How to Stay Motivated When You’re Working from Home during Lockdown
This isn’t business as usual, and it’s a time of great stress and uncertainty
Many people are likely to have worked from home at some point in their life. Communications technology means we can stay connected remotely. However, fewer people are likely to have worked from home for a sustained period, as is now the case of the global health crisis of 2020 with the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
For many of us, working from home over many days and weeks is a whole new world and is very challenging around our daily efforts, including communication, alignment, motivation and productivity.
On the flip side, if you look at some of the advantages of working from the comfort of your own home, which can include being close to your family, and having the luxury of wearing what you want when you want. While it’s awesome to have loads of flexibility, working from home can also be distracting at times. So we must try and manage our time the best we can.
To help you with adapting to this new way of operating, below are a few ideas I’ve put together across eight top tips on remaining motivated when working from home.
These key areas have helped me so far, so I am hoping they can help you as well.
1. Select a space and make a home office based on your own needs — Some people may enjoy sitting on their couch, watching television, listening to music, sitting at a desk or kitchen table to enjoy a nice hot drink and little snack whilst working. Creating a working environment can get you in the right headspace that you need to work productively. The home office serves a great purpose, so you just need to find what works best for you.
2. Wake Up Early — Treat your mornings like you have a job to go to. When you do something you truly love, it’s not hard to find the motivation needed to succeed.
3. Create a Regular Routine and Exercise — Organisation and daily planning are key throughout the week to help remain focused on the job at hand. Try to set a time for exercise in the mornings so that you’re ready to tackle the day ahead. Maybe follow YouTube fitness videos or apps and mix your workouts between cardio, bodyweight exercises, yoga or Pilates to stay active and healthy whilst being at home.
4. Surround yourself with like-minded people — It’s good to check in with people who share the same interest as you. Technology can be a great tool to stay connected, whether it’s by phone, video call or email to communicate. The company you surround yourself with has a great deal of influence on how you behave, both in your personal life and also in the workplace too. I always say ‘ Great minds think alike’.
5. Take Regular Breaks — Taking breaks help boost productivity. Allowing yourself time to rest is so important during the day, if you don’t take some time to recuperate away from your computer, notepad or phone you may become burnt out by the afternoon. Be sure to take a full lunch break, and a few short breaks throughout the day. You will feel so much more refreshed when you return to your desk and feel ready to tackle the full working day.
6. Get Dressed For Work — Fashion isn’t on the top of the priority list when the world is on lockdown, but I have read that psychologists recommend you get dressed for work rather than joining the video calls in your PJs. More than just keeping up appearances, it helps to get your mind in work mode.
7. Work Smarter — Such as the quote from Steve Jobs “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Working smarter saves precious time and energy for the things that really matter — your life goals and ambitions, your personal growth, your health and your relationships.
Learn Something New — Work is likely to slow down for many people during the pandemic but this can also help us to create a new opportunity. Think about what else you can do during this period to develop another line to your work. Maybe take an online course, maybe learn a new language. Try to use this time as a window to learn something new.
“Lost time is never found again.” — a quote by Benjamin Franklin.
Written by Becky Gregory
