Feeling Demotivated at Work? Here’s What to Do…

Have you ever woken up feeling like you simply can’t be bothered going to work? It’s not that you just need a holiday, it’s a bit more than that. Perhaps perpetually managing suppliers has started to feel tedious. Or perhaps there’s a new project, something you’d usually be keen for, but you’re just not interested. 

You’re going through the motions, doing what’s required, but you’re not really ‘there.’ It’s not like you want to quit, you’re just not motivated. And, worse, you don’t know how to get your motivation back. 

If you look around you, you’ll realise that this feeling is quite common. A recent Gallup poll revealed that at least 60% of the professional workforce is ‘quiet quitting’, that is, showing up and not actually quitting, but actively disengaging all the same. But doing this isn’t a good feeling. We all want to go to work to feel motivated to make a meaningful difference and do work that matters to us. 

So, if you want to get your motivation back, here’s what to do: 

Reset – From All Angles

In an ideal world, any time you felt demotivated, you’d take a holiday. However, we all know that isn’t an option, so the best Plan B is to reset. There are a few simple ways you can do that, and they don’t take a lot of time (some of them can actually be done on a daily basis).  

• Reflect: If you’re feeling demotivated, one of the reasons why may be that you feel stressed or overwhelmed. To counter this, at the end of your work day, try reflecting on what you’ve done on that particular day that felt meaningful or interesting to you. This will help you fight any stress and negativity. 
• Disconnect: We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: it’s possible to have too much work in procurement, and, if this is you, you need to set some boundaries and make time to disconnect. Do this by signing off at a certain time, and resist the temptation to check emails or log back on once you’re finished. 
• Meditate and move your body: A healthy body and a healthy mind go hand-in-hand. Make time for a simple meditation every day, even ten to twenty minutes can help you relax. And as for physical exercise, we all know that even a single session can help improve your mood and cognitive function, so even if all you have time for is a stretch or a walk, know that it can make a difference. 

Create Connections

When we’re motivated, we feel connected to both our work and our team. When we’re not, it might be because we’re feeling disconnected. For that reason, it’s important to reconnect. Here’s a few ways to do this: 

• Practice self-care: It might seem like a strange place to start, but an important person to connect with at work is … you. Specifically, when you’re feeling demotivated, it’s tempting to beat yourself up, and blame yourself for not working harder or doing better. However, always remind yourself that you’re a human, not a machine, and that your thoughts, feelings and values matter. 
• Reach out to friends: A procurement problem shared is a problem halved, right? If you’re feeling demotivated, one of the best things to do is to reach out to a friend. Interestingly, in a Gallup poll, people who answered in the affirmative to the statement ‘I have a best friend at work’, were much more likely to perform better. 
• Help those around you: When you’re feeling demotivated, it’s tempting to think first and foremost that you need help from someone. But, in fact, the inverse can be true. Often, helping other people can be one of the most motivating actions you can take at work. Have a think about who might need help in your team. Perhaps there are some procurement analysts you can mentor? Maybe there is a new parent in your team who might need a hand? Help others to help yourself. 

Take Action

Your motivation won’t return without action. So, instead of spending hours surfing the internet or feeling sorry for yourself, here are a few things you can do to tackle your motivation challenges: 

• Start small: Often, when you’re feeling over it, you’ll achieve basically nothing at all. But you have to start somewhere. Look at your to-do list, and pick the easiest and most mundane task. Then, tick it off your list and celebrate the small win. You’ll feel more motivated to achieve more after you’ve proven to yourself that you can do it. 
• Do more outside of work: Demotivation can be like a virus. Suddenly it infects all elements of your life. But research has shown that those who participate in rewarding non-work activities are more likely to be motivated at work, even if their work doesn’t, in and of itself, motivate them. So, if you’re feeling demotivated, think about what you do outside of procurement, and what you might be able to do that will bring you a little more energy. 
• Dress the part: With the rise of remote and hybrid work, more and more of us are working from home some or all of the time, and when you do this, it can be tempting to stay in your pyjamas. But studies have shown that dressing the part does subconsciously motivate us, so consider having a more professional work-from-home outfit on your non-office days. 

If you’re feeling unmotivated, know that you’re not alone. It’s totally normal, even if you love your job. But even if you do feel like this, know that there are things you can do to move beyond your demotivation and get your groove back.

What do you do to get yourself back on track when you’re feeling demotivated? Let us know in the comments below.