Motivation is often the result of action, not the cause of it. Getting started, even in very small ways, is a form of active inspiration that naturally produces momentum.

Newton’s First Law applied to habit formation: Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. 

Once a task has begun, it is easier to continue moving it forward. In other words, it is often easier to finish a task than it was to start it in the first place.

• Do not make assumptions about a disengaged employee's performance. While statistically, such employees do underperform, there can be other reasons too.
• Do not force an employee to be someone they are not. Everyone cannot be happy and optimistic all the time.
• Do not get emotional, and stick to a transactional, formal, work-focused style. Do not expect to win their hearts or influence them by appealing to their emotions.
• Do not assign employees tasks beyond their area of expertise.

• Use extrinsic motivating factors such as incentives and rewards to get productivity from a disengaged employee.
• Understand what drives them, connect with them, gaining their trust and respect without being emotional, and focus on what they value.
• Respect an employee's personal space and their need to distance their problems from their work.

Ultimately, it is what an employee delivers that matters most, and a manager has to focus on figuring out how to get the work done.

Truly working 40 hours in a week is rare because just completing your work hours doesn't amount to real work. 40 hours of great work output can come from 60 or more hours of 'regular' work.

Work can also take many different forms, and is not confined to the working that is 'visible'.

Discover something you love to do, that you’re good at doing, and that you can get compensated for.

When work becomes play, it doesn't stress us out and doesn't seem to exhaust us. Work that is fun for us, becomes great work. Joyful, meaningful work is one of the keys to being successful.