Reward yourself with
a serving of motivation

Even though you have the best job on earth, you will always come across tasks that are less appealing to you. Your brain loves to learn new things, but at the same time looks for convenience. Wants to save energy. That explains why you sometimes have trouble with tasks that don’t interest you directly. By finding challenge in those very tasks, you avoid sabotaging your growth and build on your development.

What is the value of motivation?

Performing and completing a task from intrinsic motivation produces a feeling of reward. Your brain then produces more chemicals that help you persevere. By consciously committing yourself and your goals to what you do, it takes less effort. Working reluctantly, on the other hand, creates even more demotivation. Time to tap into your intrinsic motivation. How do you go about doing that? Here are ways to reinforce it.

1. Examine how your job fits into the big picture

Every task is part of a bigger picture. Especially with a new job or as a beginning professional, it can be difficult to see exactly where your contribution fits in. If you do not know what you are committed to, it is demotivating. Therefore, ask questions to get a clear idea of the goal and your role in it. That way, you will discover the value of your work faster and feel more useful immediately.

2. Perform the simple tasks first

Small actions pay off more than you think. By completing quick-wins, you quickly produce reward chemicals. That energizes and motivates you to keep going. That’s how you build a positive snowball effect.

3. Avoid too much mindless repetitive work

When you perform tasks the same way over and over, your brain does not absorb new stimuli. Over time, this causes boredom. Make your work more interesting by varying your approach. Find ways to do something smarter, faster or differently without sacrificing quality. That keeps you on your toes.

4. Support colleagues

By helping others, you switch off from your own worries for a while. This has a relaxing effect. When you notice that your contribution helps someone else move forward, it gives you energy. Something that takes little effort on your part may save someone else a lot of time. These positive experiences keep you motivated to share knowledge, and it makes your work more rewarding and enjoyable.

5. Build your frustrations into solutions

It is not crazy to feel frustrated about something from time to time. Frustration is part of the game. When you let negative feelings lead you too much, it distracts you from your goals. Negative emotions make you slower, increase your stress and limit your ability to think in solutions.

Feeling overwhelmed? Then consciously schedule time to reflect. Write down your thoughts, process difficult conversations or vent your heart if needed. Allowing feelings in rather than pushing them away creates clarity. In many cases, the situation is less negative than you thought. That insight makes it easier to move forward again!

6. Turn a boring meeting into a learning opportunity

Passively attending does not help anyone. When a meeting has little to do with your tasks, you can still learn. Notice how others share information, what skills stand out or how someone provides structure. Ask yourself how you can learn from this and what you can apply to your own work. This is how boredom turns into engagement.

Step by step

Developing intrinsic motivation takes time. By investing in your way of working, you see results faster. That result in turn motivates you to keep going and discover new ways to keep yourself sharp.