How do you stay motivated in a home environment? Here are 7 Strategies to Stay Motivated Working from Home that you can implement to keep you focused and productive.

More and more people than ever before are working from home.  Approximately 15 million businesses worldwide are run from home. The estimated full-time job losses in 2020 worldwide due to the pandemic was 225 million forcing many people to consider working from home.

The thought of working from home is very appealing to many of us. However, as good as our intentions are, it is easy to get distracted and spend time doing stuff that takes us away from our purpose.

1. Have a Schedule

Having a schedule is the first good step.  Set designated hours – it doesn’t matter if you are a person who burns the midnight oil and sleeps all day, or you are up bright and early in the morning and early to bed at night. Whatever hours work for you are the hours you should designate.

Schedule mealtimes, showers, exercise, and breaks, and stick to them. In the beginning, it helps to set alarms to alert you throughout your working hours.

2. Designated Work Area

My husband and I do a lot of housesits and finding an ideal place to work is not always easy. Sometimes, the owners have offices and allow us to work from there which is great. But if you are in your own home, there are things you can do to create the ideal workspace.

• Find a private area. When choosing a place try to find something private where you can make calls, focus on your tasks, and be as free from distractions as possible.

• Make it a calming place. Add some personal touches so that you feel comfortable in your environment such as a plant, pictures of your family, or a beautiful painting that speaks to you.

• Be comfortable. Maybe you can’t have a big beautiful desk but having a comfortable chair is important to avoid aches and pains, especially back pain. Working on a keyboard all day can be uncomfortable if you have to lean over.

• Organize your area. Tidying up everything at the end of the day will ensure you have an uncluttered area when you return to work. If you don’t have room for a filing cabinet, get some file baskets where you can organize work in progress, urgent work, work completed, etc.

• Have adequate lighting. There’s nothing worse than squinting at your screen or the pages in front of you because you can’t see! Proper lighting makes sense. The best-case scenario is being positioned where there is a window with lots of natural light but this isn’t always available. So what can you do? Purchase a natural desk light or floor lamp, or both!

3. Allow Yourself to Take Breaks

Research has shown that taking a break (5 minutes to an hour), will refresh your brain and body, rejuvenate you, make you more productive, and aid in focusing.

This is something else I used to struggle with. Now, I take an hour’s lunch break and will cook something for both my husband and me. It gives me much-needed time away from working and gives us a chance to connect. If he’s busy, I read for pleasure.

• Move – Stretch or take a short walk, play some music, daydream, meditate, phone a friend and share some laughs.

• Physically remove yourself from your work area – this includes checking on emails (and social media) or any work-related activity.

• Make it a habit whatever you choose to do – You will be surprised at how your internal clock will eventually kick in and let you know it is time to take a break.

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4. Dress for Work

You are probably thinking why…no one will see me. Well, it is much more than that.

• Routine – being dressed for work puts you in work mode, just the same as if you were heading to the office for the day. When you have finished work, change it into something more casual or appropriate for the rest of your day and evening.

• Confidence – you can take on the day!

• Positivity – sets the tone for the day – a positive mindset.

• Awareness – helps to motivate and increase productivity.

Make sure your clothes are comfortable – soft sweaters, dresses, nice jeans, and soft shoes instead of your usual slippers. Wear clothes that make you feel good.

5. Set Small Goals and Reward Yourself

Setting small goals and achieving them gives you a sense of accomplishment. Rewarding yourself gives you something to look forward to. Maybe you just completed a difficult report or made a big sale.

• Satisfaction – It gives you a sense of accomplishment knowing that you completed the task you started.

• It helps you to stay motivated – There are times when the going will get tough. Having something to look forward to will help to keep you motivated and productive.

• Rewards don’t have to be big – It can be as simple as meeting a friend after work, or watching a movie that you have been dying to see, or doing something special with the family.

6. Set a Timer for Tasks

In the beginning, this is a great way to stay on track. There are even apps available to make this a little easier. Eventually, you will get a feel for how much time to allot to certain tasks. There are several ways this can help.

• Stay organized – Help you stay on top of things.

• Set boundaries – Keep your work separate from your personal time.

• Time management – This allows you to manage your time to move on to the next task.

• Stick to the task at hand – Keep you focused on the task at hand instead of being distracted.

7. Take Care of Yourself

This is so important.  Working at home, full-time, means you have to be more conscious of taking care of yourself. It is so easy to get caught up in our work (I am guilty of that), not eat properly or exercise regularly, and sacrifice sleep.

• Eat – Schedule at least one nutritious meal a day, keep healthy snacks on hand, and keep drinking water nearby.

• Exercise – You can fit this into your scheduled breaks. Take a short bike ride, walk, go for a swim (if you have a pool), do some yoga, or do a favourite exercise routine. According to the Mayo Clinic, 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise is sufficient for daily wellness. Avoid sitting for long periods as it can cause metabolic issues (such as breathing, and digesting our food). Just move!

• Sleep – Ideally, it is recommended that you get between 7 and 8 hours a sleep a night. A good night’s sleep will leave you feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to tackle a new day.

• Turn it off at the end of the day – Friends and family need to understand that you are working but make time to connect after working, whether it is sharing a meal together, watching a movie, talking on the phone, spending some time on a hobby you love, or having a warm relaxing bath before bed.

Do a to-do list at the end of the day and leave it behind; it will be there when you are ready to begin again with a refreshed mind.

Conclusion

Working from home can be rewarding but it can also be challenging and cause stress – avoiding distractions, not having enough time to get things done, not spending time with family and friends, feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated, etc.

By following these 7 Steps to Stay Motivated Working from Home, you will be more productive, feel a sense of accomplishment, and connect with those close to you.

Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t always go according to plan. Keep trying out the strategies that work best for you. Have fun! At the end of the day, the choice is yours.

Do you dream about working from home but are not sure where to start? Take the next step today!