On average, our time at work accounts for 40 hours a week, equivalent to a third of our lifetime. Motivating ourselves outside of the workplace is difficult enough to get right. From household chores to life admin, there are more ways than one in which we have to keep the enthusiasm going on a daily basis. So, when we’re faced with a heap of tasks we have to tackle at work… How best can we ramp up our motivation to get them done?
For the majority of us, our workplace is our second home and, this needn’t be a gloomy prospect if there’s an element of enjoyment to what we do.
We’re going to take a look at the tips and tricks you can implement, whether you’re an individual who’s hit a brick wall and is feeling demotivated at work or if you’re a manager who wants to motivate your team.
How does motivation benefit you?
Being motivated in both general life and at work is going to benefit you in more ways than one, it’s not exactly rocket science. However, you may be interested to know that motivation can benefit you in more ways than one…
- It’ll increase commitment. Employers and employees are far more likely to feel committed to their roles if they’re motivated. This can lead to individuals and teams putting far higher levels of effort into tasks overall.
- Satisfaction. This is important in life. Nobody wants to be left in a situation that is less than satisfactory. Positive growth in business is generally driven by employee satisfaction which usually trickles down from a positive and driven management team.
- Ongoing development. To avoid a business from growing stagnant in its goals, overall energy and achievements, employees need to feel that they are developing both independently and as part of a larger team.
- Efficiency will be improved. A team that is feeling motivated is far more likely to be productive at work and complete tasks with greater ease and enthusiasm.
It’s not the same for everyone
We’re all different, that’s the very beauty of humanity and the same principles apply when it comes to motivation. Just because an individual is motivated in a certain way, doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll attribute to a one-size fits all scenario. In fact, everyone is motivated by slightly different things and this should definitely be taken into consideration if you’re looking to motivate your own team or if you’re an employee feeling a little less motivated than usual.
Motivation will come from within for everyone, though there are certainly ways that you can effectively up motivation as a business leader. If you’re reading this because you’re at a loss for what you can independently do to motivate yourself at work, we’ll get onto some tips later.
Tapping into your own, or your employee’s motivational triggers isn’t always an easy thing to do.
Motivation your employees (if you’re a business owner)
Firstly, let’s take a look at how an employer can motivate their team:
Communicate. This point cannot be stressed enough. Positive communication across your team is going to result in only one thing: positivity! Where possible, (time constraints can get in the way) choose to communicate face-to-face with your team members as a collective or independently (try to minimise emails). Employees will have the opportunity to vocalise their ideas, concerns and more, making it a valuable exchange on both sides.
Show that you value an individual’s attributes. If you’re a manager, it’s always great to regularly demonstrate that you value an individual’s efforts for the business. This will help employees take pride in what they do when at work, value their role more and make them aware of their overall position/impact within the business, ultimately increasing motivation.
Create a positive workplace environment. While this is subjective in some aspects, creating a positive workspace for your team isn’t difficult. In fact, it’s pretty straightforward. By checking in with your team often and getting feedback, you’ll be able to create a shared sense of direction for all employees. Think about instilling and reinforcing a positive and motivational motto.
6 ways you can motivation yourself when at work
We’ve all hit that dreaded afternoon slump, it usually comes around just after lunchtime and we’re left questioning whether it’s any use us even remaining at work when it gets really bad. Truth be told, there is no magic fix for avoiding demotivation altogether but the good news is that you can certainly motivate yourself better. Here are 6 top tips to keep motivated at work when you’re struggling.
“Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.”
- Try the Pomodoro technique. This simple trick may just be what you need to keep on top of your workload. Rather than rolling your eyes at the long list of tasks you have ahead at you and the prospect of working hours on end, the Pomodoro technique will have you working for 25 minutes and resting for 5.
- Make sure you’re eating AND keeping hydrated. While having lunch at your desk, or skipping it altogether is tempting, you shouldn’t do this unless absolutely necessary. Take a break from your surroundings and take the time to sit down for lunch. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water too, it’ll prevent that sluggish feeling often caused by thirst.
- Create an achievable to-do list. We want to push ourselves at work where we can. The mistake is overcalculating just how much you are capable of getting done in a working day. Put together a to-do list that takes time into consideration. You’ll find it extremely satisfying ticking off all your tasks when complete!
- Take breaks. While this may go against the grain of getting things done, it’ll actually keep you motivated. Get up and have a well-earnt tea break when needed or get outside for a breath of fresh air. Either way, schedule short and frequent breaks into your day.
- Get feedback. It may seem like a scary prospect asking upfront for feedback because it may not always be the type of feedback you want to hear but it should motivate you. Whether negative or positive, there really is a lot to gain from speaking to your team members and manager about feedback.
- Set up a reward system. Work is work but it also should incorporate fun. You need to consider how you’ll best reward yourself for reaching your tasks. Take yourself out for an occasional fancy coffee in the week if needs be, your reward system is personal to you.
How motivation in the workplace is changing
From startups to modern business approaches, employers are beginning to change the way in which a typical working day is structured to better motivate their team. With a growing number of coworking spaces making an appearance (as attitudes towards the typical office environment evolve), this could be a reflection of how we as workers are taking a different stance when it comes to motivation.
Startups are especially adopting the following ‘benefits’ for employees to help keep them motivated in the workplace:
- An increasing number of coworking spaces. Such spaces are growing in numbers significantly and this is a reflection of how motivation can be increased. From solo freelancers to teams, there is lots to gain from working in a supportive, friendly and energetic work environment being surrounded by people.
- Flexible working hours. Across Europe, there are some countries that defy the typical 9-5 approach to working hours. While we all benefit from structure, there is a growing understanding that the 40-hour working week is not compatible with everyone. Germany, Sweden and Norway are just some of the countries that are leading the way with a shorter working week. And, employees have reported feeling more productive, motivated, and happier in their roles.
- Unlimited holiday policies. It’s no secret that holidays are invaluable to us all. We need them to break up the lull of everyday life and give us something to look forward to. However, there are a number of workplaces putting an unlimited holiday policy into place and offering more flexibility around this. It creates less sense of pressure for employees who know that they can take a more lax approach to time off work within reason.
- Perks. If you’re an employer there are a number of perk packages that you can sign up for that will give your team discounts and more. The way in which such packages can motivate your team is extensive. They can encourage your team members to participate in after-work social events, leading to stronger bonds in the workplace and a higher level of motivation all-round.
As you can see, there are many ways you can increase your own motivation at work, or motivate your team (for those employers out there). With that said, there are also plenty of ways that you can get creative with how you choose to do this, in fact, we encourage it!