Motivation directly affects how much you are able to achieve in a day. It also affects your mood, focus, and persistence in the face of setbacks.
Managing your motivation, and knowing what to do when motivation levels are low, is therefore an essential life skill. It is also a skill which is frequently underappreciated.
People often believe that doing a job you enjoy will mean you are motivated to do it, or that having a heavy workload will mean you are motivated to get through the work to make it lighter. Although this may sometimes be the case, there are many other factors impacting motivation: tiredness levels, emotions associated with other life events, and your general level of health and wellbeing.
Managing motivation is an especially important skill in consultancy, where multiple projects can sometimes be overwhelming and burdensome. Even if the work is enjoyable, the sheer quantity that consultants typically have to juggle means that staying motivated is imperative. The consequences of not performing can directly affect the client as well as the consultant’s professional career.
This article will explore five tricks for managing motivation, and how you can use them to improve your productivity both in your personal life and professional work.
1. Keep the end goal in mind
Starting tasks is often difficult because the desired end goal is undefined. If you don’t have a clear goal, then you have no way of knowing whether your actions are leading you in the right direction, which can be discouraging.
Appreciating the bigger picture is imperative. Your ultimate end goal can function as your north star, a source of inspiration and hope.
2. Break the journey into smaller steps
If you have a goal, but it is a long way away, the consequences of failing to take action will not be immediately felt, and so it is easy to procrastinate. It can be difficult to appreciate the effect of each small step towards completing the ultimate goal.
Looking down a long tunnel towards a tiny glimmer of light at the end of a very long passage can make beginning to walk down that passage seem like a waste of time. It is easier to step away and pledge to return to it later.
Breaking things down into achievable steps can make things more manageable. Focusing on specific tasks that you will complete by a certain date will incentivise you to take action and allow you to measure whether you are on track.
Appreciating how each step contributes to the whole will prevent you from becoming demotivated. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that small tasks are insignificant. Every step in the right direction is one step closer to your goal.
3. Surround yourself with positivity
Another important factor in managing motivation is your surroundings. The things and people you surround yourself with will have a big impact on your motivation. Surrounding yourself with people who are demotivated, unproductive, and lethargic will influence you to imitate these qualities. Similarly, being in places that are cluttered, disorganised, and chaotic will have a direct impact on what you view as normal.
Surround yourself instead with things and people that uplift, inspire, and motivate you. Some people are inspired by motivational quotes. Some people are motivated by imagery such as family photos, or pictures associated with significant achievement. Placing these on your desk or in your office may help you to stay motivated throughout the day.
4. Set the pace and keep momentum
The phrase “start as you mean to go on” is applicable to motivation. Start the day, or the week, with the motivation and productivity that you intend to continue it with. This is a good way to set the pace for that period of time. Starting off well puts you on the front foot and gives you momentum which can be continued and leveraged.
Even if your day or week does not start off as you had intended, it is important to remember that you can consciously reset the pace at any point.
The key point is consistency. It is easier to maintain what you are already doing than to make a change. Set a pace that will give you the momentum to continue your day or week with motivation.
5. Take tactical breaks
Being motivated doesn’t have to mean working 8 hours straight, or even 2 hours consecutively. Taking a tactical break periodically, for instance a 5 or 10 minute break every 30 to 40 minutes, can give your brain a chance to recuperate and refuel. This can allow you to put more energy into the next task, and actually increase your overall productivity.
Your brain is a muscle. Just like any other muscle, it must have periods of intensity as well as periods of down time in order to grow stronger. Excessive training can lead to damage and strain, and so taking breaks can actually improve your performance.
The bottom line
As the American motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily”.
In building your motivation each day there are five tips to keep in mind:
- Keep the end goal in mind
- Focus on a specific next step so that you have a target to aim for
- Surround yourself with positive people and ideas
- Start each day the way you plan to continue it
- Take tactical breaks. Your brain is your most important muscle, and so rest it every 30 to 40 minutes
Sukhi R. is a graduate from Warwick Law School currently studying an MSc in Business with Consulting at Warwick Business School. She has a keen interest in the business psychology of consulting and plans to enter the industry in the near future.
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