12 Oct Five Tips To Keep Motivated Working From Home
Working from home definitely has it advantages such as not having to spend time and money on the commute in. However, the issues and work dynamic working from home is very different than being in the workplace. The challenges can build as you have to deal with loneliness from lack of human contact, endless Zoom calls and not having the people around to help release your stress levels. Over time, you might find that your motivation starts to wane and stress levels start to rise. The good news is there are a number of effective ways you can help yourself to reduce your stress levels and to increase your motivation. Please continue reading to learn more about this top five.
1) Set a routine and boundaries
Make sure you have a routine with your day. This needs to include breaks, lunchtime and most importantly start and finish time. It is so easy for the working day to bleed into your home life when there isn’t a change of locations. You need to set the boundaries and stick with them. This also includes having breaks between online meetings. You can block time out for your breaks and make sure you have gaps between calls to allow yourself to process the meeting and also to give your eyes a break from the computer screen.
2) Create a work space
Set up an area for you to work from so your brain associates this as work. It will be easier for you to become focused more quickly and efficiently. If you don’t have the luxury of a separate room or desk to work from, have a box where you can keep all you work things in so it is easy to set up at the beginning of the day and pack up at the end of your working day.
3) Move your body
Being sedentary is said to be worse for you than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Our bodies are designed to move and be used. So make sure you take time away from your desk. Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress and increases your energy levels. Work out what works for you. You could do some star jumps and squats whilst the kettle is boiling (there are no colleagues to see you!) or find an online exercise class to do in your lunch hour. The most beneficial exercise is moving your body outside. We can underestimate the restorative benefits of the sky and nature. So go for a walk, run or get on your bike. Just twenty minutes can make a huge difference to your wellbeing. As the darker days come in, seeing the sky in the day becomes even more important.
4) Connect to chat and laugh
When working from home, we can put pressure on ourselves to only have work related meetings which are serious and productive. However, it is fundamental that you make time to connect with people that you can chat and laugh with. We are social creatures which means connection has an enormous impact on our emotional wellbeing. So make sure you take some time to laugh with a friend or colleague. When we are in the workplace, we have moments when we chat, catch up and have those spontaneous moments of connection. These are times when stress gets released, relationships are strengthened and switching off means you are able to focus with more clarity. Give yourself permission to take these moments because you and your work will benefit in the long term.
5) Regularly check in on how you are doing
Most of the time we go from one task to another often unaware of how we are feeling or what our stress levels are like. Quite often, we only start to become aware that we are really stressed, overwhelmed or exhausted by life when it is more difficult to bring yourself back from it. If you take a few moments throughout the day to check in with yourself and notice how you are feeling, it means you can take positive action before the feelings are too overwhelming or you are too exhausted. Take time to take a few deep breaths and then observe how you are feeling and what sensations you have in your body. Then decide what is the kindest way for you to proceed. So if you feel fine, just continue as you are. However, if you notice your stress levels are rising, maybe take a break and go for a walk. Doing this daily can have a hugely positive impact on your motivation, happiness and stress levels.
If you recognise the importance of wellbeing in the workplace, it would be great to set up a call to have a conversation to discuss further how I can assist you.