Up early to hit the gym; an impeccably clean house; a killer job. There’s a lot that goes into achieving “That Girl.” aesthetic; one that focuses on leveling up to be your best self in terms of mind, body, and spirituality – including your career.
If you frequent the feeds of your favorite influencers and celebrities, such an aesthetic that appears low-effort on the surface, can feel daunting when trying to implement it in real life. Are some people just born with an endless motivation to achieve all the things?
While we can’t guarantee you’ll be able to put your relationship with your alam’s snooze button to rest, there are tactics to help turn you from uninspired to endlessly-motivated, at least when it comes to your job. Ready to learn? Keep reading as we dive into the Guide to Graduate Team’s favorite tips, tricks, and secrets to staying motivated at work.
Pursue Your Passions
We know, it sounds easier said than done, but there’s a reason pursuing your passions is a top key to staying motivated at work.
While no job lacks a bit of grunt work, when you enjoy what you do, there’s always a little voice in your head pushing you toward a goal, especially when it results in your own personal pleasure. When you fuel your passions, you feel personally proud of the work you’ve done, and are able to stay motivated to keep going.
Seek Out Mentors
No one said you have to go it alone. In fact, experts recommend the opposite.
Arm yourself with a mentor in your field – someone more experienced, and preferably with traits you’re working toward attaining. Mentors can lend guidance, as well as consistent coaching – two key ingredients in holding you accountable and motivated to grow in your career.
Treat Yourself
Certain tasks within any role can be mundane, but you can spice them up a bit! Create a few external motivators for yourself, and align them with project milestones or deadlines, to keep yourself motivated through the mundane.
As an example, say you have a huge deadline to meet, with three milestone check-ins in between. Promise to treat yourself to a special latte at each milestone check-in where you were on track, and then reward yourself with a day off once you’ve met the deadline.
By simply intrinsically knowing you have those small rewards to look forward to, your brain will help you stay on task and motivated to get your work completed.
Set Boundaries
As remote and hybrid work increases, work-life balances are definitely decreasing. And it makes sense – it’s easy to answer one last email before bed when your office shares the same address as your dining room. However, without set working hours and boundaries, work slowly starts to creep into all areas of your life, which can lead to mental burnout and exhaustion – the perfect recipe for losing any and all motivation.
Instead, communicate strict working hours to your manager and team, and stick with them, setting timers or alarms for when your work-day officially ends, and your you-time can begin.
And speaking of you time…
What to Do if You Lose Motivation
Unless you’re a robot (are you a robot?), you can’t be expected to stay motivated all of the time. At least, not without a little break.
While it may seem counterintuitive, one of the best kept secrets for bringing back your motivational mojo is to take a break. Sometimes, a clear mind is all you need to recharge your batteries and tackle your next project with a fresh perspective.
