BIG BLOG

Are you still working from home? Many people are, and while you may have gotten into a routine, you might need a boost of motivation! Take a look at some of these ideas to keep you working at your best. Need a business coach to keep you motivated? Let’s connect!

With the pandemic, working remotely has become the new normal. And whether you work from home alone or find yourself surrounded by screaming children, it can be difficult to focus. No boss is looking over your shoulder, keeping you in check. And distractions abound, starting with the refrigerator, television and social media, just to name a few. You may not even realize it, but you are probably working longer hours too. One study revealed that full-time remote employees are working an additional 26 hours a month, adding nearly an extra day of work to the week. And as the number of work hours increase, so do stress levels. According to one survey, 91% percent of employees say they’ve experienced moderate to extreme stress while working from home during the pandemic.

All those factors combined can make it challenging to sustain high levels of productivity. But by employing these work from home strategies, you’ll be able to stay motivated—even in the long-term.

Declutter your home office

Not only will decluttering your home office benefit your productivity levels, but it is also good for your mental and physical health. A study conducted by researchers at UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) identified a direct link between the stress hormone cortisol and clutter. And another report found that people with extremely cluttered homes are 77% more likely to be overweight. Organize your home office by getting rid of paper, trash, and any other unnecessary items. Also, clutter doesn’t just refer to physical things. Nonessential software on your computer can be considered digital clutter. Try organizing documents into folders and delete any unneeded files. Go through your email inbox and archive important emails so you can focus on the most critical messages.

Change your outfit

Clothes have a strong psychological impact on motivation when we work from home. According to Dr. Karen Pine, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire, dressing too casually can make us less focused and alert. According to Professor Pine, “When we put on an item of clothing, it is common for the wearer to adopt the characteristics associated with that garment. A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it’s ‘professional work attire’ or ‘relaxing weekend wear,’ so when we put it on, we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning.” The bottom line: don’t work from home in your pajamas. You can be comfortable. Just change into something that signals to your brain that it’s time to work.

Credit: Caroline Castrillon, forbes.com