Five Ways to Use Photographs to Motivate

The old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words,” rings true in many situations, but how do you use your photographs to speak for you? Whether you are looking to encourage your children to believe in themselves, or just highlight someone special in the workplace for their achievements, studies have shown photographs can raise self-esteem.

How do you choose the right picture to use, or where the perfect placement will be? Follow these simple suggestions, and you’ll be seeing an improvement in attitudes throughout your life.

Feature your children in a family photo. Some people believe that having a prominently displayed photo of your children as part of the family unit can help them have a sense of belonging. These happy family photos, whether they are professional, or just candid moments captured with your phone, will show that you see your children as an important part of your life, and you want others to see it as well.

Be sure to also highlight individual achievements. Did your child place in their karate tournament, or score the winning goal in their soccer game? Capturing these moments on a digital file is the easy part, but don’t let these winning moments be lost forever in a sea of cloud based software. Printing these photos and placing them in a frame in your home will make them aware just how proud you are. Make a family achievement wall with all gold or all silver frames, or mix your metals to make it more unique.

Motivate outstanding behavior in the classroom with a “student of the week.” Children can often feel overlooked in a large classroom setting, and one of the most important jobs of an educator is to encourage. Rotating a Student of the Week that is displayed in your room will keep the children striving to always do better, and earn that coveted position. Look for all kinds of opportunities, not just academics. Good behavior, kindness towards another student and excellent manners can all be great ways to earn the honor.

Be a great coach by recognizing amazing sportsmanship. The easiest way to do this is similar to motivating in the classroom. Simply choose a player each week to be your VIP. Holding a special pre-practice meeting to openly recognize this person to the team will help everyone else to have a chance to congratulate them as well, and keep your team morale high. For especially outstanding students that are moving on, retiring a jersey displayed in a case is a way to permanently remind future students of their achievements.

Make a memory board in the office of after-work activities. Volunteer work, social activities and team building workshops are great places to take pictures, and hang them in the hallway. It will remind your coworkers that they are more than your colleagues. They are teammates, family and especially friends.