William works in London’s Square Mile as a portfolio manager. A powerhouse of his company, he’s known by his team for his relentless drive and unshakable ambition. However, recently he hit a roadblock and he didn’t know why. All he knew is that he was struggling to find the motivation to complete his work – he could feel his energy levels diminishing further every day, and this really worried him.

Recognising the impact his lack of motivation was having on his productivity levels, he sought a solution. After a chat with a friend who he knew had faced similar struggles at university, he realised that he needed to rediscover his ‘why’ in order to reignite his passion for his work – what were his values? What were his goals, and how could he support himself to achieve them?

It took some time, but by stepping back and reflecting on his goals regularly, he felt like he had a clearer sense of purpose that drove him forward. His chat with his friend also made him realise that if he wanted to maintain his motivation levels at work long-term, he needed to look after himself much better, both physically and mentally. Over the last few months he’d developed some unhealthy habits: burning the candle at both ends, grabbing takeaways on his way home from the office, and skipping the gym all-too-often in favour of an evening on the sofa. He realised he had to make some changes – none of this was going to help him feel motivated again.

With these insights and the lifestyle changes he implemented over the next few months, he felt so much better prepared to bring his all to his work and rise to new professional challenges with a renewed sense of determination. He also felt relieved because he now knew that if he ever faced future bouts of self-doubt and low motivation, he was armed with the knowledge to face them head-on and regain his sense of momentum before he (metaphorically) hit a brick wall. He felt more prepared, determined, and like he understood his motivation levels better than he ever had before.

Many of us often find ourselves in William’s shoes. We get so caught up in our endless to-do lists and jam-packed diaries that we forget why we’re doing what we’re doing, and we quickly start feeling unmotivated and uninspired to perform our best. But the truth is, understanding our motivations and what makes us feel motivated is crucial to ensuring our success and happiness – both at work and outside of it.

If we don’t know why we’re doing something, we’re unlikely to feel motivated to do it.

Top 7 Causes of Lack of Motivation: Understanding Why We Sometimes Struggle to Stay Motivated

Understanding the various factors that can contribute towards making us feel unmotivated is crucial in enabling us to develop effective strategies to overcome this challenge and achieve our goals in life.

8 Tips to Fight Your Lack of Motivation

Everyone gets their motivation from different places, and everyone’s motivation levels fluctuate for different reasons! This means that when trying to find motivation, what works for one person might not work for another. Therefore, it’s important to experiment to find out what works best for you.

These 8 tips can help you combat your lack of motivation:

In Summary

For some of us motivation comes naturally, but for others, finding motivation requires patience, effort, and persistence. It’s a continuous effort – no one-time fix will guarantee you feel extremely motivated forever. It’s also normal for your motivation levels to fluctuate day to day and week to week.

Some people are naturally blessed with high levels of motivation that power them through the working week. However, if you struggle with your motivation levels, you’re not alone. Try incorporating our motivation-boosting strategies and tips into your daily life, and you’ll quickly power up your productivity levels and develop long-lasting habits that’ll keep you motivated in the long term. Remember: there’s always a way around a motivation slump!