Need Help Self-Motivating? Here's How.

Let's be honest, there's nothing like the early days of a new career, when you're just starting out and everything is fresh and exciting. New people, new places, new experiences. And on the other side of the coin, once you've been at something for a long time and things become routine, it's easy for that once exhilarating to become a little stale. They don't call it the daily grind or the rat race for nothing.

It's easy for all of that bright and shiny newness to become dull, and it's hard to stay motivated. But just like sometimes we don't take the sound advice we so easily give to other people, lots of times it's easier to help motivate others than it is to motivate ourselves. If you feel you're falling prey to the doldrums of daily monotony, we have a few ideas to help you stay engaged and excited about work.

GOALS! GOALS! GOALS!
Dangling a carrot works on horses and kids, so why not set a goal for yourself with a clear plan in mind, and set out to reach it? Create your goal in your personal life OR your professional life and then create short term and long term plans in mind to make it easier to stick to along the way. This is a great way to visualize something NEW that you want to work toward which takes you out of the mundane. And creating a step by step guide to help you get there will keep you on track.

TREAT YO'SELF
Lots of times the best part of reaching a goal is the pride you feel from your accomplishment, but don't be afraid to give yourself a little extra reward for a job well done. Extra incentive isn't a bad thing when you're doing something to better yourself.  In fact it's something that most people are afraid to do for themselves, which adds to the monotony of their careers or their daily lives. You finally got that promotion? Don't shy away from getting yourself something nice or scheduling a day off in a few weeks to celebrate. This is a great way to keep yourself motivated and moving forward.

STAY INSPIRED
This is a big one. Lots of people lose sight of what they loved about their careers after the excitement wears off. It's important to remain in touch with why you're doing what you're doing and to remember why you started doing it in the first place. Queue up a few relevant Ted Talks or read a book that initially sparked your interest in your field. Maybe sign up for a few conferences to meet new people in the industry and see what could develop in the future. Sometimes motivation comes in the form of a coworker, boss or keynote speaker.

We've all fallen into that work funk where the days drag on and there's nothing that spectacular to look forward to. These are some great ways to regroup and get yourself re-motivated so that you can return to the days of being excited for the work day and taking pride in what you do. A healthy outlook on work means more than you know. Giving yourself an emotionally fulfilling work life leads to a richer life in general - something we all want at the end of the day.