In this article, we’re going to explore the intricacies of motivation, discover why we often lack it and look at practical actions we can take to improve it. In this article, we shall be discussing the forgotten emotional features of productivity.
Few things are more frustrating than having important things to do and not having the motivation to do them. You know that you should be doing these things, but you just can’t find the energy and drive to do so.
If you’ve ever found yourself in that position, I’ve got some good news for you: motivation is not outside of your control.
When you understand what motivation is and how it works, you can then do specific things to significantly increase your overall levels of motivation.
One of the most overlooked causes of being unproductive is emotions. Our productivity and performance are greatly influenced by how we feel about ourselves and what we are capable of.
According to research done by Atlassian, a team’s productivity and the expression of positive emotions are positively correlated. This means that teams are more productive when they are happy with the work they are doing together.
One way to promote positive emotions is to have a clear direction. Why? As humans, we are wired to prefer things to be under our control because it makes us feel secure and safe. Since we feel more certain about our lives when we have a clear direction, we are less likely to feel depressed.
We always strive to help our team members set goals and milestones so they know how to move forward and can track their progress along the way. However, not every company would take this step.
A few years ago, my cousin who had just graduated from college began working for a large company. I was overjoyed for him, but then he told me that he was frustrated with the company after only a few months…
He was eager to make a good first impression and establish himself in his new position. However, after a few weeks on the job, he became lost and frustrated. He had no idea what his role entailed, what his goals and objectives were, or how his work fits into the company’s overall goals.
He struggled to focus his attention and energy on his work because he lacked clear direction. He found himself easily distracted, procrastinating, and unmotivated to get started.
He put in a lot of effort to understand the company’s structure and culture, but he didn’t feel like he was making much progress. He couldn’t find the motivation to work toward his goals and felt he wasn’t making any significant contributions to the company or his team. He was unsure how to overcome his role’s challenges and improve his performance.
His lack of direction also made making decisions and taking action difficult. He began to question his judgment and feel unsure of what to do. He didn’t know what to prioritize or how to allocate his time and energy effectively.
As a result, his productivity suffered significantly….
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How A Lack Of Direction Affects Productivity
We can become significantly less productive when we lack direction. It can be difficult to focus our efforts and make progress when we don’t know what we want to achieve. This can lead to feelings of frustration, demotivation, and a sense of being stuck.
Let us go into more detail about this:
1. Loss Of Motivation
It can be challenging for people to understand the value and purpose of their work when there is no clear direction. Imagine not knowing what you want to achieve; it can be difficult to find motivation to work towards your goals. This results in a loss of motivation to work hard and persevere in the face of obstacles and challenges.
2. Loss Of Focus
Someone who does not have a clear goal in mind will struggle to prioritize their work and focus their attention on the most important tasks. They may struggle to decide which task to tackle first and how to allocate their time and energy. This can leave them feeling disorganized and unfocused, making it difficult to progress on any given task or goal.
3. Loss Of Confidence
Insecurity and doubt about one’s choices and even abilities are other effects of a lack of direction. Imagine yourself getting lost in the sea without a compass; you’ll probably question every decision you make about where to find land or where to go next!
Similarly, people who don’t know what they want to accomplish will be plagued by self-doubt. They may be constantly doubting their decisions, the worth of their work, and the impact it will have. They may therefore choose to put things off simply to avoid failing or making any mistakes.
So, what can you do to overcome the difficulties associated with a lack of direction?
Block Distractions
Even when your motivation levels are high, it’s easy to get distracted by Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or Fortnite. One minute, you’re diligently working on an important project, the next you’re researching weird conspiracy theories on Reddit.
The simplest, most effective solution is simply to block these distractions when you’re doing important work. Don’t even give yourself the option of browsing social media or playing online games.
Freedom makes it simple to remove pesky distractions. You can set up sessions to automatically start at particular times in the day (like when you first get into work) or you can create a session on the fly. When these sessions are active, you won’t be able to access any of the sites that you’ve specified.
Take Control Of Your Motivation
If you’re lacking motivation, don’t passively wait for things to change. Don’t sit in your recliner, hoping that you’ll suddenly be filled with motivation.
Instead, make motivation happen. Take action. Get started. Embrace the messy beginning.
As you get going, you’ll probably notice a change starting to take place. Apathy will slowly be replaced drive. A fresh vigor will fill you, pushing you on. The fog will dissipate and the road ahead will be clear.
Your most productive days are waiting for you. You just need to grab them.
