We spend such a huge amount of time in work, how we feel about it can either make or break us!
Be clear and on time, being in good physical and mental health is our foundation. How we then approach our work and the attitude we have is key. Time management is a core skill, get yourself organised. Have a method of keeping on top of your ‘to do’ list in a way that works for you. Make a note of what you need to achieve and break bigger tasks down in to more manageable chunks, set yourself realistic timescales and cross things off the list as you achieve. Regularly prioritise and re-prioritise so you make sure you are hitting all of your targets and not letting others down.
If things are starting to slip
Let the people know that might be impacted by it. There is nothing worse than expecting something from a colleague only to get to the day when you are expecting something from them and it not to arrive! Remember colleagues or customers will be planning their time on the basis of expecting others to do their bit in a quality and timely manner.
Keep others in the loop
Don’t let people down. If you are jointly aware of what is going on the whole team can do something to keep things on track. When everyone works to the same vision performance can peak. When we communicate regularly and effectively we can ensure there are no negative surprises. A high performance team is a supportive team. A team where everyone has clarity of their goals and targets and how that links to the goals and targets of their colleagues, is where expectations are surpassed.
A great attitude
No one likes working with someone that walks around as if the clouds have fallen in. Developing a great attitude does two things. It helps us on a personal level with our own motivation – it also helps the team by keeping positive energy flowing. Working with colleagues that are willing to crack on with their tasks and also willing to help out so the whole team achieves, is what keeps us in peak performance.
Constant learning
Keep your own motivation up by taking responsibility for your personal growth and learning. Reflect back on what has gone well and how things could be even better. Taking the time to do that, will allow you to develop an attitude of continuous learning. When you do that, you can look at your improvements and set yourself goals for where we want to get to.
Remember being motivated and stress free requires a few jigsaw pieces to all come together.
– Have clarity on your goals and what it is you need to achieve
– Ensure you have the competence to achieve and if you need to learn new things – get your development and learning action plan in place
– Use effective time management and prioritise what you need to achieve
– If things are starting to slip – let your colleagues know so you can rally support and not let people down.
– Communicate in a constructive and clear manner with a great attitude.
– Look after yourself through exercise and a good diet
– Take time out to switch off and relax – build in time for creativity
To maximise your motivation, take care of yourself and look out for your colleagues. Rather than being the cause of team fracture, be the glue that keeps it all together.