| What to do when struggling for work motivation? 10:36 - Oct 8 with 2388 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
As per the title. My current motivation levels for my job are around 0.5/100. I can perform my required tasks but everything seems to take as long as the Titanic doing a 3-point turn in a narrow canal.
I go through a never-ending cycle every 6-12 months of:
look for new job > find new job and be happy with it > burn out 100% and check out.
Probably means I am not working (still) in an industry/line of work which is for me.
I am WFH and 100% in charge of my own schedule, which I am incredibly grateful for but I can't do this job forever or even idefinitely.
Currently looking at taking a third Degree in a completely new industry.
What to do? |  |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 19:02 - Oct 8 with 629 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 16:53 - Oct 8 by Leaky |
Spend 3 months working as a scaffolder through the winter months you will soon get your mojo back.
Why go for third degree it would appear previous two havn't help much. [Post edited 8 Oct 16:56]
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Helpful. |  |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 04:28 - Oct 9 with 549 views | tcblue |
Lots of advice in here which work for individuals so I'll add mine ;)
You say you work to live, which is interesting - obviously there's a sliding scale, but if you've got a fulfilling life outside of work then that can really help.
I learned too late in life to chase contentedness over happiness. In my monkey brain, I was always wondering why I wasn't 'happy' - I had unrealistic expectations of being 'happy' all the time, which is obviously not going to happen. I accept nowadays more readily that there's going to be ups and downs, and I'll need to make some concessions to hit contentedness.
Which I think I'm more or less, there nowadays. There's absolutely rubbish days - sometimes in a row - but that's fine, I have the tools now to appreciate that.
So I don't look at a single aspect of my life and over analyse it. Work, I include in this. I used to get much more paranoid about it - I have weapons grade imposter syndrome - but one of said tools is making sure I take a step back and look at it in context, and ask myself in the grand scheme of things, how much it materially matters.
The human condition eh? Hope you can get what you're looking for. Final point, I would be wary about being "incredibly grateful" for your work circumstances. That's not in the same language set as someone who genuinely works to live, so you might need to have a think about if that's really true.
Good luck. |  | | |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 07:22 - Oct 9 with 504 views | sotd78 |
Possibly look to work two jobs... both part time perhaps. That might allow you to judge what you like doing. Might also make your work more exciting to a degree. Etc.
Jobs where you are just left alone, don't have to interact much etc are hard to find. |  |
| Blue shirts/white shorts - sotd78 |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 07:23 - Oct 9 with 502 views | ShortyBlue92 |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 16:53 - Oct 8 by Leaky |
Spend 3 months working as a scaffolder through the winter months you will soon get your mojo back.
Why go for third degree it would appear previous two havn't help much. [Post edited 8 Oct 16:56]
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Nice one | | | |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 07:37 - Oct 9 with 482 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 13:18 - Oct 8 by ThisIsMyUsername |
I've heard of so many people in recent times being diagnosed with ADHD. Really interesting. I wonder whether it has been as prevalent throughout human history, or if it has increased in recent times. |
Its always been around just better diagnosed now. When I was a kid, the default position if you didn't learn in the same way as others or process things was to label you thick and put you into lower sets. | |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 07:42 - Oct 9 with 476 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
Just to make a minor point from your OP. You've mentioned 'Burn-Out' this is a recognised psychological condition, and it doesn't solve itself by simply switching jobs, (trust me I'm suffering it at the moment having suffered it before).
It's normally a result of being subjected to long term stress, and needs proper planning to relieve it and move past it. I'd suggest speaking to your GP if this is a factor in your issues. | |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 08:42 - Oct 9 with 427 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 07:42 - Oct 9 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Just to make a minor point from your OP. You've mentioned 'Burn-Out' this is a recognised psychological condition, and it doesn't solve itself by simply switching jobs, (trust me I'm suffering it at the moment having suffered it before).
It's normally a result of being subjected to long term stress, and needs proper planning to relieve it and move past it. I'd suggest speaking to your GP if this is a factor in your issues. |
This is a very valid point to raise. Over the past five and a half years there has been a lot of stress and very difficult things and experiences happen and I am very conscious that I should probably begin to revisit it again. | |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 09:00 - Oct 9 with 410 views | LeBlue |
I know this feeling well. For me, my lack of motivation came through boredom of repeated schedules and the same issues coming round time after time.
Much of my early life was working for big organisations, employing several thousand people. For the last few years, I have found myself working in a much smaller but expanding organisation and this has been the 'fix' for me. No two days are the same, there are new issues to tackle and there really doesn't feel like a defined list of tasks that I have to churn out (there are some but the variety of everything else makes this more bearable). Plus, you can see the direct result of your efforts rather than it all feeling a bit pointless. |  | | |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 09:03 - Oct 9 with 403 views | DJR |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 10:59 - Oct 8 by ThisIsMyUsername |
I could go to a 4-day week even as a temporary 'solution' and it is something I have considered, just to avoid the 'doing this every day' feeling.
As it happens I am currently living in Europe for 3 months thanks to the online job. |
From recollection, you started a thread a few months ago about where you could go abroad and for how long.
Your reference to 3 months suggests you are up against the post-Brexit rules, but if you've enjoyed it, and would like to continue it, Gibraltar would be an option because British citizens do not need a visa for travel, work or study.
I am not sure, however, how cheap it is to stay there but it is within easy reach of Spain, and a winter there would be much more pleasant weather-wise than the UK.
