9 Top Tips To Boost Your Motivation When Working From Home
One of the many effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is that many of us are now faced with working from home.
Of course, working from home comes with lots of perks — from zero commuting to the opportunity to wear your ‘monster feet’ slippers to a (albeit virtual) meeting.
But it can also be difficult, especially when it comes to keeping yourself motivated .
In the workplace, you get social interaction from your coworkers, you have a disciplined schedule, and you’re made accountable for your work by a physically present boss. So how are you supposed to keep motivated to get things done now all these factors are gone?
That’s where we come in.
To get the most out of this new and adapted way of working, these following tips will help make you a happier, healthier and more motivated person.
9 Tips To Boost Your Motivation
1. Reward Yourself
It’s as simple as having your favourite snack once you’ve completed an important project, or working really intensely until lunchtime so you can have an hour watching your favourite show.
Incorporating micro rewards makes you feel more accomplished and gives you the respite you need to keep your motivation up for the entire day.
But remember to use these rewards in moderation. Without this willpower, your two hours of hard work in the morning will prove slightly inadequate after spending the next six hours binge watching Friends.
2. Challenge Yourself
On the flip side, a little challenge here and there can help get your motivation juices flowing too.
It may seem odd to be adding more challenges right now — haven’t we all got enough to deal with? Absolutely we do. But these aren’t challenges that will bring extra stress and strain into your working day.
Instead, these are challenges that will leave you feeling accomplished.
For example, maybe it took you two hours to complete one of your more monotonous tasks the day before, and today you’re going to aim to slash thirty minutes off this time.
Setting challenges is very much like setting goals. And of course, when you meet your goals, you’re left feeling more motivated to carry on working hard.
3. Wake Up Early
When there’s no one there to hold you accountable, you can end up with little to no motivation for getting up at a reasonable hour.
But, if you’re able to pry yourself away from your cosy cocoon of warmth an hour or so before you start work, you end up with much more extra time for yourself.
You can do whatever you like with this additional time. Some people like to exercise, others prefer to spend this time relaxing, getting a few chores out the way, or making themselves their favourite breakfast. Early mornings are also a great time for you to practice self-care (but more on that in a tic!)
I know what you’re thinking — I can do all of this after work, what benefit is sacrificing sleep in the morning?
Well, studies have shown that waking up early actually makes you a much more motivated, proactive person. Further research has even concluded that there is a relation between waking up early and success!
So, even if you’re not a naturally early riser (guilty as charged), it’s still worth a shot.
4. Wake Up Early…And Dance!
We’re all aware of the great feeling you get from some time on the dance floor.
From parties, to weddings, to even aerobic classes, it’s an unmatched dopamine boost. So why not use these feel-good effects to raise your motivation?
Claudia Colvin, Founder of Nobody’s Watching believes that the best way to boost your motivation is to fit a dance into your morning routine:
“I dance to three uplifting songs as soon as I wake up and then take a dance break any time my energy slumps in the day. It works! I’m starting a Wake Up and Dance Challenge next week to spread the dance motivation.”
Even if dancing isn’t normally your thing, don’t knock this tip till you’ve tried it!
5. Practice Self-Care
Self-care is more than treating yourself here and there. In fact, practicing self-care should be considered a non-negotiable aspect of your day-to-day life.
Self-care doesn’t have to be as indulgent as a bubble bath, a face mask and an extra large glass of wine at the end of your working day. Instead, it’s as simple as ensuring a healthy diet, lots of rest and some good self-care strategies, such as exercising, reading, or partaking in a hobby. Basically, it’s doing whatever it is that helps you feel happy and healthy.
As for your social needs, although video chatting isn’t quite the same as meeting up in person, it’s still a good way to keep connected, and it can also help remind you of who and what it is that motivates you to succeed.
6. Get Some Fresh Air
When you feel yourself dragging, the best remedy can be some fresh air.
As #7 on our top tips for working from home states, putting aside some time to be outside and in the fresh air is extremely beneficial for both your mental and physical health.
You could go for a walk or run, or simply take your cup of coffee and stand outside your front door for five minutes.
According to research by Head Talks, fresh air decreases your stress and anxiety levels. Anxiety and stress are often linked (especially when it comes to work), so by tackling both, you’re able to recharge.
Try it out: the next time you have a motivation lull whilst working, stop everything you’re doing and go for a fifteen minute walk. I can almost guarantee that when you come back to your desk with a clear head, your motivation and productivity will soar.
7. Have Fun With Your Work!
Getting creative and finding ways to make your work more fun can also give you a much needed boost, especially when you’re working on one of your more boring tasks — there’s always that one thing in every job we don’t enjoy, right?
“Change to planning/ brainstorming/ writing with crayons — your brain will see it as play. You’ll be more creative and more energetic!”
Dr Jennifer Jones, Author and Writing Coach.
8. Treat Your Mornings Like You Have a Job to Go to
Of course, skipping the morning commute is a big perk of working from home (unless you’re partial to traffic jams and stuffy train journeys).
However, without this routine of leaving the house, you can easily become cooped up indoors for the entire day. This will play havoc on your motivation.
Tackle this by incorporating a walk into your morning routine. This enables you to slip in a bit of exercise whilst also getting you mentalled prepared for work when you walk back through your front door.
9. Practice Gratitude
The power of ‘counting your blessings’ can often escape us, yet it’s one of the best free sources of self-motivation that we should all be capitalising on!
Make it a ritual to set aside five minutes of your day to be by yourself, to pause and to reflect. There are lots of different ways to practice gratitude, in fact, Lifehack has 40 . But one of the simplest practices you can do is write down three things you’re grateful for each day.
By doing this, you’ll start to notice more of the good in your life, triggering appreciation, self-improvement, and — you guessed it — motivation!
It doesn’t really matter when you do this, although many find that writing down their gratitudes first thing in the morning puts them in good stead for the rest of the day.
We really hope that some (if not all) of these tips will help you to feel more motivated in your working from home routine.
But remember — it’s ok to feel unmotivated. In fact, it’s normal considering everything that we’re currently facing. But it’s important that you do what you can to look after yourself.
On that note, we wish you luck with improving your work from home motivation. And you never know, morning dances and mind mapping with crayons might just be the making of your career…
Originally published at https://academy.jump.work.
