For most workers, motivation on the job comes in waves. It arrives at the onset of personal success—i.e. getting hired—and carries over as that success translates company wide, and our hard work pays career-boosting dividends. But the ride is rarely so smooth all the time. Instead, there are techniques that employees in even the most volatile of fields can use to brace well and maintain their career footing.

1. HOW TO STAY
MOTIVATED
DURING TOUGH
TIMES AT WORK
BY SCOTT AVILA

2. FOR MOST WORKERS, MOTIVATION ON
THE JOB COMES IN WAVES. IT ARRIVES
AT THE ONSET OF PERSONAL SUCCESS—
I.E. GETTING HIRED—AND CARRIES OVER
AS THAT SUCCESS TRANSLATES
COMPANY WIDE, AND OUR HARD WORK
PAYS CAREER-BOOSTING DIVIDENDS.
BUT THE RIDE IS RARELY SO SMOOTH
ALL THE TIME.
ALLOWING ONESELF TO BE JARRED BY
UNDERCURRENTS OF DOUBT IS NO WAY
TO FUNCTION, ESPECIALLY IN A
PROFESSIONAL SETTING. INSTEAD,
THERE ARE TECHNIQUES THAT
EMPLOYEES IN EVEN THE MOST
VOLATILE OF FIELDS CAN USE TO BRACE
WELL AND MAINTAIN THEIR CAREER
FOOTING.

3. It might feel unwise to undertake
additional tasks in an environment
where your ability to complete your
current workload could influence job
security. However, taking the initiative
when your company shows warning
signs is a good way to maintain a
mindset grounded in finding solutions,
rather than worrying about problems.
FIND WAYS TO PITCH IN

4. REFLECT ON YOUR INNER
VALUES
Few good things come free, which is why we stomach all manner
of hardships in the short-term. But when results like promotions,
raises and yearly bonuses are in doubt, it’s a bit difficult to
maintain motivations based purely in material rewards. It’s a good
idea, then, to do a bit of “internal auditing.”
Discover how your work in some way facilitates your life’s core
purpose (and if it doesn’t, fix that) and you’ll be able to derive the
motivation to keep pushing, even if material rewards seem
temporarily scarce.

5. TAKE UP A PASTIME UNRELATED
TO WORK
If you happen to dislike your job, but
circumstances render you unable to
leave, the added nightmare of job
insecurity will only pile on the stress—
unless you find fulfillment elsewhere.
Devoting yourself to an activity you truly
enjoy will allow for invaluable
decompression time. A daunting
situation may appear much less so,
when faced with freshly calmed nerves
and anticipation of good times ahead.

6. APPRECIATE THE SMALL
VICTORIES
Dwelling on all things rotten is an
unfortunate human tendency, but it can
be sidestepped with a bit of self-
reflection.
Pinpointing the small, everyday
successes that maintain supervisors’
faith in you will prove that progress is
still being made, even though it might
not feel like it.

7. THANK YOU
HAVE A NICE DAY!
BY SCOTT AVILA
SCOTTAVILA.NET