You've got your week all planned out when suddenly a new case pops up. It takes half a week to manage and throws everything out of kilter. Sound familiar?

If your weeks regularly go on like this you can start to get pretty downhearted. Don’t despair! Here we look at what you can do to keep yourself motivated and keep your team in tune.

Remember your interests

Start by looking at what part of work turns you on. What do you enjoy getting up for in the morning? What makes you enjoy your day?

Everyone is different. Some people get their satisfaction from helping others. Other people find satisfaction in multitasking, being busy and getting things done. Some enjoy working across the organisation and navigating the numerous relationships that can be developed out of a return to work coordinator role. Others like the diverse set of challenges in the job.

Remind yourself of a part of the job that you do enjoy. It's easy to forget the good parts of the job when things go off the rails.

When you've worked out the part of the job you enjoy, set yourself up with a reminder. Put a sign on your desk, put it in your diary and tell others about it so they can remind you.

Set yourself goals

Set yourself goals that fit with the part of the job you enjoy. These could include:

• Catching up with four supervisors a week and having one-on-one sessions with them, giving them feedback or training in return to work;
• Developing a new policy within a three month period;
• Ticking off three challenges you set yourself over a two-month period; or
• Reducing claims costs by a certain amount over a year.

Once you’ve set your goal, break it down into smaller chunks and write them into a timeline in your diary. Say your goal is to develop a new policy within three months. Here’s your plan:

• Work out what you will have done by the end of the first month;
• Focus on what you will need to have done each week; and
• Make your goals realistic and make sure you reward yourself when you've met them. The idea behind realistic goals is that you can get them done and then feel motivated by the results!

Team spirit

A return to work coordinator often works by themselves. It's hard. We all like some collegiate spirit, a chance to blow off steam and the opportunity to share ideas with each other.

Ask your boss if you can team up with others by going to a conference, or perhaps set up a monthly meeting with a few other return to work coordinators so you can chew the fat.

Why motivate yourself?

• It’s the best way to make the job as enjoyable as possible;
• Your approach will influence others;
• Remember how good it feels to be dealing with a motivated employee who rings you regularly, updates you on how they are going and makes positive suggestions? A motivated employee motivates you and others; and
• It’s the same with you. Your positive approach and enthusiasm infects others, making them more likely to cooperate. That also means you’re more likely to have an easier working week.

Motivating the team

While you’re working towards goals, you’ll want to encourage everybody to stay motivated. Here’s how:

• Ensure immediate recognition for a job well done. It is a great motivating factor for any individual. Recognition becomes especially important to those working under pressure and those who might be uncertain about their role.

• Recognise team members’ strengths and weaknesses. Providing them with opportunities to use their strengths will motivate them.

Some workplaces may have line managers who are better than others at dealing with people. Use their strengths to influence others. A supervisor with good people skills can help out others with less skill, whilst the mentoring role provides them recognition and a chance to shine.

Brainstorming can help when a situation or group is stuck. Bring some lightness to a brainstorming session. Bring coffee and some muffins, make the meeting friendly and give positive feedback.

• Let people know what's in it for them. It will make them more motivated. To do that though, you really have to work out what's in it for them. Is there anything in it for them or is it just more work?

• Nip cynics in the bud. This saves you work down the track. Sometimes, all difficult people require is more recognition from their boss or improved team morale. Their attitudes can be the result of a lingering problem that hasn’t been resolved; for example, a conflict between co-workers.

You’ll need to help solve these issues for once and for all. Try to work closely with them, presenting a positive and productive attitude as an example. They will take it in if they think it’s working for you.

• Motivate your boss. Do they understand what you do? Do they understand the financial impact of good return to work outcomes versus bad ones? Set yourself up a regular meeting with your boss. Tell them what you appreciate about their efforts. Tell your boss what you need and explain what more you could achieve with further support, further training, a change in this or a change in that. If they're motivated it'll make your job a whole lot easier.

• Motivate the whole organisation by motivating the person with the purse strings. The accountant, your chief financial officer or the managing director of your company. Let them know about the costs, direct and indirect, and the opportunities to improve the financial bottom line.