Question from Job Seeker: One of the issues I have been facing lately at work is being overworked on most days but also having almost nothing to do on others. How can I keep myself busy and motivated at all times?
Answer from Bayt HR Guru: Having busy and calm days at work is very normal, provided that you always have something to do. No day at work should be “taskless” and unproductive. Below are simple tips that can help you stay motivated and prolific at work especially on the calmest days.
Research and Read
When was the last time you did some research and read the latest literature in your field to stay abreast of the latest happenings and updates? We all know that this should be done on a daily basis but sometimes our busy schedules have us multitasking not to miss any deadline and leave us with very little or no time to check our RSS feed; and this is exactly what not-so-busy days are for! Take advantage of every free minute you have on your schedule to do your research and catch up on the latest updates in your field of work or even to look up training opportunities you might want to take part in. Bayt.com’s “
Employee Motivation in the MENA Survey – January 2013” showed that training and development opportunities (45%) are considered to be very important motivation drivers.
Balance Your Schedule
When your to-do list is flooded with tasks, you don’t have to finish them all at this very moment. Organize your tasks and give priority to urgent ones and those on a tight deadline, while postponing less pressing ones to another day; this will guarantee that you always have something to do.
Organize Your Desk
With documents piled up left and right and memo notes pretty much everywhere, busy days, more often than not, leave your desk in quite a mess. Take advantage of calmer days to bring back some organization to your desk or even your computer folders. This will help you clean your desk and de-clutter your mind.
Invest in Office Relationships
Did you get a chance to meet the new hire in your company? When was the last time you checked on your colleague in the sales department? Busy schedules tend to trap us behind our computers for long hours, sometimes for weeks in a row, leaving us no time to catch up with our colleagues. With 46% of MENA professionals stating they have stressful days at work (as per Bayt.com’s “
Employee Motivation in the MENA Survey – January 2013”), take the time to invest in your office relationships when you get a chance as they can help you break your work routine and can alleviate your work stress/pressure.
Create Your Own Challenges
If you know your job inside out and find your tasks now too easy to carry out, it’s time you think outside the box. Bayt.com’s “
Employee Motivation in the MENA Survey – January 2013” showed that 25% of MENA professionals always have the freedom to seek out solutions to their work challenges and 42% very often have the same freedom. So remember that the solution is entirely or partly in your hand as there is always space for innovation and creativity and it’s up to you to find a way to grow beyond the limits of your tasks, expanding their scope and developing new ideas.
Ask for New Additional Tasks
Bayt.com’s “
Employee Motivation in the MENA Survey – January 2013” revealed that 40% of professionals across the region have managers who always or very often listen to their suggestions and concerns. So if all of the above is not sufficient, take it up to your management and ask for new tasks to be added to your current job role. If a promotion is not possible at the moment, maybe you can delegate some of your tasks and acquire new ones that will increase your motivation levels. Good luck.
