7 ways to keep motivated when working from home
Finding motivation while working from home shouldn’t have to be difficult.
As I write this, Sydney has gone into lockdown for two weeks - and today is day two (or is it twenty?).
If you are a freelancer or are self-employed, you may already be a master of the stay-at-home-and-work-while-avoiding-life-admin working arrangement. However, if this is still reasonably new and you’re planning to avoid the incessant call of the fridge, TV or bed, read on.
Here are a few tips I’ve picked up over my four years that may help keep you motivated when working from home:
1. Find a suitable working space
Note, I have written space. This means a place as far away from the couch, dining table, kitchen and bedroom as possible. All these comfortable spaces are both alluring and time-sucking. If you haven’t got a study, set up a desk in a place where you can hear yourself think. Creativity cannot come from a chaotic headspace.
2. Prepare your meals
I know what you’re thinking. Great, I have to meal prep on top of my many attempts to pry myself away from Too Hot To Handle. Well, yes. Sorry. By having your lunch and snacks for the day ready to go, you will be able to spend less time in the kitchen and more time ticking off your to-do list.
3. Take your lunch break
If you find yourself thinking about putting on a load of washing; getting in some exercise; or what snack you’re going to eat next; it’s time to take a break. You may feel like you need to push through to get more work done, but if you give yourself a beat to reset, you can come back with a fresh mind, ready for action.
4. Keep a to-do list
When you sit down with your first brew of the day, don’t immediately check your emails. First, write down a list of work tasks you need to achieve that day. This way, no matter what is sitting in your inbox, you will have your core list to come back to once you’ve replied to Karen’s urgent email about how much you’ll tip in for Esme’s farewell gift. If you didn’t get around to ticking off a task, write it first on tomorrow’s to-do list. That way you’ll be prepped and ready in the morning.
5. Get dressed
I would say ‘get dressed like you are going into the office’, but let’s be real. Loungewear is so 2021 and I’m here for it. Just make a smidge of effort by getting out of your Bluey flannelette PJs before your 8:30 am team Zoom call, and you’ll be kicking those work goals in no time. Side note, slippers are very acceptable footwear. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
6. Be kind to yourself (and others)
We’re all going through a lot. Many of us have kids (hello home-schooling!) which are a juggle even on a good day. Pets also love a chat right when you’ve picked up a call from your boss. So, if you need to break up your day into bursts of work time and home management, that’s ok. We’re all doing it. Set boundaries as much as you can, and whatever you do, don’t let your partner seduce you into a quick midday ‘session’. It may lead to a nap, and then you’ll never get back to your 465 unread emails that need to be replied to by 5pm. Not that I’ve done that or anything… *cough*. Moving on.
7. Stop scrolling
Yes, I know Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg have built their empires on instant gratification, but don’t let them suck you in. At least not between the hours of 9am and 5pm (or whatever work hours you abide to). Once you click on that happy little rainbow icon, you know you’ll be workshopping your next dance reel, pointing at non-existent text to a poppy beat. Or you’ll be stalking your ex. Either way, unless you do it for a living, leave any social media scrolling for lunch time and after work (I’ve heard 6pm is usually the best time to post to get the largest reach anyway 😉).
Do you have any tips to keep yourself motivated while working from home? Let me know!
