Track Minor Progress Like a Video Game for Better Motivation
When you measure your performance, it is tempting to focus on important milestones, completed projects. However, by appreciating the little things you do every day, you can motivate yourself in the same way that exciting video games can .
As the productivity blog Barking Up the Wrong Tree explains, we often find satisfaction in video games when they reward us for doing dirty work under the guise of reaching a broader goal. However, it is not a big goal that motivates us. The point is, we can see our numbers go up every day. On the other hand, real life rarely quantifies our progress so clearly. So instead of judging your progress by big, sometimes abstract milestones, measure your daily accomplishments to better motivate yourself:
The secret is in small victories. You can see these small achievements day in and day out. Anything that went well or worked. Don’t take this good presentation or minor achievement for granted. This is progress, and by paying attention to it, you can continue to work when you feel less motivated.
Even if it’s something as mundane as checking email or typing numbers into a spreadsheet, quantifying your progress can keep you motivated. Looking forward to the mountain of work between you and your next milestone can tire you out. But looking back at the mountain of work you’ve already completed can be very rewarding.
How To Be Motivated: 4 New Findings From Research | Bark on the wrong tree