“New year, new me!”
At least, that’s what most people say.
You might have also known several people (even yourself) who have set their New Year’s Resolutions.
Still, most people lose steam within the first three months.
It can lead to feelings of incompetence and disappointment.
Yet, failures are common in life and work.
To set the right direction for the new year, here are tips for reframing your thinking and finding motivation for the rest of the year.
Think of Failure as an Opportunity
It can be hard to find anything positive about failing at work.
Still, once your emotions have stabilized, try to look for opportunities.
What can you learn from the situation? Most importantly, what can you do better next time?
Failure Often Signifies a Transition
In connection with the previous point, experiencing failures at work only means you’re in the process of transitioning.
Screwing up is always the first stage of getting better at something, after all.
Failure Is a Sign You Tried Something New
Lastly, failure means you dare to try something new.
It takes a brave person to attempt something they’ve never done before, even if the results aren’t ideal.
No person has ever entirely avoided making mistakes.
If you’ve never screwed up, it means you’ve never ventured outside your comfort zone.
As you keep trying after each blunder, you grow as a person.
Now that you know how you can bounce back from your failures, here are a few concrete steps to motivate yourself on the days when it might feel impossible.
Allow Yourself Some Downtime
First, don’t feel guilty if you need to take a pause.
Constantly pushing yourself to do your best is exhausting. So, taking a break can help you regain your energy.
Be sure you get enough sleep on weekdays. Or, you can also take a leave in the middle of the week if you need a bit of a breather.
You can even take a vacation somewhere close to the sea as it’s therapeutic.
After all, this is one of the advantages of a remote job—being able to work from virtually anywhere.
Look for Effective Rewards
For many working adults, days can feel like they blend into one another.
You might even encounter tasks that take so much effort to complete, making the days feel especially long.
Giving yourself rewards can often boost your motivation. Perhaps, you can buy something you’ve been eyeing for quite some time.
However, don’t just complete your tasks for the sake of getting things done—lest you end up sacrificing the quality.
Make Plans to Sustain Your Energy
As mentioned above, most people have a lot of enthusiasm at the beginning of the year.
It’s the idea of a “fresh start” that gives motivation.
Yet, people start losing steam halfway through the year.
To avoid this, carefully plan your “middle.”
Rather than going all out at the beginning, you might benefit from pacing yourself throughout.
Divide your goals into smaller ones within a realistic timeline, for instance.
Learn from Others
As humans, we tend to compare ourselves to others.
There are two ways to react.
First, you might get discouraged by what others have already accomplished. Second, you can take what others are doing successfully and apply it to your life.
You can apply the same principle to your remote job.
Rather than passively watching others get things done, ask them what they’re trying to achieve and how they’re doing it.
Chances are, you might learn something new.
Final Word
As they say, motivation comes and goes.
Yet, you can’t just “stop” working because you don’t feel like it.
It’s up to you to find a way to boost your motivation on days when it’s scarce.
You can start overcoming failure by reframing your thinking.
On that note, if you’re thinking about transitioning from an office job to work online this new year, check out Remote Staff’s job listings. It’s always updated, so you’re sure to find a role that suits you.
Remote Staff has also been in business for 16 years (and counting)! The company offers after-hire support, so you’re never alone in your remote working journey.
Interested? Register with us today!
