Having worked from home for quite some time now, I’ve thankfully figured out a routine that works for me, but that took a LOOONG time. Most people find that they feel unmotivated due to the lack of people or they are having issues with time management (HELLO THIS IS ME HAHA). As someone who went from working many 9-5 jobs to working at home, I completely understand this! When you start working from home, you sort of have to rewire your brain to how you see your work day. It can be very easy to get lost when you find yourself freely moving around your own house without the fear of your boss looming over your shoulder, making sure you are up to task on your work. I feel how you start your mornings greatly affects the rest of your work day. Mornings are very special for me. It’s the time of day where I have a moment for myself to reflect on the day ahead and set goals. I wanted to share my 5 tips on how to start your mornings and how to keep yourself motivated while working from home!
- Make your bed
Okay, I used to be one of those people who rolled my eyes whenever people would say the old saying “ people who make their beds in the morning are more successful” or however that saying goes. Now, I can’t say whether or not those people are more successful than others BUT I can say they are most likely happier and more sane. Starting my day off by making my bed kickstarts this ‘I’m going to get things done today’ mentality, also it makes my room cleaner, which makes me happier.
2. Breakfast
I used to be someone who did not eat breakfast, mostly because I felt I didn’t have the time, because I had to run out the door to get to the work and usually overslept. I’m a notoriously late person. But if you are working from home, you can make enough time. It doesn’t have to be a grand meal every morning with the works every morning, but the majority of the time, it should be something nutritional to help start your brain and give your lasting energy through the morning! For me this helps separate the process of ‘getting up’ and ‘starting work’.
3. Getting dressed
Listen… I know what you’re thinking. I’m working from home now, I should take advantage of the luxury of working in my PJs! I hear you and I do indulge in this practice from time to time, but I find when I get a shower or get myself ready to an extent (it can even be a workout set) I feel better about myself and more motivated. Sitting in your PJs day after day can definitely make you feel ‘meh’ and unmotivated, but just a change from one outfit to the other can change the way you feel!
4. Creating a normal work environment
If you find yourself not having an office or the ability to turn a room of your home into an office, I am here to tell you that it is not a problem! Though I do have an office in my house, I work from my kitchen table because Danny is the one who actually uses the office. For me, it just works and it’s important for you to find a place in your house that works, wherever it may be. Part of working from home is feeling like you have your own creative space to get your daily tasks done.
5. Map out your day
This is something that honestly helps me manage my stress and what I expect from myself each day. Just a rough draft of what I want my day to look like. Perhaps a time I want to wake up, maybe I’m scheduling in a workout, just a draft of what hours in my day will look like.
6. Writing down your daily/weekly goals
This helps me more than you will ever know- especially with working at home anxiety and never feeling like you did everything you needed to do in the day. I write out everything I need to accomplish for the week on Monday and then each day also write daily goals- sort of planning out my schedule for the week. It helps me see everything I need to do and time manage so much better!
I hope these help you find motivation this week! I also want to say I’m using this time at home to also work on these I’ve been putting off like goals I’ve had in life! Use this time to try to achieve dreams you’ve never had time for!
