How to feel energized and excited about your job in 2018

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The new year calls for new resolutions and goals to mark a change in your attitude towards your life. However, this does not mean that if you do not feel enthusiastic about your current job, you have to look for a new one right away and search for new resume samples to copy from for your job applications. 

Instead, use the new year as an opportunity to reassess your current life standing and how you can further keep a positive attitude and energy towards your current job.

Listed below are a few actionable tips that anyone can readily follow in order to alleviate the sense of quiet desperation that most employees and workers feel towards their jobs and careers. Note that none of the tips below involves quitting your current job right away because it is important to first learn how to adapt to your current job especially if this is something that you have truly wanted to do in the first place.

Have something to look forward to.

It doesn’t matter whether you like your job or not, we all reach a point where we feel uninspired and unmotivated to work. That is why, sometimes, it pays to have something - an event, a thing, a reward - to look forward to at the end of the day, week, month, or year.

For most people, this can be a yearly vacation or the chance to buy something that you truly want without feeling the guilt. By doing this, you are also setting yourself up for success. Because if you fail to achieve any of these micro goals, you know you will feel bad.

Don’t bring your work at home.

One of the fastest ways to getting burn out at work is when you bring your workload home. This can be anything from bringing home papers to check, memos and reports to write, presentations to create, or even project ideas to think about. If you want to be more productive and more energized, leave your work at the office if possible.

Use your time at home to recharge yourself so that you will have more energy to do work-related things during your work hours. Also, think about your family. You want to spend as much quality and undivided time with them as possible.

Declutter your desk or cubicle

Having a clean and clutter-free working space is another way to psychologically tell yourself that it is time to work. But the effect does not stop there. When you see a clean desk, for example, you are forcing yourself to settle down since you no longer have a physical distraction within your line of site.

A clutter-free working space also decreases the likelihood of accidents to happen. This especially applies to those who are working on physical projects or doing manual labor. So spare yourself the unnecessary trouble of medical fees and lost work hours and clean up your workspace.

Learn a new skill

Another way to stay energized and excited at work is to find a new hobby or learn a new skill. This may seem counterintuitive at first but finding a new hobby or skill to learn allows you to not compulsively think about how dreary your work life can be.

Like the first tip listed on this list, learning a new skill gives you something to look forward to after your workday is done. For example, you may try kickboxing, swimming, crocheting, or even learn how to dance hip-hop. Or, you could also try learning a new language, how to code, or even build an ant farm.

When choosing a new hobby or skill to learn, choose one that will allow you to develop an underutilized aspect of your brain or current skill set. For instance, if you have an office job as an accountant, it may be best to choose a more active new hobby or sport that will allow you to exercise and keep moving. Also, when you learn a new skill, you can update this to your resume.

Listen to lively music

Another subtle way that can help you feel energized at work is your playlist. Music can play an integral part in helping drown out white noise in any office environment. It also can help you get you into a more productive mood.

Note that when choosing songs for your work playlist, you should include lively and upbeat songs. This way, you are less likely to fall asleep or feel more depressed. You may also choose instrumental songs or soundtracks to not get distracted by songs with catchy lyrics.

Drink Water

Yes, you heard that right. Drinking water is another simple thing that you can do every day to help keep you stay excited and energized at work. When you work, you need to have optimum energy and electrolytes so that your brain and cells can function well. Water lets you stay hydrated and, in effect, your cells will function well.

Get enough sleep

Having a good night’s sleep is not something that only applies to children or students. Adults also need 6 to 8 hours of sleep at night to ensure that their bodies function optimally when they get to work.

When you get a good amount of sleep at night, you will not feel groggy and sluggish at work the next day. In effect, your time at work will be spent on doing actual work-related things instead of fighting away the fitful yawns from a lack of sleep the previous night.

Flexible schedule

Another way to keep employees and workers engaged in their job is by offering them flexible schedules. If you are the owner of a business or the manager of a company, this tip will apply more to you. Flexible schedules allow employees to plan out their workdays according to their personal preferences. Factors like the length of their morning commute, the distance to their house, and even their preferred working hours will affect how an employee performs at his or her job.

For instance, those who have to travel during rush hour just to get to work may already feel drained when they arrive and will not have the optimum energy to do their jobs. If your company can allow employees to choose their work start time, this can greatly decrease the stress that your employees face just to get to work on time.

Talk and engage with your office mates

Work time should be spent working. But sometimes, humans need interpersonal relationships too in order to function well. This also applies in the workplace. So if you want to feel more energized about your job, try starting small conversations with just one officemate whom you feel comfortable with. This does not mean that you have to talk about the meaning of life and your job right away. Maybe you could talk about the weather or how there is no more coffee in the office pantry.

Start small and soon you will find that you have gained a little boost of self-confidence from those conversations. Soon enough, this may branch out to other things in your life like how you feel more motivated about your job.

Institute office perks

This next tip also applies to employers and managers who are looking for ways to help keep their employees engaged and become more energized about their jobs. We are talking about creating different office perks that any employee could get when he or she achieves a simple milestone at work.

This may be work-related, like having no absences or tardies. Or, you may give office perks like free movie tickets on their birthdays or by keeping the office pantry always stocked with food. Remember, the goal of doing these things is to keep your employees feel more appreciated. When this aspect of their lives are taken cared of, they will turn to themselves and focus on doing their own jobs well.

Dance or do something silly that will get you pumped up!

Nothing gets your blood flowing and your nerves working more than dancing. So dance your heart away to get yourself psyched up for the workday ahead. You do not have to do this in front of your desk for all your other office mates and co-workers to see. You do not even have to really dance at all.

You just need to do or think of something that you know will truly motivate you. You may dance a silly dance or you may even picture yourself as that person you dream of becoming while being in this job. This type of mental preparation can help trick yourself into thinking that you have an exciting job.

So there you have it, a few actionable tips that any employee can do to help become more energized and excited about their jobs this year. Note that these tips may only apply to those who are finding it hard to stay awake or stay motivated doing something that they already love. So if you think that you do not truly love your current job, then maybe it is really time for you to whip out a new resume sample and find a new job.