It’s perfectly normal for even the most highly-motivated people to occasionally feel burnt out and unable to concentrate on work. Being expected to stay on top of your game at all times is unrealistic, but it can be distressing to find yourself in a professional slump. Fortunately, there are ways you can hack your motivation and figure out a strategy for improved productivity.
Create Better Daily Habits
Becoming more motivated for work starts with building better habits in your daily life. Teach your mind that you are the type of person who makes rational, healthy decisions more often than not. This will filter into your work life, where you will eventually begin to notice the positive difference. For example, resisting the urge to scroll on your phone while lying in bed will reinforce the inner belief that you have the self-discipline necessary to motivate yourself to work.
Work in a Focused Environment
It makes sense that the space surrounding you will influence your mood and therefore your thoughts. If your workspace is chaotic and distracting, you will inevitably have trouble getting down to work. This is especially true for people who work from home. One of the most practical solutions is to find somewhere like thebrew.co.uk, where there are dedicated workspaces designed to be perfect for anyone trying to focus. Instead of trying to force yourself to concentrate despite the noise or temptation to watch television, you can put yourself in a situation more conducive to self-discipline and hard work. A focused environment will support a focused mind.
Eradicate Perfectionism
Sometimes the pursuit of perfection is what gets in the way of achieving anything. Perfectionists often complain that they fail to even begin a project due to a fear that it will fail. Break down this mistaken way of thinking and replace it with the knowledge that a completed project is better than no project at all.
Have Someone Hold You Accountable
Tell a colleague or a friend about the tasks you are currently working on and their deadlines, whether externally given or self-imposed. Ask them to check in with you once the deadline strikes. This is an effective way of keeping yourself on track since it involves the possibility of letting down another person.
Celebrate Hitting Milestones
When you celebrate hitting a milestone, you teach your brain that it feels good to complete a project. This will encourage it in the future to stay motivated and focused even when it wants to give in to distractions. Reward yourself for minor or major milestones with the appropriate level of celebration.
Figuring out how to master your low motivation and become more focused at work takes practice and different approaches depending on your temperament. What works for you might not necessarily work for someone else. Hopefully, you found at least one or two of the above points useful in boosting your motivation for work and returning to a healthily productive state.