Working under pressure can be difficult but bearable when you receive appropriate acknowledgment. However, when your efforts go unnoticed or underestimated, it can be difficult to remain motivated. That being said, it’s important to maintain your performance without letting the lack of appreciation get to you. Here are a few ways you can try to stay motivated.
Set Goals
Since you aren’t receiving acknowledgment for the work you can do, one way to bypass this frustration is to set your own goals to work toward. Striving toward something like a fixed number of closed sales or an amount of time spent on a task can help you feel accomplished, and repeatedly setting and achieving goals can help you foster an internal sense of motivation.
Celebrate Victories
When you’re frustrated and feeling dejected, it can feel like everything in the world is against you, especially in your work environment. At times like these, it’s important to focus on small accomplishments like finishing an assignment or cleaning your desk. Forcing your brain to identify these positive elements of your day can help detract from the effects of negative stimuli and improve your attitude.
Think About the Future
Though it’s likely your boss isn’t recognizing you because he or she is busy, in times of under-appreciation, you can take time to address any shortcomings you might have or areas in which you could stand to improve. Your performance may be affected by unappreciation, but it could also be that your skills are not as sharp as they could be. Regardless of the exact cause, taking time to learn new skills or hone existing ones can help you feel more productive, prepare you for future career endeavors, and increase your chances of getting recognition.
Speak Up
Your boss may be unaware that you feel under-appreciated at work. If this is the case, the only way to rectify the situation is to inform him or her. Approaching this conversation should be a strategic move; be prepared to explain how you feel you aren’t living up to expectations or that it seems your work isn’t important to the business. Being honest and forthright will at the very least convey your willingness to improve and advance, and your boss can help you come up with ways to increase your motivation.
Validate Yourself
If your boss isn’t going to appreciate your work, don’t hesitate to be proud of yourself. At times, it may be difficult to recognize the significance of the work you do, but breaking down even menial tasks like filing reports or taking inventory can help provide some insight into why your work is valuable. For example, organizing a file may seem mundane, but in doing so, you are streamlining the process of locating information while also keeping other areas clean, allowing business to proceed unhindered. Attributing such meaning to your work, no matter how small a task you complete, can help you recognize your worth without the need for external validation.
Working in an environment without feeling valued can be hard. However, there are ways you can work toward cultivating motivation within yourself and striving to perform in a way that benefits you and your company.