Doing the same thing day in and day out is bound to set a kind of monotony that could demotivate you. However, you are not alone in this. Demotivation at work is an extremely common phenomenon most people complain about… remember, ‘The grass is always greener on the other side’. When you see or hear other people’s work stories and learn about the interesting projects they’ve been handling you may feel a little low, a feeling that culminates into a lesser drive to actually work.
That doesn’t mean you’ve got to quit. Demotivation at work can be dealt with efficiently, and here are five things you can do to pick up yourself from that dump. Trust me, I’ve tried them, and they work wonders.
1. Credit yourself
I’ve known people who’ve stayed at the same job for over five years, and when that happens, demotivation tends to set in. Prabha Singh, a 40-something woman living Mumbai has been an assistant editor for a health magazine for over 20 years. I was in awe of her dedication which made her travel every single day from Vasai to her office in Dadar. When asked about how she made sure each day was enjoyable, here’s what she had to say. “I’ve achieved a lot at this job, and this is home now. I never want not to come back, but yes there is some demotivation that often sets in usually when I see hear of all the perks my friends get at their workplace.”
Prabha suggests going through all your achievements in the organisation and giving yourself credit for what you’ve become. “I wouldn’t be this person today if I hadn’t got this job and learn all these things. I am thankful for that and that is my motivation to be here,” she concludes.
Kool Kanya tip: Don’t wait for your bosses to praise you; identify all the hard work that you do, and make sure you buy yourself a little gift for each target you meet at work.
2. Take a break
For someone like me who loves travelling, going on vacations is the solution to all problems in life. However, for Nisa Singh, a Delhi-based advertising professional, whose job is to continuously deal with clients, taking even a short break helps. Nisa and her husband often take off on weekends to visit the hills and make it a point to be disconnected entirely especially with social media. “This is our ‘we-time’ (and ‘me-time’), and we make sure that no client calls or social media frenzy can disrupt it. These little breaks also really help us reboot and get back to work motivated. Since we are both in the same profession and have long working hours on a daily basis, this time off is much needed to maintain our sanity,” she explains.
Kool Kanya tip: Don’t feel guilty for wanting to take a break from your job. Ask for that Monday off, and go plan a small holiday for yourself this weekend!
Reconnecting with your friends not just help you de-stress but also exposes you to fresher ideas and perspectives and gives you the mental space to be truly creative, away from the office cubicle.
3. Have a social life
It is easy to get sucked into the 9AM-till work gets done working routine, and your social life is the first thing that takes the hit. However, reconnecting with your friends not just help you de-stress but also lets you explore fresher ideas and perspectives, and gives you the mental space to be genuinely creative, away from the office cubicle.
For Sarrah Mukadam a freelance makeup artist and mother of one, reconnecting with her friends helps her stay positive and motivated. “Meeting my friends is a real breather for me. It allows me to vent out all my issues and get back motivated and refreshed. Plus I also get to know their issues, and know that the world is unfair to all, and not just me. It may sound sadistic, but sometimes hearing out other people’s problems can feel good too.”
Kool Kanya tip: Meeting old colleagues for an occasional drink can provide great networking opportunities.
4. Be ready to make that switch
Sometimes after you begin to work, you realise that your job isn’t really what you thought it’d be. Don’t worry this happens to the best of us. The important thing here is to be ready to make a change. If you think you are in the wrong place, think of what else you’d want to do and make the switch. Trust me; it’ll make you happy.
Zabeen M, a 25-year-old law and CS graduate interned in India’s best law firms before acquiring a full-time position in one of them. She was over-the-moon and motivated to reach the top real quick. But that didn’t last long. Soon she realised this isn’t the life she wants and within six months she quit. “I just couldn’t do the long hours and the mechanical life of working seven days a week. I was making more money than all my friends older than me but I had no time to enjoy it or do anything else. I was miserable for six months and then I couldn’t do it any longer so I gave up. Now I am doing financial public relations for India’s best communication agency and I am very happy. It may not pay me as much but it allows me to use my education and lets me have a life.”
I am not saying you have to switch careers completely but if your work isn’t making you happy maybe try to switch roles and responsibilities for a while. Or get a transfer into another team. Sometimes a change in roles, responsibilities and colleagues can work wonders.
Kool Kanya tip: Make a list of everything that you like and dislike about the job, and try and make positive changes that actually motivate you to come to work on a Monday.
We all have days when we feel like the world is crumbling and on those days it is best to stay put.
5. Take things one day at a time
Demotivation can set in real quick and can be quite a buzz kill. The best thing to do is to take it one day at a time! We all have days when we feel like the world is crumbling and on those days it is best to stay put. “I often have these days where I feel dull and drab and want to quit right away with no motivation to stick around. I am glad I don’t do it. Feeling demotivated is not a new thing but I often prefer to take it one day at a time. Plus, there are no two days that are the same so it kind of works out,” advices Mellisa Fernandes a journalist working for a publishing house in Mumbai.
Kool Kanya tip: On days that you are feeling extremely demotivated to go to work, try and set up things that you will look forward to during the day. Order lunch from your favourite restaurant, make plans to go for coffee with your work bestie, wear your favourite red lipstick to work, try and cheer yourself up!
We all have days when we feel extremely demotivated, however, if you feel like that all the time, you need to start making positive changes.
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