Your first job is often an exciting and electrifying experience, having set the milestone towards a hopefully vibrant and successful career. Over your first year on the job you are introduced to some rigors but you are bent on achieving results that exceeded your employer’s expectations. The novelty of the experience makes vitality spring forth into your working veins, getting you positively motivated and enhancing your productivity at work.
However, at a some point, in the middle of unending working papers or a time-consuming project, boredom, a lack of inspiration, or loss of meaning begins to creep in. You are not alone. There are millions facing the same dilemma, some will conquer it and start again, renewed and revitalized. To meet this challenge and avoid meeting your boss at his office for a tongue lashing or perhaps worse, here are some effective ways to keep you motivated and productive for optimal work performance.
Motivation Tip #1- Remind Yourself Of Your Goals And Performance Standards
Reminding yourself every now and then about your goals and the results help you focus more on the work at hand. If you can, set a certain deadline in a work diary and purposefully place it on the date that is ahead of the scheduled submission. You will feel proud of yourself whenever you get your work done on time and had been able to satisfy the standards you have set for yourself. You will get a sense of achievement with a deadline to discipline you and a goal to guide you.
Motivation Tip #2- Reward Yourself For A Job Well Done
Nothing succeeeds like success. The best way to gain momentum is to celebrate a job well done. A special treat for you after getting a task or a well done project well done will provide a spark to your productivity. Knowing there will be a reward will give you something to look forward to. Of course, rewards will vary with your interests, such as a relaxing spa, a shopping spree, or perhaps dining in a fancy restaurant. Don’t make the mistake of over emphasizing your failures and under estimating your successes. Regardless of the employer’s recognition of your achievements, you should make it a point to provide an incentive to yourself for all the hard work you do. This way at the very least, everything you do will be a boon to your self-esteem, which in turn will boost your morale and keep you in the best of spirits for the next goal.
Motivation Tip #3- Formulate A Detailed Work Plan For Your Objectives
Having a clear vision of what you need to do will enable you to monitor your progress and keep yourself on track on a regular basis. It will serve as a blueprint towards the result you are working towards. Implementing this strategy will enable you to manage even big tasks efficiently. Make sure, however, that each stage in your plan had been sensibly broken down into practical and achievable activities. You must avoid setting a work plan that you know you will never meet. Specific achievable milestones go a long way toward maintaining motivation.
Motivation Tip #4- Have Adequate Periods Of Rest
Get enough sleep. In addition to rewarding yourself you need to take care of yourself. This is why you need to schedule your work so that you will not be taking it with you at home and be deprived of the needed rest that you are entitled to each day. You will never be motivated to work if you feel tired because you didn’t have enough sleep to get your mind and body rejuvenated. In the office, when a break is on the clock, take it. You will be more productive if you take that break, get some fresh air if possible and take a few minutes to relax and rejuvinate. Your attitude will be better, and your mind and body refreshed. But be careful to choose how you relax. If your work is physical take a break and do some mental exercise. If your work is mental try to get some physical exercise. If your work involves dealing with people try to get away for some peace and quiet, etc.
Motivation Tip #5- Don’t Starve Yourself Or Indulge In Unhealthy Eating Habits
You won’t be productive with hunger gnawing at you. Make sure that you have a nutritious breakfast and a healthy lunch. This will supply you with the needed energy releasing nutrients to keep you going. But don’t stuff yourself at lunch or you may suffer the dreaded mid-afternoon slump where your energy fails and you can’t keep your eyes open. This is a good point to get a bit of exercise or a cup of coffee or tea.
Motivation Tip #6- Balance Your Work And Personal Life
If you go about your daily routine with all work and you don’t have time for anything else… that is a big no-no. What about your life outside the work arena? You need to spend time on the other things that interest you and with the people who matter in your life. Being busy at work is no reason to destroy your social relationships or put an end to enhancing your talents. Find time to spend with family and friends. (as long as they are positive and upbeat, you will be surprised how much motivation and inspiration they will provide.) Exercise at the gym. Go out in the park for some sightseeing. Indulge in your favorite hobbies or pastimes. It will give you something to anticipate while at work, and relieve stress and get you ready for another day.
Motivation Tip #7- Stretch Yourself
One reason you were excited and enthusiastic when you first started your job was because everything was new and challenging. But as it becomes common-place it becomes routine and boring. Surprise yourself and your boss by looking for new challenges. Take on those tasks that your boss doesn’t want. It will go a long way toward making your day more interesting and could get you a promotion as well. See: Straight Talk for the Un(der)employed Youth for how a 21 year old used this strategy to go from Janitor to Plant manager in less than 10 years.
Motivation Tip #8- Be optimistic
Along the way, you are likely to encounter failures at work or sudden awful occurrences outside of work. This is part of life. Do not dwell on the negativities because they will drain away all of your vitality. Learn to think in a positive way and direct your mind to encouraging thoughts. You have inexhaustible strength and potential to combat all the obstacles you face and rise from any fall. Utilize them in order to keep your motivation and job productivity. You are stronger than you think you are.
It is easy to say these things but getting them done is an entirely different thing. Learning how to be motivated and productive at work involves changes to the way you think, to the way you behave, and to the way you approach circumstances. Before anything else, however, learn to love your job. All else will follow if you have the passion for it.
See Also:
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- The Difference a Degree Makes in Unemployment Levels
- Choosing a Professional Resume Writing Service
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Author bio
Felix Tarcomnicu wrote this article hoping that you will gain the motivation to be productive at work. If you are looking to get a new job and you need to build a professional CV, you can have a look at all the resume examples he has written on ResumeOK.com
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