How To Get Motivated To Work When You're Feeling Defeated

how to get motivated to work when feeling defeated working inspiration with burnout

The benefit of being a human being is we all have the capability to feel. One of the feelings that we are all too familiar with is the lack of motivation. 

One second you could be as productive as ever and the next second you have no more mojo. 

Even looking at how to get motivated to work when you’re feeling apathetic can be difficult, but we’re here to give you the best advice so that you can get back to work. 

How To Get Motivated To Work 

These are a good set of ways to motivate yourself. They’re not all a guarantee, but they’re a step in the right direction. 

Knowing exactly what self-motivation is may help you determine how to pick yourself up. To learn more about self motivation, click that link to a great article. 

Figure Out You Reason To Work 

Everyone has something that makes them tick. You just need to find out what it is. 

Is it money? Is it your family? If you can find out what is worth it to you, focus on it whenever you go to work. 

It’s just like the cartoons when a dog is on a treadmill and a bone is hanging from a string at the top. 

Whether it is something small and specific or a much broader reason, take it and use it to motivate you through your work. 

Confront Your Excuses 

Anyone can come up with thousands of reasons to not do something. And the chances are, most if not all of these reasons are irrelevant. 

Every time you think of an excuse, stop and really look at it. 

Is it a valid excuse? 

The trick is you have to be unbelievably honest with yourself. That’s also the hardest part. 

If you can be honest with yourself and stop making excuses, even if you can acknowledge that an excuse you created was invalid, you are one step closer to getting out of that rut. 

Friends Are Your Friend 

The human race was able to survive because we were able to put our selfish needs aside and work together. 

As social creatures, we need human interaction. It’s just wired in our brains. 

So, every time you’re feeling down or you can’t find motivation for working, call up a friend. They’ll be more than willing to help you through your rough times. 

Even if you don’t want to talk about your lack of motivation, just talking to a friend can make you feel so much better and it can be a way to motivate yourself. 

Music Can Move You 

Music is such a powerful tool. A great example is a piece of music that accompanies a film. 

The film scores in movies are meant to add to the meaning of the movie. The composers use certain tricks in the music to make your brain feel more than it would if you were to just watch the movie. 

All music can do this. If you listen to the write songs, you can launch yourself out of your rut. 

To learn more about how music is important for you and your motivation, check out this article

Start Simple 

If you start with this large, insurmountable goal or progress point, the chances of you getting it done are low. 

IF you start with a small part of your goal, it’ll be easier to complete because well, it’s small and easily completable. 

If you start completing a series of smaller goals, you’ll feel accomplished and you’ll start to gain some motivation. 

Once you’ve hit a stride, you can then start taking on slightly bigger goals and then eventually you can work up to the larger ones. 

You can also take a large goal and break it up into smaller pieces that you can take out one by one. 

This is a great way to motivate yourself. 

Make A Schedule 

Take some time to sit down and make a schedule. 

Set a specific time where you’ll start working, set a break, and then set a specific end time. 

Doing this will allow you to have a structure in your work which helps you keep on track. You can get a weekly planner template here to help you keep to your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule.

If you do this every day, it’ll also help you establish a routine. Routines are great as they provide structure and create habits. 

However… 

Don’t Give Up 

Whether the goal is tiny or enormous, there will be times when you’ll want to give up. 

The dangerous thing is that it’s so easy to give up. And it’s a trap because when you give up, you feel even worse about yourself, which will only knock you further into your rut. 

So when you’re thinking of giving up, stop. Don’t do it. Push yourself through no matter what. 

If you push yourself through and complete a goal, it’ll be entirely worth it. 

Take A Break 

One of the most crucial tips we have is this: it’s okay to take a break. 

You’re not giving up, you’re just letting yourself take a step back for a while. 

Taking a break is beneficial as it allows you to decompress and relax. This is your time to refresh yourself before you get back to work. 

Give It A Go 

Now that you’ve finished this article, go ahead and try to do some work. Stop making excuses, put on some music, and start small. 

Every time you complete a goal, reward yourself with a small break. You’ll start to see some differences in your work ethic and before you know it, your project will be done. 

You know now how to get motivated to work. You just need to remember: 

Never give up. 

While you're at it, check out the rest of our blog! Visit the Business or Career sections of the Frugal Finance Blog for some additional inspiration and insight.

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