Stay Motivated While Working Remote
Get up
Make coffee
Turn on the news
Turn on my laptop
Check emails (and by check emails I mean, check Facebook, Instagram, email my sister… look to see if those cute boots are on sale yet…)
You get where I’m going here, right? It’s hard to stay focused or especially get started when you’re working from home.
Stop looking for motivation and make it a habit:
Yes, at first you will need to get uncomfortable and kick your butt into gear to get up and start your work day after opening your eyes, but once you continue to build that habit, it becomes easier. Make it second nature to push past the desire to look at everything else but your work when you’re starting for the day or coming back after a lunch break. This will quickly leave you feeling more accomplished and start your day on a positive, productive note.
Use a timer:
During the summer I took a course at Brainstation in Toronto. I was there for long days (which I was not used to!) and learning tons of new information (which was draining). Thus, it wasn’t always easy to focus (you can ask my teachers, I may not have been the best student in class haha). One of the instructors suggested a timer. Set the alarm on your phone for 25 minutes and only focus on your task for that time period. This has worked wonders for my productivity and I’m still using it every day. It especially keeps me from checking Facebook every few minutes, which is highly distracting and tends to slowly down my work flow.
Focus on your goal:
This is especially important if you’re loosing drive overall for your project. Maybe you’re not rolling around rich in a week – which probably won’t happen, so stay focused and keep pushing through the rough periods. A great way to do this is getting clear on your goal. Not only what you’re trying to do as a business, but what succeeding in that business will do for you personally.
Task organizers:
I’m a bit old school, I actually write a list of ‘things to do’ either on a piece of paper, or a Google doc in my phone (so I can access it from any device). Whether you use this method or a organizer app, the theory is the same. Having a list helps you stay focused, especially when one task is completed. All you have to do is look at your list and move onto the next task. It’s easier to get distracted and off track when you’re attempting to remember things (and if you’re anything like me, it can take a while to find the next task up in my spacey brain).
