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How do you stay motivated to keep going when days get repetitive?

I am an accounting major, and days are already pretty repetitive. How do I find adventure in my field and keep from getting burned out?

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Jared’s Answer

I love this question. I've felt this so many times in my life. You've already taken the most important step, which is being introspective enough to discover that you're at risk of burnout!

It's definitely a lifelong practice that I can fall in or out of, but generally what I do when I come to the realization you've come to:
1. I try to stay in that introspective mode to think about what brings me joy. Sometimes I find a lot, but I just need to spend more time on it. Other times I come up empty, and have to start spending time trying new things (intentionally!)
2. I start to get very focused on how I spend my time. Usually that means using my calendar to "time block" for the parts of my life that make me more fullfilled and motivated. For example, I might start blocking off time for exercise, for entertainment, for work, for socializing. Then I try my best to hold to it. Obviously, things come up that are unexpected, and then I have to move stuff around. But I try to keep the mix generally stable over time. In some cases, I've even done time tracking to see if I'm mixed right. But usually I can "feel" when my mix is wrong.
3. This might not work the same for everyone, but in my case, I'm highly motivated by listening to other motivated people. So for example, I might listen to a podcast from a motivational speaker (Eric Thomas is my personal speaker of choice but that's really just a personal preference). Or I might hang out with a friend who I think is highly motivated, and try to absorb some of their enthusiasm. Of course, this might resonate for you or might not, but I wanted to share it because I've found that for ME it's so effective, especially when I'm closest to giving up on something or another.

And of course, it can be really hard to fix sometimes, and take time. So be kind to yourself. And if it ever gets too far, seek a professional -- in the past if I've ever gotten to a place where I feel my emotional or mental health isn't strong enough, I've just gone to visit a professional therapist or other mental health pro and that can really make all the difference.

As a parting thought, one thing I'm really excited about right now: working out! I never really got into working out much in my earlier life, but recently I've started getting more into it and I have to say it's really improving my overall energy and motivation levels. But your mileage may vary of course -- I'm just sharing what's driving me right now in case you find something there that speaks to you.

Jared recommends the following next steps:

Book yourself a 30 minute meeting WITH YOURSELF to go for a walk and think about what you enjoy and what you're working toward
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Shannon’s Answer

This is a great question, and I’m really glad you’re asking it—it says a lot about how intentionally you’re thinking about both school and your future career. I’ve had this conversation many times with early-career professionals, especially in structured fields like accounting, where things can start to feel repetitive. I'm glad you are asking early on because this can apply now and throughout your career.

In school, assignments and coursework may feel similar from class to class, but the scenarios behind them are different. Each problem, case, or example is teaching you how to think in a slightly new way—whether that’s applying concepts to a different industry, interpreting information differently, or understanding how one decision impacts another. When you zoom out from the individual assignment and focus on the bigger picture, the work starts to feel less like repetition and more like skill-building.

To keep things interesting, try to:
- Pay attention to which topics or scenarios spark your curiosity
- Connect class material to real-world situations or industries
- Work with different classmates to see how others approach the same problem
- Ask questions that go beyond “how” and get into “why”

Burnout in school often comes from feeling stuck in the routine. Staying curious, finding meaning in what you’re learning, and reminding yourself how these skills translate to real work can make a big difference. And as I mentioned earlier, pulling yourself out of the task level can help you see things more clearly.

Just like in a career, school isn’t about loving every task—it’s about building perspective, confidence, and a way of thinking that will serve you long after graduation. Good Luck! You've got this!
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María José’s Answer

Accounting might seem routine at times, but you can keep it exciting by taking on new challenges. Break your work into small, achievable goals, and celebrate each win. Try exploring interesting areas like forensic accounting or tax planning. Join study groups to share ideas and learn from others. Make sure to balance work with hobbies to avoid burnout. Stay curious by questioning assumptions and keep learning through workshops. Think about where you want to be in five years and plan how to get there.
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Lauren’s Answer

Hi, here's a few things you can focus on if things are starting to feel repetitive:
- Focus on the why of what you are doing , how it fits into the bigger picture of the project
- Focus on the people - build relationships with your team, client, etc. Work will be more enjoyable if you have meaningful relationships
- Focus on your interests/passions - there are so many ways to get involved in staff groups, volunteer, etc. Find something that is important to you to get involved with
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You are more than your field :)

A general approach to life is to always make time for the things that interest you rather than focusing solely on the things that build your career. You will be surprised, over time, to discover that your life at work/school and outside of work/school merge and create the most interesting opportunities. For example, if cycling, running, reading, gaming, gives you joy, make time to do that and most importantly, connect with other people or communities in those areas so that you make friends and grow your network (it is much easier to work with or recommend someone you know, and the best way people get to know each other is through social settings, which sometimes become business or job opportunities). Even if no networking or job opportunity comes out of it, having joy makes life fun, which in turn makes you a fun/interesting person to hang out with, and also gives you a chance to tap into things that spark your interest. Someone with spark is generally way better in any aspect of life. So in short, to beat the monotony, avoid burnout, improve your social skills/life, develop networks, develop yourself outside work.....just to name a few, turn to your hobbies/things you enjoy doing, find similar people or communities in those shared interests, and the magic will flow.
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julian’s Answer

You are the one that makes thing different, so the way you face day by day makes your day
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Amy’s Answer

This is such a great question. I am not an accounting major, but I think people in many different fields can relate to thinking through this. For me, the answer is so much bigger than just focusing on my day to day job. Yes, it is important to think through why you like doing what you do, but think more broad than that too. It really helps to engage and connect with those around you. Doing the same thing over and over may get boring at times - but doing the same thing over and over with really great people who are in the weeds with you? Can make it 100 times better. I also like to think about working to live and not living to work. Someone in an earlier comment called this out too, but what do you like to do outside of work that sparks energy or joy within you? Make time for those things and remind yourself that doing a good job at your job is what fuels you to be able to then spend time outside of your job to unwind, or relax, or recharge yourself.

Looking more specifically at your role, I would also say, always be mindful of what it takes to get to that next level. We all have things to learn and grow and develop on the job. Always be considering and talking to people about what skills you need to develop in order to show growth at what you do. When you focus on improving in those areas, it can take some of the repetitiveness out of your work. That goes back to building those relationships and finding people to coach and develop you as you grow.
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Andrea’s Answer

In my experience it's a lot about the relationships you develop - they help to keep you engaged, growing and finding joy. It's easy to feel like job satisfaction comes from doing interesting things every day. But often it comes from helping others succeed, and making connections across teams. When things are feel like they are dragging, it's a good time to reach out to a work friend and see what they are up to, what's getting them motivated, or, honestly vent if that's what you need.

Lots and lots of research tells us that happiness and satisfaction in life come from strong relationships - and that's as true in the work world as it outside of work.

Andrea recommends the following next steps:

Join an affinity group in your company - a group of people with a shared interest or experience, e.g. Parent network, volunteer group, etc.
Identify someone who can be an informal mentor - doesn't have to be a structured experience, just a person who can make the experience at work human and relatable.
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