EDIT; if you've used up your 3 months, you'd have to wait 3 months to visit Spain. But I suppose you could spend the time permanently on the Iberian peninsula, if you switched every 3 months between Gibraltar and somewhere just across the border. [Post edited 9 Oct 9:15]
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 11:16 - Oct 9 with 347 views | KrakenBlue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 10:52 - Oct 8 by ThisIsMyUsername |
Possibly, yes. That and/or ASD. So one and/or the other could also be a factor.
I am in my early 30s and also aware of the need to work for another 30 years which creates some feeling of pressure to find something both ASAP and which I feel is future proof and, most importantly, sustainable for myself.
Currently considering a computer science course (despite having never had any interest in computers; not to say I couldn't develop one) which would take up to 4 years to complete but hopefully open up a lot of remote opportunities which require less of the things which I currently struggle with in healthcare. [Post edited 8 Oct 10:52]
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I could have created this thread, it's scary.
Just giving my 2p as a Software Engineer. The industry is currently really tough to get into (so I hear) so you might want to factor that in. Human interaction doesn't go away either. Work can be very repetitive and mind numbing. Parts can be fun don't get me wrong but I've always had the attitude of I work to live and I'm not interested in writing code outside of work but it is still a slog.
I've realised I thrive when I'm under a tight deadline, which my current employer doesn't seem to have so I don't even have that to motivate me.
Burnout is a huge problem in this industry, you solve problems and come in the next day to more problems that need solving. Year on year, job on job. The reward feelings for solving those problems also dwindles.
I appreciate this is quite a negative view, I'm suffering with burnout and probably depression (which I'm starting to treat) but thought I'd be worth letting you know my experience. The CS grass isn't always greener.
Good luck in what you decide to do [Post edited 9 Oct 11:19]
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 11:28 - Oct 9 with 321 views | leitrimblue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 10:56 - Oct 8 by Pippin1970 |
Get into agriculture. Best thing I did surrounded by animals and hardly any paperwork or computer based. Did high end jobs before that. Work life balance is important as you get older. Many men will have a wage they want to hit each month but don't like their job |
If not agricultural, at least a job where yer working outside, preferably in the countryside a fair bit might help.
Just spending time with nature while being payed, enjoying the changing seasons etc is definitely good for yer mental wellbeing |  | | |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 12:26 - Oct 9 with 278 views | Radlett_blue |
You say you are grateful to be working from home & yes, it means you don't waste time & money commuting, but there is a downside. I think you need to be very self-motivated to work efficiently from home & also to enjoy it. Doing a mundane job from home sounds like hell to me as it's so easy to drift off. Also none of the workplace interaction, which can be irritating, but also breaks up the monotony of some jobs.
I see no point in you taking a 3rd degree. Retraining could be an option, but you would need to have a good idea that what this produced at the end of it would be more palatable. |  |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 12:46 - Oct 9 with 251 views | lowhouseblue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 12:26 - Oct 9 by Radlett_blue |
You say you are grateful to be working from home & yes, it means you don't waste time & money commuting, but there is a downside. I think you need to be very self-motivated to work efficiently from home & also to enjoy it. Doing a mundane job from home sounds like hell to me as it's so easy to drift off. Also none of the workplace interaction, which can be irritating, but also breaks up the monotony of some jobs.
I see no point in you taking a 3rd degree. Retraining could be an option, but you would need to have a good idea that what this produced at the end of it would be more palatable. |
this seems wise. if someone is repeating the same pattern it may well be revealing their real preferences. if motivation is absent when wfh then that may suggest a role with the external constraints that come from being in a workplace and working with people face to face may be a better fit. variety must also be high up on the wish list. finding a non-routine role which comes with hard inbuilt external constraints - someone mentioned paramedic which is an extreme example - might fit those preferences better. i'm imagining something like paramedic on a day to day basis supplies it's own impetus / motivation. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 17:34 - Oct 9 with 190 views | Swansea_Blue |
| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 11:25 - Oct 8 by Doug_The_Jug |
This! I'm 44, have moved around jobs, relationships, never sticking to one. Lack of motivation and procrastination have been at the forefront of everything throughout my life. I'm self-employed and have the opportunity to be successful etc etc but am struggling to get things moving, every day is a cycle of getting up, feeling motivated, then being overwhelmed when trying to make a start so randomly begin tasks that i never finish to then end the day feel angry at myself for getting nothing done.
Unbeknown to me, after a friend recommended that i speak to the doctor, i've been diagnosed with ADHD. Suddenly, everything made sense and i could relate so much of what i do to this condition. Its something i wish i had known 20 years ago as it has affected so much of my life but i can at least work with it now. Maybe something to look into as its massively undiagnosed in adults. |
“Lack of motivation and procrastination have been at the forefront of everything throughout my life. … have the opportunity to be successful etc etc but am struggling to get things moving, every day is a cycle of getting up, feeling motivated, then being overwhelmed when trying to make a start so randomly begin tasks that i never finish to then end the day feel angry at myself for getting nothing done”.
Are you me? [Post edited 9 Oct 17:35]
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| What to do when struggling for work motivation? on 17:48 - Oct 9 with 178 views | Swansea_Blue |
If you can find a job where you live to work you’re very lucky. I had my perfect job once and it didn’t feel like a job. It’s a game changer, although that doesn’t mean every day is great. Far from it, but the key is finding something where the up sides are worth the bad days.
If you’re drawn to study and degrees, why not take it a bit further into a career in research? Having your own research interests is a strange thing to describe. You have ownership of your intellectual efforts and often control of your time, even if you’re employed. It doesn’t have to be in a uni (and now isn’t a great time to enter academia, although is overdue an up turn). Depending on your area of interest some industries/organisations have research opportunities. | |
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