Learning how to be motivated to work is key if you want to work from home. Check out this post to learn ways to improve your productivity.
Work from a local coffee shop? Take the afternoon off? Sweatpants or no pants?
These are the daily questions of a remote employee.
Flexible hours and workspace mobility are a few work perks of the remote workforce. Studies also show improved productivity, which could be the reason that the number of people working from home has increased 4% since 2012.
But with all this flexibility and freedom, how does one stay motivated? In reality, it takes self-discipline to be successful when working from home.
Here’s more on how to be motivated to work from home, like a boss.
Early Bird or Night Owl?
Are you an early bird gets the worm type, or does burning the midnight oil help you function best?
Determining your productivity window is key to keeping yourself motivated at work. The majority of people are most productive in the morning, with 11 am being the golden hour.
Your day should be structured around peak times when you are most alert and attentive. Save time-consuming projects for your most productive hours. Use those less motivating moments (i.e. 4 pm on a Friday) to complete quick tasks or answer emails.
It may take a bit of trial and error, but once you set a schedule that works, you’ll be able to manage your time effectively and efficiently to stay motivated to work.
Take a Break
When you’re churning out project assignments left and right, eventually that productivity is going to peak, then plummet. Hitting pause on your daily grind and taking a break will help you to avoid burning yourself out.
Our brain’s focus best for periods of 90 to 120 minutes, so take some in-between time to unplug, recharge and run errands.
Take advantage of downtime and grab a coffee, go grocery shopping or take the dog for a walk. Fight that 3 o’clock slump by going for a quick run or squeezing in a yoga session. It will provide that burst of energy you need to make it through the rest of the day.
Find a Work Space That Actually Works
While working from the comfort of your bed or friend’s couch may sound like a good idea, it isn’t conducive to productivity. Place yourself in a proper work environment that is quiet, comfortable, and well-organized.
A home office space is ideal, yet you can set up shop anywhere with internet access.
Take advantage of fresh air, nature and natural sunlight and set up a bistro table on your patio or porch. Place a small desk in your dining room or turn your kitchen island into a functional workspace.
For those who wonder how to be motivated to work, setting up a safe and comfortable workstation is key.
While some people work best at home, others need a more structured and functional work environment, which is why they choose to rent their own office space.
There’s more here on coworking office spaces.
Say No to Netflix
When working from home, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Instagram stories beckon our attention.
With technology at your fingertips and nobody looking over your shoulder at your daily activity, distractions can happen.
Tune out productivity hinders by turning off the TV and signing off Facebook Messenger and GChat.
No need to work in complete silence, better yet put on a music playlist to improve your focus. Here are a few Spotify recommendations:
- Brain Food
- Deep Focus
- Workday Lounge
- Focus Flow
- Productive Morning
A productive work day leads to a less stressful evening, so leave tv time and social media monitoring for lunch breaks or after work hours.
Set Goals
When working from home it can be tempting to snooze in later, take long lunches and end a workday early to attend happy hour. Setting realistic daily and weekly goals can help you stay on track.
Just finished a long and complicated project? Unwind with a glass of wine or order takeout for dinner. Rewarding yourself for completing tasks and meeting your goals will help you to stay motivated.
Stay Social
Working from home shouldn’t lead to a hermit lifestyle. Absent are the office break room chats and after-work happy hour sessions. Be sure to fill in those conversation gaps and get in some daily human interaction.
Meet a friend for lunch, cook dinner with your significant other or take a 15-minute break and have a catch-up call with a family member.
How To Be Motivated To Work Successfully
You may miss out on office birthday cakes and sociable co-workers, but for those self-motivated individuals, working from home boasts its own set of work perks.
Learning how to be motivated to work from home will promote increased productivity, essentially setting you up for success. We have a few more tips on being successful in your career.