Motivation at Work 12

[ash060]

I have been engineering for a few years now, and for about the past six months I have not been able to focus and work well. I have switched jobs in the past four months and I like everyone at my new job, but I still can't seem to concentrate and work.

I will spend hours at my desk just looking at the work I need to do, and not doing anything.

I like engineering, shoot I will talk all day about anything related to engineering, but when it comes time to get moving I just stop.

Does anyone have any ideas about what I can do to make me become more focused.

 

[KENAT]

Well, I've been in a similar situation since I took a week off in May, can't seem to get going on all cylinders but:

1. I find a tight deadline will focus the mind. If you don't have any real deadlines set your own.

2. Sometimes I feel this way because I'm swamped with no prospect of it coming to an end soon so... Prioritize, Delegate and set yourself achievable goals (with a deadline leading you back to 1.)

3. A lot of my problem at the moment is all the politics etc going on, especially involving layoffs we've just had and possibly moving work to another site, picking up the laid of guys duties etc. So try and put it to the back of your mind while actually working and remember, at the end of the day they pay you X amount, so they deserve at least the corresponding level of work, even if they don't do much to make it enjoyable.

4. I'd suggest a new position (either same company or a different job altogether) but it seems you've already tried this.

5. Keep off the internet, especially Eng tips . Seriously though as useful/interesting as I find this site I sometimes spend more time here than I should (I'm on lunch right now so get off my back)

6. Remember what your Dad/Coach/Drill instructor used to say "Pull your finger out, Slacker!";-)



KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[EOIT]

ash060,

I can definately relate to that. My main cause for this exact same tendancy was lack of any immediate deadlines. I had 4 different projects assigned to me that were each worth a few million dollars but were 2-3 year lead times. While I had items I could do on each none were that important due to the un-imposing due date. This caused a severe case of boredome on the job until I started finding small projects for myself. By accomplishing some smaller tasks each day/week I was able to feel more useful in the immediate future and concentrate more on completing future tasks.

Hope this helps.

 

[HgTX]

Could be clinical depression. You don't necessarily have to feel sad to be depressed.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[PSE]

You can only be motivated by someone else for short periods of time. True or lasting motivation is an internal attitude. Something is holding you back (not necessarily within your work environment). Find out what it is.

In the meantime, take a look at what tasks that you have that you can complete relatively quickly. Start with these and build on that feeling of success that you (hopefully) get when you achieve something. Small victories can be important too.

Regards,

 

[csd72]

Write yourself a list of the tasks that you need to do.

Set yourself a goal to achieve a certain number each day and strive towards it.

Dont log onto eng-tips until you have achieved half of this days goals (blaspemy I know!).

Treat it as a personal challenge (like winning a race or bench pressing a certain weight).

As far as motivation is concerned, try and put yourself in the clients perspective, that of what you can do to make your output more tuned to their requirements and strive every day to achieve that. If you do this, it will help to make even the most mundane tasks a little more interesting.

csd

 

[corus]

Could be general tiredness. Try and get plenty of sleep, and preferably not at work!

As with others I feel the same when there's not much to do and generally leave things til late so then I have to do the work to a tighter deadline than I've been given. Of course if nobody is interested in your work or no one is reliant on you doing the work then it can be difficult to motivate yourself unless you yourself have real interest in the work and some pride in what you've done. It has happened that I just can't be pestered and other times have took work home as it was of some real interest, and secondly it's easier to think away from the office distractions.

corus

 

[ash060]

Thanks for all the replies at least I am not the only one who has a little trouble be focused. Just finding that out helps a lot. I have been a little more productive since I have read some of your posts.

 

[ewh]

I don't want to sound like your mother, but I find it easier to focus when I have had a good breakfast. If I skip it, I often find my mind wandering more than it should, and occasionally have to fight of heavy eyelids.

 

[KENAT]

You know ewh, beer at lunchtime used to have the same effect on me. It would only take one, maybe 2 and by the time I got back to work I was ready to snooze.

(I'd like to point out this was in Britain where taking the client out for lunch and a beer was standard practice, I'm not some kind of alcholic, well maybe by US standards, but it was work related.)

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[ewh]

I get the same way if I have beer at lunch, but much worse than missing breakfast. Concentrating on the task in front of me becomes the last thing I want to do!

