8 steps to stay motivated in your career during the quarantine

Photo by Prateek Katyal from Pexels

As the coronavirus continues to keep large parts of the world in lockdown, this has resulted in large unemployment as businesses are forced to remain closed as ordered by the government. We are all aware that this virus has devastated the airline and hospitality sectors.

When we hear on the news that a large number of people being laid off every day, it can be difficult to maintain focus on your work. The thought of being next in line as this pandemic continues to drag out is definitely on our minds. Unfortunately, this could become a self-fulfilling prophecy as the thought of losing your job leads to a decrease in morale. This side effect could harm your productivity and the quality of the work you produced. This comes at a time where your employer desperately needs their people to be performing at their best to weather this storm.

To keep yourself in the game, here are a few simple steps to help you to stay motivated in your career:

1. Set goals — This is the first step of getting invested in accomplishing something and building the motivation to achieve it. The more details that you can put into your goals, the more likely you will be to complete it!
2. Make the goals attainable — If you have a large goal, break it down into smaller segments, and set intermediary targets. Additionally, assign a time frame to complete each phase by setting a deadline. This will help you realize the goal is moving towards achievement.
3. Choose goals that interest you — It’s a lot easier to be motivated to complete things that you are interested in. If you happen to come across a goal that doesn’t interest you, take a step back, and evaluate why this will be beneficial in the long run to accomplish it.
4. Reward yourself — Each time you reach a goal, give yourself a reward! This is a positive reinforcement to keep you motivated. Make sure that the reward corresponds with what you have accomplished and it should be timely.
5. Get help when you need it — Don’t be afraid to ask for help! If someone or something can provide assistance, you should reach out and ask for it. Help can come from a colleague, a friend, or anyone who you feel could help you stay on track.
6. Keep the primary objective in mind — At times it can be difficult to stay motivated as you might lose focus. Always remember to keep the primary objective at the top of your mind by incorporating your goals into your daily routine. While you are working towards your goals, make a mental note of the impact it will have!
7. Share your goals — Staying motivated by yourself can be more difficult. If you have someone that you can share progress with, or someone working towards something similar, it will increase your motivation. Additionally, they can keep you accountable other than yourself. Your colleagues are a great option for this as they are in the same career field as you are.
8. Keep a count of the goals that you have accomplished — Whenever you have the feeling that you have lost your confidence, reflect back, and evaluate the number of goals you have achieved. This will make you appreciate the amount of effort that you put in and the benefits that they have brought to you. This will also remind you of what you’re capable of when you put your time and energy into something. This should make you feel good enough to re-energize your motivation. By putting these steps into action, you’ll be ready to build upon your successes over time, support for your worth, and advance your career once the world reopens for business.

Good luck and stay optimistic about our future.