How to Stay Motivated and Be More Productive When Working From Home

MotivationJune 3, 2020

Working from home is both a blessing and a curse. Only those who have worked or do work from home will fully understand this seemingly contradictory statement. There are some advantages, like never having to bother to wear anything professional. Who would know if you’re at the PC in your PJ’s anyway? But then, you do always have that ever-looming threat of a distraction. Maintaining your focus can be difficult, no matter what your qualities and skills are. However, there are ways to motivate yourself, stay productive, and get to do more work!

A Defined Workspace

If you typically work in the lounge while others watch TV, or in your bedroom, or maybe even in the kitchen while you keep a watchful eye over the rice bubbling away on the stove, then you are asking for trouble. Sure, you get some folks who can do everything without setting foot off the bed.

But most people give in to the temptation of watching the TV. Something that stays as background noise while they fix a snack or make the bed. But that soon turns into a distraction. Setting up a defined workspace in your home is important for your brain to know when it is work time and when it isn’t. You also need to let everyone know that that space is now your zone – and off-limits!

A Work Schedule

Just because you are at home, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be following a schedule. As much as you may grumble and groan at the thought of it, a schedule is motivating, especially if you make it a habit to stick o it. After all, any schedule is as good as no schedule if you don’t intend actually to put it into practice. Know your most productive times of the day and schedule your most demanding tasks for those slots. Work in rest times and stick to them!

Eliminate Distractions

Face it – you won’t finish a lot of work, if you have the phone ringing, your cellphone beeping, and your favorite TV show blaring. You have your work open on one tab, and then Facebook open on the other. It just won’t work. When it is time to work, you have to switch off your phone, close the unnecessary tabs and switch off the TV.

You may consider getting a browser extension to prevent distractions. It will block your access to those websites during certain pre-set times in a day and thus help you finish work on time.

Time Yourself

If you have already gotten your work schedule going, and even shared it with those closest to you, so everyone knows when you are available and when you aren’t, then you are ready for the next step. Set time for yourself to work on something. Don’t make your goal ‘one chapter’ because it could take your four hours to complete when you could have done it in one.

Set the timer for one hour and give whatever you are doing your best. You will surprise yourself at just how much you get done! Setting timers is an easy motivation, and you’ll be trying to outdo yourself and achieve more each time you set that timer! Motivation has never been easier.

Work Somewhere Else

If you have tried everything and you still cannot get your work done, then its time for drastic measures. Just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you have to be at home. This means you could leave the house every day for certain hours to do your work at a coffee shop, or even better at a library. This could help you be more productive. It will motivate you to finish more work, and do all the things you enjoy and indulge in some distractions!

Working from home is all about self-motivation. It’s about killing procrastination and being more responsible. It’s about self-control and focus. There’s something that works for everyone. You just need to try out a few things before you find just the right motivation for you to spend your work time more productively! Every individual is different, so is their approach to building focus. So, find out what helps you focus and work on it!