Staying Motivated and Motivating Others

In an interview I had the other day, I was asked a question I've never been asked before, "How do you stay motivated when maybe something is taking a while or isn't the most interesting work?"

It was a fantastic question and something I find pretty relevant for any industry. From my own job to group projects in college, this topic has always been one that remains a constant. From a communications perspective the following are ways I keep myself motivated or my teammates motivated.

How to keep yourself motivated...

When I find myself struggling to keep focused on a project or getting bored of the work that I'm doing, it can be tough. The first thing I do is take a break from that project. Taking a break can range from going on a walk, taking my lunch or working on a different task for a while.

Letting your mind focus on something else or rejuvenate for a bit can offer a fresh new look when going back to the project. This is a trick I often try, but I'm sure to use my time wisely, meaning, I make sure I'm still meeting deadlines and completing tasks.

Another way I try and keep myself motivated is breaking up the task. I give myself deadlines for chunks of the work throughout the day. Giving yourself a reasonable timeline for a project not only helps a person meet deadlines, but it also gives an individual an achievable goal that won't be so overwhelming.

Lastly, one other strategy I have is to make a game out of my work or reward myself. For instance if I have a list of 200 address to go through in a certain amount of time, I'll give myself a reward for every 50 addresses completed. These rewards can be going up to grab a snack or beverage, getting a chance to scroll through social media for a few minutes or reading a news story that interests me.

How to motivate others...

Motivating yourself is one thing, but trying to get other people to be on that same page is a whole other task. From my experience, my most difficult time keeping a team focused or motivated was definitely in my college group projects. I did a few things to solve this dilemma that I think can be applied in the work force as well.

First, I made sure there was clear collaboration throughout the project. I asked team members their opinions, what they felt their strengths were, what part of the project they wanted to contribute to, etc. Taking the time to hear out the rest of the team and allow them to pursue an idea they might have makes them more passionate about the task. At the end of the day, someone who enjoys what they're doing will not only want to work on that project, but will also create work of better quality because they are passionate about it.

Another way I kept my team on task was by creating weekly meetings. This allowed my team to all be on the same page and keep each other updated, but also didn't require constant checking in. Making sure that a clear line of communication was practiced not only kept people on task, but was also a great way to ensure collaboration.

One of the last practices I used to motivate my group was to work with them to establish a timeline for our work. Each section of our campaign had deadlines that we felt as a group were achievable. Breaking the project into sections and ensuring certain parts are completed by a certain date held people accountable and ensured enough time was spent on each component. This strategy also prevented procrastinating and feeling overwhelmed or discouraged from a heavy workload.