Maintaining motivation while working from home can be grueling and sometimes thought of as impossible. As a work-from-home mom, I completely understand the struggle. Some days I will find myself working on every other assignment than the one I desperately need to. To maintain motivation, you must also keep up the drive of energy into your day. Feeling lackluster about accomplishing tasks or filling yourself with negative emotions can directly impact your motivational urge to work. I found that inadequate sleep and not properly taking care of yourself are highly correlated with a loss of motivation. There are many ways to provoke inspiration in getting things done. Here are my top three tips:
1. Schedule Your Life
Working from home opens endless opportunities. The door to freedom is open, but so is the door to your refrigerator. When I began working from home, I remember walking into the kitchen at least 100 times a day. All I wanted to do was eat, sleep, and relax – not work. A job outside of the house means waking up, getting dressed, and obtaining a head start toward feeling energized in starting your day at the office. So how was I supposed to create the same atmosphere at home? Two words: A schedule!
Planning out your day might seem time-consuming; however, it fosters excellent time management. Develop a schedule that promotes a healthy work-life balance. Create a morning routine to achieve a head start on gaining energy before you dive right into work. Divide your work into sections of the day. Do you perform a specific task better in the morning or the afternoon? Would you rather handle phone calls after your morning coffee, or is it more beneficial for you to wait until you are in the right mindset for social interaction?
Besides a schedule, you will also need to break the day down into smaller tasks. For example, create a checklist of all the calls you will need to make, the documents that require printing, what must be designed or mandated. It is common to lose track of your “to-do’s” when you are feeling overwhelmed. Taking a moment in the morning to write out all that is expected from you can supply you with improved insight and a solid foundation to succeed. If you begin losing the motivation to complete a task, then try switching it up by working on another part of your list.
2. Workspace
It is essential to organize and declutter a dedicated area to work. You should have a room or a spot in your home that is exclusive for performing your job. Creating a home office is vital for success as other areas can present distractions. Obviously, working in front of your television is not ideal; instead, having a well-lit desk with all your necessary tools to accomplish your task will help you carry out that work with diligence. You must ensure that your workspace is spacious or arranged nicely not to feel weighed down. Before I began working from home, I was a stay-at-home mom. A dirty house engulfed me in a discouraged, pessimistic mindset. But a clean home invigorated me to live life to the fullest and never to give up. The same is said for a workspace.
A dedicated area to work is gravely important; however, you should also consider a change of environment when you begin feeling closed in. Ever heard the saying, “same thing, different day?” Well, this is because you need to liven up your surroundings. A change in your environment can make or break your motivation. The best part of working from home is that you can do it from anywhere in the world with internet access. You can leave the house in the morning with your laptop or tablet and skip the drive-thru for coffee. Instead, go inside and sit down, set up shop, and begin working on assignments while sipping your morning brew. If you feel that this is not possible for your job, step outside for a few moments to make those phone calls. Take a deep breath of fresh air and head back inside to finish other tasks. A small something is always better than nothing.
3. Be Happy
Tedious work can be damaging to your mental health, which then proceeds to affect your physical endeavors. You should look forward to working on a task with a sense of accomplishment always in the back of your mind. Every job will provide us with new knowledge to obtain and wisdom to share with others. Find the value in what you do – for the worth of a job intertwines with the worth of your body, mind, and soul.
Indeed, working on what you love is not work at all. Some people are lucky to build a successful life based on their passions, and others must find a way to get through another day. If you are one of those that dread your job, then delve into why. What can you change? What positives can you bring to the table? Remember, do not ever settle in life, for this world holds many opportunities – you just have to be willing to take the leap of faith.
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