Whether you want to take the next step in your career or start a job hunt, you have to boost your self-motivation. Sometimes, it is hard to find inspiration. You have goals you would like to accomplish. Despite your best intentions, you spend hours staring at a blank page as you struggle to figure out what to do. What you need is a little motivation to get you in the zone.

Limit Time on Unimportant Things

Unfortunately, there are a number of tasks that distract you from your job. Reading and answering every email can take more time than we think. Look at the things that you do every day that consume your time without a return. If these tasks do not help you reach your career goals, consider cutting them out. You only have so much energy and time, so you have to prioritize your work.

Stop Thinking of Work as Work

Attitude can help boost your self-motivation. Whether you are starting a job search or planning a major project at the office, it can feel like a never-ending task. When you treat something as drudgery work you have to do, you no longer want to do it. Instead, look at your job as something you get to do and a learning from every new experience. You made the choice to do your job, so now you have to adjust your perspective. Each task is just one step closer to your career goals.

To do this, you have to focus on the positive. In research studies, participants watched a sad event and were told that they should try not to feel unhappy about it. Interestingly, these participants felt worse than people who were told to watch the event without any instructions on how to feel. Telling yourself not to be negative is difficult. Instead, you have to focus on the good in life and the positive. Your job allows you to provide for yourself, your family, maybe help those in need. You may get paid for vacation time which allows you to do the things you enjoy. In your role, you provide a valuable service and apply your skills that you worked hard to develop.

Maintain a Work Life Balance

Whether you work for yourself or have a high-pressure job, sometimes it can be hard to boost your self-motivation. One of the problems is that your workday never seems to end with all the technology that has you plugged in at all times. If you do not finish a project at work, you bring it home to work on throughout the evening. Before bed, you check your work emails to see if there is anything important.

You have to learn how to schedule a time to stop so you can recharge your batteries. When it feels like your workday never ends, it is hard to motivate yourself. You actually work slower as your workday stretches on. In most cases, you will be more productive if you set a realistic schedule. To do your best work, you need to have free time to relax. You will also work harder if you know that you will be done with work at 5 no matter what happens. When your workday is finally done, unplug completely and go home.

Reward Yourself to Improve Self-Motivation

Everyone wants to be rewarded for doing a good job. When you complete a job or reach an important goal, reward yourself and take a moment to celebrate your success. It will give you an incentive to reach your next goal and provide you with extra motivation.

Break Your Goals Up

When you set a major goal, it can be intimidating to start it. It seems like a monumental task. One way to make your goals easier is to break them into parts. Divide your goals into smaller milestone tasks. This allows you to see the progress you make each day and to enjoy a sense of achievement.

Give yourself credit for achieving your goals. You worked hard and should be proud of what you accomplished. Take the time to enjoy the positive things in your life. Set new goals and continue on this journey of continuous learning.