Provided by the career experts at Accountemps
Personal motivation may be the key to your career success. Personal motivation often overrules other traits. You may think you can excel in business with talent, skills and knowledge alone, but it’s your day-to-day work habits that are the key to maximizing these traits. Often, the “magic bullet” that separates a good employee from a great one is personal motivation. People who perform at the top of their game each day share some specific attributes that keep them motivated. Here are some of the secrets of their success to help you advance your own career.
Personal motivation tips
Become passionate about your mission. Enthusiasm can be a powerful personal motivator because it keeps you energized. The more passion and commitment you feel about any objective, the more likely you’ll strive continuously to achieve it. If you’re not already doing work that you love, find ways to incorporate aspects of what you love into your daily life. Take control of your career.
Improve your time management skills. Organize yourself and prioritize your daily tasks. Make a to-do list. Write things down so you don’t forget. To avoid phone tag, leave detailed voice messages. All of these practices will go a long way toward enhancing your effectiveness on the job.
Take pride in your work. Approach every project with a high level of integrity, enthusiasm and professionalism. You’ll feel a sense of satisfaction with the results, your colleagues will be positively influenced by your behaviour, and your superiors will respect and reward you for your efforts.
Avoid negative experiences. Workplace political struggles, pessimistic colleagues and other emotionally draining situations should be avoided whenever possible. They are unnecessary setbacks that cause you to lose ground in your professional pursuits and work productivity.
Take a break. Go to lunch with a good friend. When it’s a nice day, enjoy a leisurely walk. Even go shopping if it’s in your budget. The whole idea is to give your mind a rest. Remember, while you’re not battery-powered, you still need to re-charge on a regular basis.
Rely on others. If you’re struggling with a particular problem on a project, don’t work yourself into a frenzy trying to figure it out alone. Reach out to others for help. You may pick up a new approach to an issue that can bring you closer to a solution.
Go easy on yourself. If you make a mistake, don’t let it get you down. Learn from it and identify ways to do a better job the next time. Taking a constructive approach leaves you less vulnerable to making the same mistake and helps you conserve the energy you’ll need to remain personally motivated. Also realize that certain events may take you off course, but you can decide to limit their effects on you and your overall attitude. Be determined to brush them off and stay the course – and you will be successful doing so.
Keep a record of your success. Jot down every accomplishment on a piece of paper and put it in a folder. Call it your “feel good folder.” This provides a history of achievements on which you can draw when negative thoughts take hold.
Finish on a positive note. Sit back in your chair and relish the satisfaction of your day’s accomplishments. Next, create a rough plan for tomorrow. Clean up your office. The next day you’ll get off to a good start with a list of goals to achieve and an organized desk.
Consider extracurricular activity after work. Find a hobby, whether it’s a new sport or taking a class at your local adult education centre. You might also consider volunteering for a local charity. You’ll be surprised how these life-balancing experiences can have a positive spill-over effect on your job when you return to it.
Enjoy your weekends. Sure, you probably have errands to run and other personal responsibilities on Saturday and Sunday. But avoid burn out. Carve out some free time for your own enjoyment. Doing so greatly increases the odds that you’ll return to work on Monday with a smile…and a desire to keep yourself personally motivated.
Founded in 1948, Accountemps, a division of Robert Half International, has more than 350 locations throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com. For more information, please call 1-800-803-8367.
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