 

[prohammy]

I find that the best solution to the whole beer issue (morning, lunchtime, etc) can be quite simply solved by having a constant supply at your work station so that no matter what time it is you can overcome any effects of tiredness with the minimal amount of effort



Kevin

“It is a mathematical fact that fifty percent of all doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class." ~Author Unknown

"If two wrongs don't make a right, try three." ~Author Unknown

 

[KENAT]

Why is it that beer at lunch makes you sleepy, beer in the evening, party all night.

I guess it's the stopping drinking is the problem.

A colleague used to work in a brewery/bottling plant and it was standard practice to have a beer on hand. Common in Bavaria too apparantly, that or popping out for one on your break.

Back to the OP.

Another thing is occasionally taking a mental health day (or morning or afternoon).

Sometimes if I'm stuck doing something really monotonous I just need a break. So I’ll find a work activity that may not be high priority but is of use that is more interesting and do it for a while. For instance sometimes if I need a break I’ll find something that needs modeling with CAD and spend a while doing that. It’s a nice break from project admin or the like.

Obviously take care it’s not going to delay some critical project that you’ll get in trouble for.

With my new duties as Checker I’m not sure how often I’ll get to do this though.


KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[IceNine]

ash060-

I'm in a similar situation. I'm starting to think engineering work just isn't very rewarding (to me personally anyway). The only reason I can see to stay in it is for the money, and that's never a good reason.

Basically, I'm coming to the conclusion that it's too boring, too stressful as you get more experience, and unrewarding. Not to mention the lack of time off.

Guess it's time for me to change professions....something with a little more fresh air, me thinks.

ice

 

[KENAT]

If you need inspiration take a look at the below thread (maybe not the first few posts but further down)

thread730-193099

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[kontiki99]

Your inner hunter gatherer may have surfaced.

You better dig deep down inside and kill that dude or your natural impulses for happiness will render you unfit for employment.

I've always harbored a fantasy for chucking the whole bit, moving to Key West and opening a souvenir T-Shirt shop for tourists.

It's a fantasy I struggle to keep suppressed.

 

[ludikris]

I'd be quite surprised if all but a few people didn't experience this at several times in our lives. Here's a thread that I started three years ago, albeit under different circumstances, but some of the feelings (and I presume responses) will be similar. thread732-94653.

Since in my current situation I'm having some of the same feelings, here's the quick update: I'm at the 2nd new job since that posting. The 1st started well enough, but the 30+ year old company failed in the next year. I'm now in year two of being a sanitary process engineer for a food/beverage OEM.

My largest 'beef' is the inherent inefficiencies within our system. One way to combat wasting time is to start my own projects to improve my divisions efficiency. From standardizing drawings/P&IDs, to creating a library of knowledge, to product testing, it gives me something well within my control and completely define. Working on these gives me a well defined sense of accomplishment, and they can be furthered with just a few hours work each week.

Perhaps you fear starting work due to a factor within the process that represents a challenge (or obstruction) to your success. If so, can you engineer a better path around, or through it?

--
Erik
MO P.E.

 

[KENAT]

Well,

I just finished (the first round) of a fairly large checking job that's been urgent for the last week and half so I'm feeling a little better.

Now all the urgent drawings needed for tomorrows ECO meeting...

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[epoisses]

ash060

As said before, first try dividing the work in "edible" pieces, then divide those further in weekly and daily objectives, to obtain an effort-reward cycle short enough for the donkey to clearly see the carrot, if you like.

If you're still not motivated, that means there is something funny with the carrot. Ask yourself why exactly you are doing what you are doing, will your project or product make 2 M$ a year, will it save 50 lives, what will it do?

If you can't answer the question, ask your boss. If he can't answer it, quit and join Unicef or equivalent.

@kontiki99
"I've always harbored a fantasy for chucking the whole bit, moving to Key West and opening a souvenir T-Shirt shop for tourists."
Sure... and I bet you will be bored again 2 weeks later!

 

[kchayfie]

When I find I've got lots of things to do and no desire to do any of them, I actually find it better to keep flitting between tasks and pecking away getting them finished a bit at a time. I might mark up the changes I need to make to a set of P&IDs and then get all the reference drawings together that I'll need for a calculation, then make that phone call to the client that I just don't want to make and so on. Then, when I next look around, updating the P&IDs is easy because all the changes are highlighted, I know where to start on the calculation so that's an easy job now, I know what it is the client is trying to get me to do, etc. By walking away from each task after a small amount is done, it becomes a definite "finished that bit" moment rather than letting things drift. And if the "bit" that is left suddenly looks easy - well there's the motivation to carry on and get the whole thing finished earlier than I expected to finish it.