How to stay motivated when working from home

Since early 2020, terms like ‘working from home’, ‘hybrid working’, and ‘remote working’ became not only more familiar and comfortable – they became normal, thanks in part to the global lockdowns experience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

While working from home was becoming more and more popular, the global pandemic fast-tracked the need for infrastructure to improve so that businesses could continue to function while their employees were working from home.

In this article, we will show you how to stay motivated while working from home, discuss why motivation levels can drop when working from home, and discuss alternatives to working from home.

Explore the top 10 benefits of working from home.

How to stay motivated when working from home

Working from home brings with it a range of distractions and challenges, and if you struggle from a lack of discipline, you will find your work suffers, and motivation levels drop.

If you want to improve your work from home motivation, we have five things you can do today to stay motivated when working from home:

First, you must create a working environment at home.

This point is so important, as it will help you keep a similar mindset and framework to how you would normally work in the office. This includes having a space to call your office and be left to get on with your work. If you’re working from your laptop on your bed and in front of the TV, you are less likely to be fully focused on the task at hand, and this will affect your performance. Another way to create a working environment is to keep to the same hours you work in the office. It can become easy to keep jumping back on a project all evening or get out of rhythm with your lunch breaks. Trying to keep your timings close to the office will help.

Dress for work.

Another important part of getting your mindset right and ready for work is to get dressed in the morning. Nobody is saying you need to wear a full suit at home but getting dressed in the morning makes a big difference. We all know someone who often talks about how they stay in their pyjamas or dressing gowns all day. This really sets you up for a more relaxed approach to getting your work completed, possibly decreasing the quality of your work.

Organise your day.

Just like you would at work in the office, organising your day at home is also a great way to stay motivated and on top of everything at home. Set out clear objectives for the week ahead and have a clear daily strategy to complete these tasks on time. You may find it beneficial to write these tasks down on paper, in a Word doc, or on an application like Monday.com or Trello, and tick them off as you go.  

Take breaks.

As touched on above, it’s important to stick to your typical break and lunchtimes while you’re at home. This will help you to stick to your normal routine and ensure you’re taking the necessary breaks throughout the day. Be sure to drink plenty of water too!

Speak with your colleagues.

It can be far to easy too feel isolated and fragmented from your team when you’re working from home. A good way around this is to remind yourself that you are at work, and this is a normal day at work minus the physical interaction. It can help to schedule a few calls throughout the week with people you would normally speak with to help you feel connected with the rest of your team.

Read more from our range of Career Advice articles.

Why can motivation levels drop when working from home?

Remote working won’t suit all of us, however, you may not have much say in the matter if your company is still enforcing a work from home policy. Your brain may tell you that this is home and not the office, which may affect your decisions or make it hard to focus. You may also miss your colleagues and even the commute, all of which can demotivate you.

We are typically creatures of habit, and the work process is a very structured process. When we make big changes to this process, it can quickly turn us around and change the way we feel, ultimately impacting the quality of our work.

Our motivation comes from both inside and outside of us. Extrinsic (external) motivation is where we choose to do something because there is a reward for doing it, such as money, praise, or recognition. Extrinsic factors could also include fear of punishment.

Intrinsic (internal) motivation is where we choose to do things because they are personally gratifying, such as achieving success, satisfying a curiosity, learning something new, taking an interest, or solving a problem.  

When we’re working from home, there may be fewer rewards, a lack of team spirit, and an introduction of micromanagement, which can all make us feel demotivated and disengaged.

Disadvantages of working from home

There are many advantages to working from home, including financial savings, having more time to work and more time with your loved ones, it also has a few disadvantages.

These include:

• A feeling of not belonging
• Lack of community and teamwork
• Lack of motivation
• Reduction in quality of work
• Distractions and a lack of a good working environment
• Mental burnout and exhaustion
• Risk of productivity

Is working from home the only option?

No. If you are currently remote working, you have many options to change where you work, which may suit you and your needs better.

A logical choice for many people is to work in cafes and libraries but if you’re considering moving out of the home office and on the hunt for somewhere new, maybe one of the below could be your next location. Not every job can be completed successfully in these locations, so choose one that suits your needs.

• A friend, colleague, or family member's home.
• Shared offices, coworking spaces, and hot desking.
• Coffee shops.
• Hotel lobbies.
• Public spaces and parks.
• Museums and galleries.
• Bars and Restaurants.
• Abroad, in another country of your choosing.

You may get to the point where you want to work towards a promotion at work or are ready to leave where you currently work and look for a career change. If you are ready to make a change but are unsure what you want to study next, we can help! Explore our range of training courses, or contact us today to discuss your options.