5 Reasons for Lost Motivation at Work (and how to Reignite the Spark back)

After working for a while, it can be tough to keep the passion alive, especially in the business world where your career thrives on energy and enthusiasm. You may have started bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. However, like the rest of us, you’ll hit a slump.

There are lots of reasons you may have lost motivation at work, but DON'T PANIC! Most of these problems are fixable and the solution is usually fairly simple. That’s why I gathered Top 5 main reasons for lost motivation at work and what you can do today to Regain Your Spark back again.

1- Your Willpower Has Run Out

Relying solely on willpower is a risky move. Willpower is a wonderful thing and helps you accomplish and deliver tasks efficiently. But when you feel a bit burnt out and are lacking willpower, you often need something else that will power you through. You should be searching for deeper meaning and motivation in your work rather than relying on willpower alone to get the job done.

Conquer willpower dips by having a routine that will help ease you into the day. For example, a lot of entrepreneurs start their day by 10 minutes of meditation. This will help settle your anxiety and will get you in the right mindset for a fully focused day ahead. Or if meditation isn’t your thing, then taking 10 minutes in the morning to sit with a coffee and properly plan out your day is a huge help. Having a list of tasks to complete that day will help you stay motivated at work, even when your willpower has taken a dip.

You should also establish more frequent checkpoints for noting your progress. Celebrate starting a new project. Acknowledging smaller successes along the way can help you feel motivated, engaged and excited throughout the whole project. The perfect solution for lost motivation at work.

2- You’re Wasting Energy On Less Crucial Tasks

Yes, of course, every job has mundane tasks that nobody wants to do. That’s just part of everyday work life. But focusing too much of your energy on these tasks will drain the life out of you and leave you feeling demotivated.?You should find productive ways to save time on these tasks by researching on ways you can automate these.

If it’s the smaller tasks that end up taking up most of your day (checking emails, responding to colleagues, going to non-essential meetings), then you could feel deflated by the time you actually get started on your main project for the day. You can overcome this by trying to organise your time. For example, it’s OK to not reply to an email right away. Have 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon where you actually dedicate time to answering these emails. And if you think your upcoming meeting can be done over an email, then speak to your manager about the meeting process.

Meetings are beneficial, but only if they are truly needed and productive. In fact, a recent study proves that executives view more than 67% of meetings as failures . This is hugely problematic and is sure to make you feel like you have lost motivation at work.

3- You’re Emotionally Exhausted

Sometimes, you just need a break. It’s OK to feel overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted at times. In fact, you’re not alone.?70% of people feel emotionally disconnected at the office .

You shouldn’t underestimate your social needs when trying to pinpoint your motivational barrier. Feeling accepted at work is essential to sustaining the drive to stick with your duty’s day after day. If you have nothing in common with your colleagues or feel like you aren’t engaging with them properly, it can be tiresome and exhausting – leaving you with little energy to actually be motivated when it comes to your work. When employees have a sense of confidence that their co-workers won’t embarrass, reject, or punish them for speaking up they can accomplish more and increase drive.

If you are feeling emotionally exhausted, then try structuring some social opportunities into your workflow. A starter is to start showing up a few minutes early to meetings. This way you can engage and chat with others before the meeting starts, often giving you a confidence boost at the same time to speak up in front of a team at a meeting. Or at lunchtime, set a rule where you can’t eat at your desk. This forces you to either go outside or to the break room where you can engage in conversation.

4- Your career has stagnated

No matter how hard you work, you feel like your career is going nowhere. You’re constantly feeling low and uninspired by your job. You don’t see positive changes in your career or feel you may lose your professional skills. You've been at the same road for years and you can't seem to move forward. Well, it might be time to reconsider your?career path. Try to Ask yourself what's missing for you to make your next career jump.

Set a goal : To fight career stagnation, you need to have a goal for the future. Think about your future and how you want to see yourself in it. Knowing your qualifications and interests can help you get a clear idea of what goals you need to achieve to make that vision for the future a reality. Pick one goal that you can start pursuing right away.

Take inventory of your resources : Take inventory of your skills and the ones that are required to be competitive in the industry right now. Identify the skills you know and have mastered and which you still need to learn.

Update your skills : Making sure your professional skills are up-to-date. Developing new skills is necessary to stay competitive in your industry and your workplace. A person who has something different from the crowd can advance more quickly. Look for special skills or program-based knowledge that can break you free from career stagnation.

Ask for more challenges : While you want to feel comfortable and capable in your role, feeling comfortable for too long can be a sign that you haven’t grown. Challenge yourself by contributing to a new project or ask for additional responsibilities. Taking on new challenges and risks allows you to test yourself and find out if you’re really happy with your career path. Solving a problem can also be energizing and give you something to anticipate every morning.?

Always communicate with your supervisors about your hopes and career ambitions. Consider requesting a one-on-one meeting to discuss your career growth and get feedback and guidance. Find out if there are any additional skills, knowledge or even certifications that would position you for future opportunities.

Network more : Networking can open the door for opportunities both inside and outside your company. As you come to be more connected with others in your industry, you may quickly find that others come to respect you and go to you for guidance. Just one right connection can open up significant opportunities for career growth, whether in your own organization or a completely different position elsewhere.

5- You don't believe in yourself

Lack of self-esteem is a big issue in today's world. We're bombarded with messages on social media on how successful and happy everybody is. If you feel you don't measure up, I have good news: what you see on social media is not reality, it's a curated snapshot of other people's lives.

Take a break from social media, and focus on nurturing your self-esteem back to healthy levels. Celebrate your wins, observe how far you've come in your professional career. But ultimately, you've got to accept yourself as a whole.

PS : MOTIVATION IS IMPORTANT AT WORK

If you’re feeling bored and blasé about your work more often than you feel excited about it, it’s time to get yourself out of that slump. Sometimes, it just takes some simple reflection to figure out why we have no motivation to work anymore, and then we can get back in the swing of things.

Being motivated at work makes getting your work done easier and more enjoyable. You’ll have the energy to complete your tasks, meet deadlines, and achieve?short and long-term goals .

• Motivation can be intrinsic , meaning you naturally enjoy performing your tasks and get pleasure from a job well done. It can also be extrinsic, meaning you’re rewarded with money, praise, or another external motivator.
• Most employees are motivated by a blend of the two. That’s why your motivation can tank from a number of causes, from your?boss ?not recognizing your excellent work (extrinsic) to your job being boring and?unsatisfying ?(intrinsic).
• Your motivation also matters because it’s contagious. When a whole team stops caring about their work, it shows. And a few unmotivated people can bring down a team very quickly.
• Don’t think that a lack of motivation automatically means you?hate your job ?or your coworkers; everyone’s allowed an off-day from time to time. But when you can create and maintain consistent motivation at work, you’ll see?better morale ?for yourself and your coworkers, and an overall more positive work environment will emerge.

There are many others reasons you may have lost motivation at work. Of course, this is not the extensive list but it’s a good starter on working out why you are lacking motivation at work and will hopefully help you get out of a work rut.

Any comments? We’d love to hear your thoughts and tips on lost motivation at work. How did you get out of your work slump? Any helpful tips, just simply leave a comment below!