Once you’ve decided to make the transition from employee to entrepreneur, it can be extra challenging to stay engaged in your day job. Especially if the work you are doing is not challenging. When you’ve got exciting business ideas that you are itching to execute the doldrums of your 9-5 can feel like a straight jacket. Maintaining motivation on a daily basis in the face of boring assignments, office politics, and a chaotic environment is tough emotionally and mentally.
Just remember that you’re not alone in your feelings. Instead of beating yourself up or giving up, take a few small steps that will boost your motivation and help you get through your day job as you make your transition from employee to entrepreneur.
Take Care of Yourself
Are there any basic needs in your personal life that need to be addressed? Sometimes, your lack of motivation at work can result from a lack of sleep, proper nutrition, or conflict that drains your energy. Choose to take care of yourself, and your motivation will naturally increase in every area of your life.
For instance, if you’ve become accustomed to staying up late to work on your business, you’ll drag and lack energy at work. Everyone’s sleep needs are different, but the average person requires 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Make sure you get an adequate amount of rest.
Also make sure that you maintain a healthy diet. The food and drinks you put in your body have a huge impact on the way you feel. If you eat poorly at work, you’ll feel lethargic. Also, a diet that’s too strict can make you feel tired, hungry, and irritable.
Stay Active and Motivated
Once your basic personal needs are met, you can turn your attention to fighting the boredom. Ask yourself what you like about your job. Write down as many positive things about your job as you can think of.
Then write down the things you dislike about your job. Ask yourself, “What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?” Focus on solutions instead of problems, and your motivation for success will quickly increase.
If you’re bored because your day has become monotonous, seek opportunities to make changes to your daily routine at work. Come up with a new way of doing things. Ask about training programs or other duties you can take on to increase your value to the company and your level of interest in your job.
Another powerful approach to stamp out boredom is to seek a mentor. Learn to be the best from someone who performs your job at a high level. Anything is more fun when you’re good at it. A mentor can answer specific questions about your job and help you to find the excitement in every day as well.
Know When It’s Time to Make A Change
Sometimes, boredom is a signal that something’s wrong. You may be in the wrong position to utilize your talents most effectively. Perhaps your employer may be able to direct you to other opportunities within the company that are better suited to your talents, abilities, and interests.
Often, taking part in other hobbies and interests that you’re passionate about on the weekends can cure the boredom you experience on the weekdays. Having something you look forward to can be a powerful antidote to the daily “blahs.” Pursue what makes you happy in your free time and you may find that motivation appears out of nowhere.
Most of all, realize that you deserve success. Set yourself apart from those who settle for the tedious, daily grind. Today, decide to take care of yourself, pursue your passion and make the most of every day at your job. You’ll be glad you did!
April 27, 2011 at 5:09 pm
I appreciate this blog. I’ve been at my new job for 3 months and have worked myself out of things to do. I’m getting paid to sit her and do nothing! I’m so bored and the day drags out. I ask for work and no one responds. I need the position to make money but it’s amazingly boring. I want to cry sometimes I want out of here so bad.
April 28, 2011 at 4:34 am
Whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur, taking care of yourself is probably the best thing you can do to stay motivated. Some people take pride in working all day and all night without a wink of sleep, and they don’t realize that this takes a toll both on their bodies and their ability to do their work well and even enjoy what they do.
September 22, 2011 at 1:52 pm
For Victoria, I hope that you are still on here checking to see if anyone is responding to posts. I sometimes used to find myself in the same position, what I found gave me back my spunk is exactly what Tai talks about. I found a new hobby, I always wanted to learn to sew and I went to it. Tap into something that makes you happy and pour yourself into it on your own time, you’ll find it gives you motivation to make it through the day, at least until something else comes up for you and you can make a career/job change. Good luck.
October 17, 2011 at 4:49 am
Thanks for your article. Success and rewards indeed are important for every one of us. next to bournouts a boreout is moving into the focus of sience as way more people suffer from that. Most times this is not recognized as employees slide into that, not even feeling that themselves. Selfmotivation is then hard to achieve and motivation by the employer is usually nothing you can count on. I wish this was more discussed in the media. personally i think our economy would save lots of money by investing to motivate their employees and promote individual carreer plans.
October 17, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I love the term you use “boreout.” That’s the perfect word used to describe what’s happening in do many workplaces. I know I definitely suffered from it. Under employing talented, ambitious people is a huge mistake – it impacts motivation, performance and team morale.