There are often occasions when working, even if you are loving the work that you do, when you lack motivation. This can, of course, be detrimental to your business, your health and your relationships.
Is there a reason for lack of motivation? This motivation dip can be caused by stress, unhappiness, worry and a whole load of other factors.
Is there anything you can do to motivate yourself at work? Indeed, there are many conventional ways, but I thought I would mention a few unconventional ways of motivating yourself at work.
The first few are for those of you who are prepared to work on your own to motivate yourself.
•Practice pressing the palms of your hands together (rather like the prayer gesture). You will notice your blood pressure lower and your stress levels reduce. Remember that stress is 'man made', it doesn't actually exist, so when you feel yourself creating stress practice this gentle action. Once the stress levels have lowered your motivation will increase.
•Accept yourself for who you are, you will feel mentally and physically much better and be more able to feel motivated.
•Smile - when you smile your body believes you are happy whether you actually feel it not and your body releases hormones that make you feel good. When you feel good you also feel more motivated.
•Laugh. Stand up, stick out a hip and slap it (a bit like the principal boy in pantomime). You will find yourself laughing and feeling good. And, as before when you smile, when you are feeling good you will feel more motivated.
•Approve of yourself unconditionally. Give yourself a pat on the back. This too will make you feel better and as in the previous two examples, when you are feeling good you will feel more motivated.
These next few ideas are for those of you who need to be accountable, either to yourself or someone else to get motivated.
•Make a list of the tasks you want to do. Next to each task write your 'but' excuses. And finally write a rebuttal for each of the excuses you have made. You are holding yourself accountable to yourself, and if you wish you could ask a colleague to be involved and hold you responsible and vice versa.
•Divide your objectives into manageable chunks. These could be 20 minute or 30 minute chunks. By breaking these objectives down and using the short time spans, you will take little steps to get the major things done and you won't become overwhelmed and demotivated.
•Instead of say I 'must' get this done, or I 'should' have got this done, or I 'ought' to get this done, reframe your objectives into wants. This way you will motivate yourself without forcing yourself.
•Make a list of some of the worst, negative self-talk comments that you know bring your motivation down. Next to each those comments write a self-endorsing statement. Never dismiss your accomplishments, in fact focus on them. It will increase your motivation over time.
Practice some or all of these techniques and notice the difference they make to you. Pick out the ones that work really well for you and repeat them when necessary.
Remember, you are responsible for your own motivation and nothing will work until you accept that fact.