How to Stay Motivated
by Amanda Johnson, Employee Motivation Consultant for ClickHelp.com — professional technical writing tool
Technical writing is a difficult job that requires concentration and undistracted attention, so it’s easy to get tired, lose motivation and surf aimlessly on the Internet to procrastinate. In order to help the ClickHelp team, I hold a seminar where I told about efficient methods to stay motivated. And I want to share these methods with you.
Money Doesn’t Motivate
Karen Strunks, a life coach, says, “Many people think money alone will be enough to motivate them, and whilst that may do so initially, it’s very hard to sustain financial motivation if the work you are doing actually drags. If you do that type of work for long enough you will find that no amount of money is worth swapping parts of your life in activities that aren’t aligned with who you are and what truly is your passion and mission in life.”
In the beginning of your path of achieving goals you should define what really matters. For example, technical writers who work in the sphere of medicine develop documentation that saves our lives! Technology is developing, and manuals help doctors understand what equipment should be used, when and how. And this idea inspires many tech writers to work hard. So find what really inspires you.
Procrastinate Wisely
I think that procrastination isn’t always bad. Procrastination gives you a break which is a good thing for your brain. Working for too long on a single task can cause health problems, such as stress, tiredness, backache, eye strain and so on. It influences the quality of your work. If you become more distracted, it can be your brain’s signals that you should have a break.
However, if you procrastinate all the time and don’t accomplish your daily tasks, it means that you should change something. In order to eliminate procrastination read the article 5 Ways to Stop Procrastinating.
Change Your Routine Location
To be motivated J.K. Rowling decided to write Harry Potter book in coffee shops because she needed a place where she could concentrate and focus. So how it works: our brain can get used to routine, even to places and you work on autopilot. Of course, you’ll accomplish your tasks but they will not be creative. And, as a result, such accomplishments will not lead to desired goals. If you want to spark your creativity, find a new place for working, it can be a coffee shop, a park or a restaurant. A new place makes your brain work in a fresh way and you’ll achieve necessary results faster.
Exercise
Sometimes it’s hard to concentrate and work productively. In order to get additional energy, we usually drink coffee with sweets. Of course, it helps for a while, because sugar raises the level of dopamine hormones (the hormone of happiness), so we can work all day long. There is no issue to eat one candy, but our brain gets used to sugar rush, and everyday you need more and more candies and something sweet to make your brain work. As a result, it can lead to obesity and diabetes.
If you want to take care of your body and health, replace candies to exercises. Sport influences our body as candies, it also rises the level of dopamine hormones. If you realize that you stuck, go for a walk. Fresh air helps to step away from everything and refocus on your tasks. Spending a few minutes outdoors can also help you have better mental clarity.
Watch Videos
It’s necessary to surround yourself with people who can motivate and inspire you to work hard. Marla Tabaka, a motivational coach, says, “Do you have people in your life who can engage in stimulating conversation about business or the other things that you’re passionate about? As human beings we give and receive energy and inspiration. Make sure you are receiving as much, or more, than you are handing out.”
However, it may be difficult to find such kind of people, so you can watch videos that will give energy to work. Youtube videos are very useful for this purpose because it’s easier to get the main idea by visual information.
I also recommend you TED videos. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short powerful talks (18 minutes or less). These videos are a great motivational resource that helps to find a deeper understanding of the world.
Celebrate Accomplishments
Rewards are an essential part of motivation. Reward yourself every time when you reach your goal whether it’s big or small.
It can be anything:
- Did you wake up on time and make your bed before you left for work? Win!
- Did you do some morning exercises? Win!
- Did you save money and stay under budget this week? Win!
There are so many reasons to celebrate! Make sure you notice them.
So here are my pieces of advice that will help you to stay motivated. What helps you be motivated and accomplish your tasks?
