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Why Don’t I Feel Motivated at Work Anymore?

Nov 1, 2023

Discover why motivation at work can ebb and flow, how feeling unmotivated early in your career can be an opportunity for self-discovery, and strategies for finding motivation and fulfillment at work. Explore the distinction between burnout and feeling unmotivated, learn about tools for self-awareness, and find advice on reevaluating expectations and seeking growth opportunities.

30:56

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Quick takeaways

Motivation at work is driven by having a personal reason for being there, and lacking motivation often stems from not feeling a purpose in our work.

Early career professionals may feel demotivated due to a lack of competency, misaligned expectations, and a discrepancy between the idealized vision of a job and the actual reality.

Deep dives

Understanding Motivation at Work

Motivation at work stems from having a reason, a motive, to go to work and perform the tasks expected of us. When we lack motivation, it is often because we don't feel a reason to be motivated. Finding our own reason for being at work is crucial to feeling motivated in our jobs. This episode explores the concept of motivation at work and how it impacts our career.

Introduction

3min

Addressing Demotivation in Early Career Professionals

7min

Exploring the Difference Between Burnout and Feeling Unmotivated

5min

Motivation Questions and Sponsor Ad

2min

Finding Purpose and Motivation in Your Work

15min

Expressing Gratitude to Listeners and Mentioning Harvard Business Review's Podcasts

2min

So, the thrill of your new job is wearing off and you’re feeling unmotivated at work. That might show up as procrastinating on that project you were assigned, skipping meetings, or maybe even daydreaming about quitting. What can you do about it?

This week we’re talking about how motivation ebbs and flows at work We’ll learn where motivation at work comes from, what a lack of it means, and what your relationship with it might look like throughout your career.

Leadership coach, author, and podcast host Muriel Wilkins has a lot of experience coaching her clients through career challenges when their motivation is faltering. She does that at the executive level, but she also understands a lot about why motivation can come and go throughout your career, including at the very beginning.

Muriel helps host Elainy Mata understand that feeling unmotivated early in your career can actually be an opportunity to figure out what motivates you—and what doesn’t. Plus, Muriel offers listeners advice about their motivation challenges.

Have a career question? Let us know at NewHere@HBR.org.

Key topics include: managing yourself, mental health, careers.

More Reading:

· Understanding the Power of Intrinsic Motivation (Stefan Falk)

· How to Keep Working When You’re Just Not Feeling It (Ayelet Fishbach)

· Is It Time to Rethink Your Productivity? (Kelsey Alpaio)

· On the Brink of Burnout (Coaching Real Leaders podcast)

· How Do I Stay Motivated After Surviving Layoffs? (Coaching Real Leaders podcast)

· How Do I Find Meaning in my Work? (Coaching Real Leaders podcast)