Finding Motivation
Working from home is certainly a blessing…and a chore. It’s great having a flexible schedule and the time to do other things during the day. But it is also a challenge to focus sometimes, especially when there are deadlines looming and there’s a ton of work on your desk. Most people cave under the pressures of working from home because they don’t have someone dictating their work and structuring their day. This is one of the many glitches (a.k.a. drawbacks) of the work-at-home lifestyle in that motivation is often a struggle. Although it can be difficult to motivate yourself sometimes, you can stay on point and have productive days.
Not One Size
Things work differently for everybody, so what may work for me may not perhaps work for you. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” for staying motivated and productive with your daily work. I will share with you what I do in hopes that it will help you. You may even be able to take some of my tips and suggestions and incorporate them into your daily habits and see results. Once I started making my list, I realized that it was incredibly huge. So, I’m going to break this post down into three smaller ones over the next few days. I want you to be able to digest each of them and not get overwhelmed with so much reading. These are some wonderful tips and I’d love to know if any of them work for you. Here goes:
- Rituals
I try to maintain the same ritual every morning so that I can stay focused. I start off with coffee, a few scriptures and just adjusting to the morning before I sit down and try to tackle any work. Everybody has a different morning ritual that they follow, and this one works for me. It helps me both mentally and physically prepare for the day ahead. If you’re not a coffee person, just make sure you have adequate preparation time to begin your day. You will feel more accomplished and ready to deal with your daily tasks.
- Lists
I am a stickler for lists. I have lists OF lists. I have lists-OCD. You get the picture. Every morning I sit down and go over my lists of things that I need to do for the day. Everything is on my list from emails to send, phone calls to make, faxes to fax, etc. My lists keep me focused AND keeps my mind from overload and from trying to remember so many different things. With a busy and full life, you need to keep your mind as free as you can and lists do wonders for that. I don’t have to think too hard because I have a list. I just look at my list and I’m good to go. (Did I mention that I like lists??)
…to be continued
(Read my post tomorrow for the next two suggestions I give about staying motivated)
About Bridget Wright