MPW Insider is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for: How do you stay motivated at work? is written by Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water.
My professional life has spanned every tier of the ladder—from waiting tables to running a company. Today, I’m blessed to say I have a fulfilling career that keeps me excited and challenges me to grow every day. But even your dream job can lose its spark sometimes. And staying inspired becomes harder than it once was. Even as CEO of my own company, I can still benefit from a motivational boost from time to time–here are my three best tips:
Stay organized
I’m a big believer in making lists. Beyond the obvious benefits of keeping you organized and focused, lists are goals that you set for yourself on a daily basis. By making a list of your tasks every morning, you clearly establish your objectives. As you go through your day, crossing off each assignment, you provide yourself with a reward system that leaves you feeling accomplished and proud of your work (and yourself).
Be sure to disconnect
When you love what you do, it’s easy to allow that passion to keep you glued to your office, phone, or laptop. There’s nothing wrong with hard work, but there comes a point when being committed means taking a break in order to keep you at your best. How you choose to disconnect will depend on you. Maybe it’s just for a weekend—no phone or email for 48 hours might be exactly what you need to reenergize. Or perhaps you need a whole week. Whether it’s a beach you’ve been dying to visit or a road trip you’ve been putting off, experiencing something new is the perfect way to hit the reset button.
Do what you love
There comes a point in everyone’s career when we have to ask ourselves: Why am I doing this? If you don’t love the work you’re doing, no number of road trips will get you excited about going to work every day and giving it your all. Believing in what you do is crucial, and in my experience the best work is the kind that fulfills you on a deeper level—not even the most impressive pay check will keep you fully invested in the long run. Your time is precious—devote it to work you’re passionate about, and let the difference you’re making be the ultimate motivation.
Read all answers to the MPW Insider question: How do you stay motivated at work?
How to impress your boss at work (the right way) by Erica Galos Alioto, vice president of local sales at Yelp.
How this CEO finds motivation at work every day by Perry Yeatman, CEO of Perry Yeatman Global Partners.
The art of staying motivated at work by Beth Fisher-Yoshida, director of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program at Columbia University.
The best lesson I learned from joining a board by Juliet de Baubigny, partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
5 secrets to stay motivated at work by Sarah Robb O’Hagan, president of Equinox.