7 ways to stay motivated at work when you want to quit

It’s natural to feel drained and fed up of doing the same job day after day, when you’ve been doing it for a while. Most of us have felt the desire to quit our jobs at some point or other. Whether you should or not however, is a personal decision—only you would know what’s in your best interests.

Perhaps you just need a dose of inspiration or a new source of motivation to keep those spirits up. If you genuinely love your job and aren’t ready to throw in the towel yet, here are 7 tips to help you stay focused and motivated:

1. Reflect: Why do you want to quit?

It’s important to know what’s causing your discomfort or unhappiness at work so you can effectively resolve the issue. You should also weigh your options (whether it’s to ask for a transfer, promotion, or to find a new job) so you can decide on the next best course of action moving forward.

2. Create an action plan

Identify a goal and work backwards so you can create an action plan to get from where you are to where you want to be in 6 months or a year. If you don’t move forward, you’ll remain stagnant or even start moving backwards. Progress is key for our personal motivation.

3. Make the most of your weekends

You work hard during the week. Put your weekends to good use by pampering yourself and spending time with people who matter most to you. Don’t check your work emails or respond to work messages. Weekends are your personal time to unwind. Go for a massage, try a new restaurant or catch a movie with friends or family.

4. Take regular holidays

Your annual leave is your entitlement. Don’t deprive yourself of regular time off. You’ve earned it. Go for holidays regularly to disconnect and recharge. A good break makes a world of a difference. You’ll get back to work with a different perspective and lighter spirits.

5. Don’t bring the stress home

It might be tempting to check work emails and do work at home if you’re struggling to cope with your workload. But if you’re having problems keeping up with work, then you’ve either got too much on your plate or you don’t have the right tools to work efficiently. Either way, the solution is not for you to bring the work (and stress) home. Your home should be a place to relax, not pull a second work shift. Talk to your manager about the situation.

6. Sweat it out

A particularly effective way of releasing pent-up stress is to sweat it out! Make a point to hit the gym regularly. Perhaps you might even want to pick up a martial art such as boxing or Muay Thai to train mental focus and stay calm under pressure.

7. Practice gratitude

We often get so engrossed in our own problems that we forget to look around and observe those who are much worse off than we are. Being grateful for what we have, appreciating the privileged life most of us live - that will help us see things from a different perspective. Nothing in life is perfect, but it can always be so much worse.

Source : Jobstreet