Motivating Yourself At Work

Most of us have the Monday blues at the start of the work week. Is it really the day we resent, or is it something else?

Often when we first enter a company, we have all these aspirations to climb the corporate ladder, reach greater heights, and become a true professional. But after having done the same routine for several months—from filling up your timecard to processing your papers, etc.—that same spirit and motivation may soon fade away.

The good news is you do not have to resign yourself to dreading Mondays. If you find yourself habitually loathing Mondays, this is the time to learn how to motivate yourself:

Wake up earlier. When you get too stressed thinking about how repetitive your day is, and how everything seems all about work, try waking up earlier. Do some exercises, watch the morning news, check your social networks, or cook for your kids—by immersing yourself in such activities, your work only becomes part of your day, and not the only thing in the day itself. Bond with your officemates. School was fun for most of us because we had a lot of friends to tag along with, and it can be the same in your office. Get to know your co-workers while in the pantry, or, better yet, organize a get-together with them when the workday ends. Being friends with those in the neighboring cubicles would make work a little less stressful.

Personalize your desk. We all know how cold and dull an office can get, and that does not really help your problem one bit. If the company manual does not prohibit it, try personalizing your workspace to liven things up a bit. I am not talking about fully refurbishing your table or asking for an upgrade of equipment, but do organize your materials in your own unique way—use scrap cardboards to make your own pen dispensers and dividers, have your own calendar and planner, change your computer’s wallpaper, and reposition things from time to time.

Take up a hobby. Sometimes, all you need to do to ease work-related tension is to relax and clear your mind from work-related matters for at least a few hours in the day. Try taking up a hobby like playing basketball, learning photography, or even simply staying at home to play videogames to take your mind off stress. We all need a little escape from time to time.

Ask for reassignment. Why not try approaching the HR department and ask if you can be assigned a different task or try new things in the company? It does not have to be a full transfer of department—it could be something as simple as having a new assignment or trying tasks that you have never done before. You might eventually unlock new skills and opportunities. You might even be transferred to a new department that better fits your personality.

Set a smaller goal. While it’s admirable to set high goals for ourselves, like being promoted to supervisor as early as your first month on the job, it can be frustrating when it takes you too long to achieve it. The trick is to set smaller goals that you can easily attain within the span of two weeks, such as exceeding your quota by a percentage or finishing a project earlier. Setting smaller goals will not only give you a sense of fulfilment, it can also advance you towards that long-term goal of being a supervisor.

Motivation isn’t something you should leave solely to your manager or supervisor. While, traditionally, they do have the responsibility for this task, you must also do what you can to motivate yourself. Ultimately, it’s your career—not theirs—that’s at stake.

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, August 3, 2014. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.