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At the moment, working at home has become the norm for many people due to the pandemic. And because of this change in routine and scenery, it might feel challenging to try and get motivated each day for work. A perfectly understandable feeling that many people are feeling, this may lead you to get distracted or not getting as much work done as you’d planned.
Even those who work from home full-time will have faced challenges because of the lockdown – including having their family around all the time when they would usually be at work/school. So it’s important to try and find ways to boost your motivation levels so that you can get work completed and have more time to spend with your loved ones.
To help guide you in the right direction, here are 8 simple tips that you can use whilst working from home:
Stick to a Schedule
There’s no denying that you will have had to face your schedule changing throughout the lockdown. And because of this, you might have found that you’re starting work later than you should or ending later than what your fixed work hours state – resulting in no real time to relax at the end of the day. This is why it’s important to try and create a realistic schedule (and stick to it), ensuring that you’ve put in time for work and time for you to unwind.
Giving your days structure, it will make your life feel more balanced and help to ease any stress you’ve been facing with trying to contend with this new way of life. However you create this schedule, whether it be via a spreadsheet or by writing it down in a notebook, it’s a step that everyone can take.
Have a Dedicated Working Space
Now, this might sound like an obvious one, but it’s still a very effective tip to use. Having a dedicated, creative office space in your home is vital to getting work done on time. Although you might want to work from the couch or your bed this won’t help with your productivity – instead leading you to get distracted. So the moment that you sit at that table or desk you’ll also be in the right frame of work – making your days more productive.
By working in this office, you could also benefit from tax relief as you’ll be having to pay for the extra electricity costs.
Dress for Work
Another way to get in the frame of mind for working and to feel more motivated is to dress as if you’re going to work. Although it might be tempting to work in your pyjamas or tracksuit, it might make you feel more relaxed and unproductive.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wear a full-on suit – unless you’re in a series of important video calls all day in which you’re talking to clients. Just that you look smart and you feel ready for a day of working; as you still want to be comfortable at the end of the day.
Don’t Forget to Eat!
When working from home, some days might be very hectic – leading to you feeling as though you’re attached to your laptop and though you can’t leave it for any reason. But during the day, it’s vital that you take a break and get something to eat and drink (e.g cold brew coffee).
Boosting your energy levels, you’ll feel more productive and ready to get back to work. By skipping meals, you’ll only feel more drained and the quality of your work may suffer from it. So as well as breakfast, have some lunch and plan what you’re going to have for dinner in the evening.
Take Breaks
Following on from the above, as well as taking breaks to eat lunch or get a tea/coffee, you should also reward yourself with a break to go for a walk or sit and talk with your family. This opportunity is a wonderful way to take a breather before you have to go back and finish your working day.
Giving your mind some time to refresh itself, you’ll return feeling rejuvenated and motivated. In terms of walks and other outdoor exercise, this is particularly important for those with less flexibility in their working day. Even if you have strict deadlines, you still need a break to get some fresh air. As without doing this, you’re damaging your eyes and not getting the exercise you require to live a healthy lifestyle.
Communicate with Fellow Employees
If you’re used to being in an office full of people, working from home must have come as a real shock initially. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t communicate with your fellow employees throughout the day even though you’re in a different environment.
This doesn’t just mean meetings via a video call, however. This could just be a quick video call each day/week to see how you are all feeling and coping with this different way of working. Emails just don’t cut it as the only way to communicate. So schedule in some time if you can for a catch up with your friends at work.
At the moment, everyone is in the same boat. And although some offices are starting to reopen, many are remaining as remote working only until more restrictions are lifted. Because of this, it could feel as though you’re shut off from your colleagues. But thankfully because of technology, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Shut off The Distractions
When working from home, there is a whole host of distractions around you. So, to make sure that your work isn’t suffering and that each day is productive, it’s a good idea to try and shut these off – only until the end of the working day when you can reward yourself by exposing yourself to them.
From turning your phone onto silent to explaining to your family that you need a few hours to work in your dedicated office space, there are particular steps that you can take to try and make your working day more focused. Even though everyday life is unpredictable, by doing this on top of the above, you’ll start to feel more motivated.
Practice Self-Care
Even though this is briefly touched on above with taking regular breaks, there are other self-care practices that you can try when working for home that will have a direct impact on your motivation levels. At the end of each day, you could treat yourself to some TLC – whether that be in the form of a hot bubble bath, a delicious meal or precious time with your family.
There needs to be a definitive way to mark the end of the working day – otherwise, you may start to feel burnt out and as though there isn’t a division between the two. Self-care is more important now than ever what with everything that’s going on – so it’s essential to not neglect this in favour of your work.
Final Thoughts
So, there you go! Those are 8 simple tips you can use to help you to stay motivated whilst working from home. The steps you take to achieve this, of course, are up to you. But whichever proactive changes you make to the way that you’re working, you’ll start to see an increase in your motivation and productivity levels that will benefit you in your everyday life.
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