It is easy to agree that working from home definitely has its perks. You are able to do your hard work for the day with your puppy curled up on your lap while listening to your favorite music. While these are things we all long for while daydreaming in the office, they can be quite distracting at times.
The structure and accountability present in an office is undeniable. The meetings, social interactions, and presence of a boss keeps us on task all day. Losing all of these motivators can make you feel like you’re a little lost during the workday. However, with some simple restructuring and openness to trying new things, you will find yourself more motivated and productive than you ever thought you could be working from home.
1. Define Your Workspace
Your workspace should be a place meant for work. Watching television, munching on snacks, and lounging on the couch are activities that everyone enjoys. They should not be activities you do in your workspace. Having a set and defined space within your home that is meant for work will help you to become focused when you are in that space.
Design the space to look like an office. Have all your office necessities such as a printer, pens, paper, and copier in close proximity to you. Creating a space that looks and feels like a traditional work setting will give you some of the structure that a traditional office offers.
The last thing you want to do is work in the same room you sleep. The urge to sleep is very strong, and it kills productivity. Also, you do not want the stress of the workday associated with the place you sleep. Your bed is a place to relax and recharge, not a place to conduct work. The experts at QuietLivity recommend entrepreneurs to install blackout curtains in their rooms to block out light when they retire for the night. Sleep will be deeper and they’re especially useful for individuals who work odd hours.
2. Prepare for the Workday
Even though you are not going anywhere, it is important to get out of bed and get dressed. Set a time every morning that you want to wake up and begin working. Getting into this habit conditions you to be in the mindset to be productive every morning.
If you were driving into the office every day you would have a morning routine, so create one. It doesn’t have to be extensive or complicated. Simply have a set time you wake up, eat breakfast, and get dressed. Having a morning routine gives your body and mind time to wake up and prepare to do work.
Getting dressed is a step in your morning routine that should not be overlooked. You can feel a difference in your energy when you are wearing pajamas, opposed to black tie attire. Obviously it would be silly to wear black tie attire with no one to admire how amazing you look, but it would not kill you to put on some jeans and a t-shirt. You will feel significantly more awake and motivated wearing clothes that you feel confident in.
3. Stick to a Schedule
As previously stated, having a routine can be extremely motivating. The more routine and structure you can bring into your workday, the more motivated you will feel throughout it. Having a list of tasks you need to accomplish organizes your day and helps you to avoid distractions.
While it is recommended to be detailed with the schedule, many people don’t require that. If you are one of those people, it is still beneficial to bring some structure into your day. Start every day with the same type of task and end the day with mundane business maintenance tasks. Having a set schedule, even this vague, creates a flow for your day that keeps you productive.
4. Get Active
Getting up and walking around once every hour can drastically help improve your motivation. This doesn’t need to be a long break by any means. Standing up, stretching your legs, and taking a lap around the house could be all you need. The activity will stimulate your body and help fight fatigue.
Engaging in low-stress exercise is not only good for your body, but your mind too. Walking around gives you new scenery and can spark new ideas. Exercise also releases endorphins that put you in a good mood. If you are happy while working, it is easier to stay motivated and excited about your work.
If you have the ability, it is beneficial to take this activity outside. Again, you do not have to make this a long break. Maybe walk to the mailbox, or just stand outside and enjoy the sun and breeze. Taking a mental break while engaging your body could be the recharge you need to stay motivated for the day.
5. Stay Social
It is well known that social interaction is vital to humans and has countless positive effects, including stimulating your brain. Consistently working from home alone can quickly become lonely. Chatting with friends online can make you feel a little better but overall it is not the same as face-to-face interaction, and it can be quite distracting. It is easy to combat this feeling though.
As previously mentioned, it is beneficial for you to take breaks throughout the day. If you have time for a fifteen-minute break, go to the gas station up the street and treat yourself to a soda and some human interaction. You could also run to the grocery store, or stop by a Dunkin Donuts for coffee. Really anything that will get you around people, even if it just talking to a cashier. Having this interaction gives you a mental break from working and refocuses you to be more productive when you get back home.
If you really are not handling being alone all the time well, which is understandable, you can always go to a shared workspace. These are places where other people in the same boat as you come to get work done. Starbucks and many other coffee shops offer this environment. It can be extremely motivating to be surrounded by other people getting work done, so it is worth trying out.
6. Create a Vision Board
A vision board is something you can look at that reminds you of your goals and expectations for your future. You can include goals for your personal life as well as your business. It is something that is completely customized to you. Simply being reminded of your goals can be extremely motivating.
You can create a hard copy of a vision board by using any type of board and attaching pictures and quotes that remind you of your goals to it. It is also possible to create one electronically. You can use numerous tools to do this, even ones as simple as Google Docs or PowerPoint. Just attach any reminders of business or personal dreams to it. Instantly, you’ll have a personalized board with everything that motivates you on it.
7. Set Up a Reward System
It is common in many workplaces to have an incentive or reward system in place. So why can’t you have one? The answer is you can, and you probably should.
Having a personal reward system can be very motivating. It doesn’t necessarily matter what the reward system is. Make it personal to you. If you accomplish a difficult task in a set time frame, take a trip to the movies or your favorite bar. Whatever makes you happy and would motivate you — make that your reward.
8. Take Up a New Hobby
As you know, when working from home there are no time-consuming meetings or events. The elimination of these elements from a workday frees up a lot of time. You may be able to get eight hours of work in a traditional office done in six hours at home. To fill some of this extra time you have, take up a new hobby or project.
Having something you are excited about outside of your work can help you be more productive when working. Finding a new hobby gives you something to look forward to doing after you finish working. This desire motivates you to be productive during your workday.
If you are stumped on what hobby you could take up, no need to stress. All you have to do is google “hobby ideas” and sites with hundreds of ideas will pop up. There are countless hobbies and one is bound to interest you.
Staying Motivated
Staying motivated is difficult for everyone at times. If you’re working from home it can be especially difficult. Working from home allows you to have freedom that no other workplace offers. While this is an amazing feeling and a great job to have, it can be distracting. Not being able to stay motivated can create unnecessary stress in an otherwise great job. You do not deserve that. Not every tip and trick is going to work for everyone, but keep an open mind and you might be surprised.
