourself at work – here are 6 of them.

1) Ask Yourself, “What am I Learning?”
If your mind is getting bored, you’re getting bored. You may feel like you’ve learned all that you can learn, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There is always a new project that you can get your hands on – you just need to seek it. Look for new ways to learn and grow in your career.

2) Welcome Feedback
You probably started out with a lot of learning opportunities – with constant feedback from your manager and coworkers. If that feedback has petered out, rekindle it. Talk to your manager about receiving more feedback on how you can improve. Be honest – bring up the fact that you feel like your self-motivation levels are dwindling, and you don’t want to continue that trajectory.

3) Start up the “If-Then” Mentality
Obstacles may arise, and you may need a back-up plan. If that’s the case, then come up with one. See? It’s not that hard!

4) Come Up with a New Set of Goals
Zoom out for a second. You’re feeling tired or burned out for a reason. Remember your “why.” Why are you working here? What are you working toward? There is a big goal that you are striving for – readjust your current goals to make sure they’re in line with that big-picture goal.
5) Remember your Purpose
Think about the last time you felt really motivated to do your work – and make sure it was self-motivation, not the kind that is imposed on you by a deadline or your manager. Something got you excited about doing your job, so sit down and think about what that was and try to resurrect it.

6) Reach Out to Others
Talk to your coworkers about what’s going on in your head. Chances are they’ve lost motivation in their careers at some point as well. Try to get helpful hints and tips from others – they could have great wisdom to impart on you.

It may take time to build your motivation back up, but it’s worth the time and effort. As long as you keep your eyes on your purpose and your own drive, you’ll be back to your chipper, motivated self in no time!