How’s your motivation these days? With things opening up and Spring in the air, some people are feeling a surge of energy. Yet, for many of us the war in Ukraine has added a new stressor and emotional weight to our already weary lives. And for the CPAs who are in the thick of Q1 and tax season, they carry an additional burden due to the “busy season.” It wears on them, particularly when combined with everything else going on.
But we don’t have to simply accept low motivation in our work or our lives. Like so many things, it is something we can choose to influence and even create. And these days it is doubly important that we do.
First, What Kills Motivation?
Before we look at what helps, it is always good to know what drains our motivation. Here are just a few motivation killers:
1. Lack of Appreciation and Encouragement.
2. Lack of Control or Sense of Empowerment.
3. Lack of Meaning.
Once you see these for what they are, these same motivation killers can be flipped to help you create more motivation – both for you and the people on your team.
Three Ways to Maintain Motivation
Intentional Appreciation and Encouragement. When we remember how important it is to feel appreciated and encouraged, especially when things are hard, we can then make more intentional choices around it. Better yet, we create the habit of being appreciative.
First, high-five yourself every day for accomplishing what you did get done today, rather than beating yourself up for what didn’t get done. So many of us do the latter. Constantly criticizing ourselves just adds to the stress and strain. Instead, become a self-appreciator and cheerleader, recognizing the good you bring into the world and cheer yourself on. You rock! For more on this idea, check out Mel Robbins latest book The High Five Habit.
Second, notice and appreciate the hard work of others rather than take it for granted, or worse yet, continually expect even more from them. Take time to care and check in with people, supporting and encouraging them, and recognize that it is still hard for many people. While things may appear easier, my experience is that most people’s reserves are low, and they haven’t bounced back from the past two years.
2. Take Control. In a world where many things feel out of our control, taking back a sense of control becomes very important. And what can you control, you ask? Most of your habits and better choices lie within your control, such as: taking time each day to move your body, meditate, eat healthy food, get more sleep, connect with a friend, etc. You not only increase your energy and overall wellbeing when you do these, you also anchor your sense of agency in a crazy, chaotic world. You are no longer at the complete mercy of the winds of change.
3. Create Meaning. Humans are meaning makers and meaning seekers. We are hard-wired to create a narrative that makes sense of our world and our place in it. And we thrive when the work we do and the life we live feels meaningful. Yet, too often the narratives we create are disempowering stories that place us as a victim in a difficult world. We all have the power to shift this! History is filled with examples of people who created a positive story and meaning - despite their circumstances. These people go on to become icons of resilience, positivity and purpose, people like: Ghandi, Malala, and Nelson Mandela. What’s a more empowering story you can tell that will motivate you in your work and life these days? What narrative would bring more meaning bring to your day? I think the war in Ukraine has given many of us a new perspective on the things we take for granted and might have complained about only two weeks ago.
We all have the potential to find and create more motivation in our lives. We need this to thrive in our world and the world needs us to thrive such that we can better face the challenges ahead of us. It is both a gift and a duty.
To learn more about how you can bring tips and tools like these to your team, please reach out to me at scott@mindfulwisdom.ca.