Six Ways to Renew Your Enthusiasm and Motivation at Work

1. Variety

A routine can become a rut too easily. Even small changes add up to reignite your enthusiasm. Try working from a different place once a week; hold meetings someplace new. Eat lunch with people in other departments.  Find two routine tasks that you can complete in a different way.

2. Reinforcement  

Very few of us get enough consistent feedback, praise or appreciation. Provide motivating reinforcement and rewards yourself. For example, the “to do” list: don’t cross things off your list. Write “DONE!” next to completed tasks and projects. Review at the end of every week so you get a better sense of how much you do.

3. New Perspectives

Innovation and inspiration are often found when we look outside our own territory. Read widely; expose yourself to new ideas. Cross train within your company and practice seeing the organization from others’ viewpoints.

4. New Skills

Escape the feeling of being stuck by adding another tool to  your skills toolbox. Expanding your skills provides a challenge and positions you to take on more interesting projects and roles.

5. Positivity

You can’t be motivated and enthusiastic unless your focus is positive—from the inside out. Too often our negative thoughts outweigh our positive thoughts, particularly about our own actions and abilities. Practice positive self-talk. The environment you place yourself in matters as well; avoid negative co-workers; listening to the complaining and back-biting does you no good.

6. Pause

Years ago, Coca Cola had as a slogan “The pause that refreshes.” Taking a break can indeed be invigorating. Maybe you need an hour away, maybe a day or a week. Just as sleeping on a problem can lead to a solution in the morning, time away recharges your battery and lets you see more clearly.