Work Motivation in Just 12 Steps

 No matter how much you love your job, there are times when your work motivation is just going to bottom out. There can be any number of reasons for this but the important thing is that it does happen to everyone at some stage. If you follow the simple tips I’m sharing here, you can regain¹ your motivation and achieve a new sense of drive that you’ve been sorely missing:

1. Be Honest With Yourself

Admit that you’re lacking motivation and that you need to do something about it. Honesty is always, always the best policy.

2. Why Are You Here?

It’s easy to feel like a small cog in a big machine at times so you’ll need to remind yourself of your importance to the big picture within the company. Those reports you’re generating might not seem important to you but they’re part of a decision making process within the company that can affect the growth of the company as a whole. Realize your own importance each day.

3. Who Are You Doing This For?

Are you working to support your family, your parents or to slowly build you career? Whatever it was that motivated you to take that job in the first place, put a reminder² of it somewhere on your desk or in your “pod”. You now have a daily affirmation of why you do what you do.

4. Read Motivational Books

It might sound silly but reading a good motivation book can really light a fire under you again. Here are some of my personal favourites and even one of them can have a dramatic impact on your “feel good” factor when it comes to work motivation:

How To Win Friends and Influence People

Fish – Improve Morale³ and Boost Results

The Power of Positive Thinking

5. Avoid Negative Co-Workers

One of the biggest drains on your motivation is being surrounded by negative people. If you feel drained after listening to these people then there’s a problem. Ask for a desk reassignment and explain why in the nicest possible terms.

6. Motivational Posters

Okay this might be a little bit clichéd and there’s a whole web based industry that makes fun of them but a motivational poster or message that you can see each day isn’t a bad idea at all. After all you’re better off being surrounded by positive messages than negative ones right? Being cynical⁴ is easy – having faith in something takes work.

7. Talk

If you feel that you’re struggling with your motivation then talk to your trusted co-workers or even to your boss – if they’re open to that type of conversation. Most companies want you to be happy and productive and are more than willing to help you get back on track.

8. Office Gossip

Avoid, avoid, avoid office gossip as much as you can. This is usually churned up by people with nothing better to do than distract you from where you need to be – with your eye on what you’re doing. Office gossip serves no purpose, is extremely damaging and that same person will probably be gossiping about you tomorrow, next week or next month.

9. Walk Away From It

If you’re struggling with a specific work problem or project then don’t just bang your head against a wall about it – “walk away” from it for an hour or two and come back to it. That short break will give your mind a chance to come up with the solution to the problem you need solved – the human mind is a wonderful problem solver once you give it a chance.

10. Check Your Posture⁵

Do you sit slouched over your desk in despair each day? This is completely the wrong physiological⁶ signal to be giving your body. If you adopt a depressed⁷ and demotivated posture your emotions are going to follow suit. Try sitting up straight and watch how it changes your mood almost instantly.

11. Drink Water

It’s amazing how often dehydration⁸ can leave you feeling drained, lethargic⁹ and lacking inspiration. The human body is 80% water so it needs to be topped up each day. Drinking a few glasses of clean water per day can leave you feeling more energized¹⁰ than you’d believe – it’s your fuel so use it.

12. Start As You Mean To Finish

You wake up in the morning and stub your toe. Then you get toothpaste on your tie. Then the car won’t start. Great, another one of “those days”. You’ve now set your emotional state for the entire day and you’ll almost enjoy watching things getting worse – it’s proof that you’re right.

Your emotional state can be changed in a moment though by looking at a picture of your kids, your favourite pet or just checking out a motivational video (if that’s allowed in your workplace). For me the video that fires me up every single time and puts a smile on my face is “Where the hell is Matt?” I challenge you not to feel 150% uplifted by it!

You are what you believe you are. Never forget that.

1 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

2 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

3 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

5 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

6 physiological   

adj.生理学的，生理学上的

参考例句：

• He bought a physiological book.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• Every individual has a physiological requirement for each nutrient.每个人对每种营养成分都有一种生理上的需要。

7 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

8 dehydration   

n.脱水，干燥

参考例句：

• He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
• The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。

9 lethargic   

adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的

参考例句：

• He felt too miserable and lethargic to get dressed.他心情低落无精打采，完全没有心思穿衣整装。
• The hot weather made me feel lethargic.炎热的天气使我昏昏欲睡。

10 energized   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意，爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
• I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力，感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句