How To Stay Motivated When You're Working From Home

Working from home can give you great flexibility, but it can also make it more difficult to get your work done in a timely manner. Not having your boss and coworkers around can really reduce your motivation, and it can be difficult to get it back up on your own. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated when all you want to do is scroll through your phone.

1. Create an Environment Conducive To Work

While you may only technically need your laptop and a charging cable to do your job, creating a dedicated workspace with some useful supplies can help you stay productive. Whether you have a home office or are working from the kitchen table, think through what you could do to make your space more effective. You may need a paper planner or notebook to help you keep your thoughts straight, some additional monitors to keep yourself from being frustrated with your tiny laptop screen, or some Blue Free Optical glasses to help you stave off the consequences of staring at a screen all day. Finding ways to make your workspace more efficient and fun can help boost your motivation levels a surprising amount.

2. Set a Schedule

Your brain loves to create habits, whether you want it to or not. When you go into the office at the same time every day, your brain gets into the habit of switching into work mode for the hours that you're there. When you're at home and working flexible hours, it can be more difficult for it to know when to switch into work mode. Help your brain create a new habit by setting a schedule for yourself. It's important to be realistic when you do this, because saying that you're going to work from 9:00 - 5:00 with only a thirty minute lunch break and no interruptions is impossible to keep up. Instead, figure out a start time, end time and break schedule that fits into your other responsibilities. For example, instead of saying that you're going to work certain hours, you could say you'll start working when you drop your kids off at school and then go until dinner time. Just make sure you do schedule an ending time and breaks so that you have something to work toward and can give your mind time to recharge.

3. Give Yourself Incentives

Try setting mini goals for yourself throughout the day complete with prizes for reaching them. Tell yourself that you can have another cup of coffee after you finish a task or that you can watch an extra episode of your show if you finish by 5:00. You can also give yourself time challenges. Set a timer for 25 minutes and see how much work you can get done. When it goes off, take a five minute break away from your desk, and then do it again. You might be amazed at how much you can get done in a short amount of time when you're really focused. If you can, you should also try working in a coffee shop or library for a day. The change in scenery can do a lot for your motivation levels.

4. Take Time for Yourself

It's all too easy to let your work day seep into the rest of your life when you're working from home, but allowing this to happen will wear you out and sap you of any motivation. Protect your mental health and your relationships with others by setting a time to finish each day and sticking to it as much as possible. Then, make sure you are being intentional about doing things that refresh you during your hours outside of work. Take a bath, hang out with friends and family, or go for a walk outside. Taking care of yourself will keep you from burning out and help you stay motivated.

Everyone has times when it's difficult to stay focused, so when you're struggling with your remote work, follow these tips to give your motivation a boost.