When was the last time you told someone at work that you were doing great, and meant it?
Are you seizing the day or sleepwalking through it?
Are you maybe feeling a bit “meh” at work?
Even the most dedicated professionals hit a wall. When work feels like a monotonous routine, or a sense of “fine” replaces genuine fulfillment, it’s a clear sign you’re in a slump.
The good news, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article, is that you can proactively reignite your motivation with a few key strategies.
- Invest in Your Growth. Look over your last performance review and identify some professional development activities which excite you. Connecting your proposal to your review will make it easier to convince your boss to support you.
- Schedule Time with Work Best Friends. Make a point to regularly connect with the people you like best at work. This could be lunch meetings or just taking a walk together in the afternoon. Work friendships make us more engaged and fulfilled with our jobs.
- Create an Inspiring, Challenging New Project. What cool new project could you dream up that meets the organization’s priorities, but had not been on your radar screen? Brainstorm this with some of your work friends to see what they think.
- Track and Record Weekly Successes. We are often so busy getting ready for the next week’s list of challenges that we do not take time to review and really savor what we accomplished the prior week. Create a list of your key successes at the end of every week. Review these along with your “to do” list during the next week.
A career slump is a common experience, but it doesn’t have to be a permanent state. By taking control and proactively engaging in these strategies, you can find a renewed sense of purpose and motivation in your work.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Goredema, O. “In a Slump at Work? Here’s How to Motivate Yourself,” Harvard Business Review online, March 28, 2025.
