7 Ways to Stay Motivated While Working Remotely

Working remotely has become a common choice among young people. Remote work comes with benefits such as no stress for commute, more family time, a boost in productivity, and many other cost-related savings.

Although remote work offers a lot of flexibility, many remote workers feel demotivated and depressed. Working from home without colleagues and managers might take a toll on your discipline and focus when working for long hours.

While productivity is always a work in progress, there are many things you can deploy to get out of the slump. Here's how you can get out of the motivation slump.

1. Be an Early Bird

The early bird gets the worm

The hardest part of working remotely is getting into the right mindset to work. Since there is no office and no commute, there is no pressure to wake up early, leaving remote workers to feel de-motivated to wake up and start working, lying around the couch in their PJs all day.

Most successful people wake up early to get a head start and set the whole day in the right tone. Research shows that waking up early in the morning turns you into a proactive person. You're no longer reacting to things.

Instead, you're creating your own headway. It is not only a good habit, worth adopting but will also help you allocate time for a proper family breakfast, workouts, and to get some sunshine.

Most remote workers say early in the day they feel motivated to work harder, faster, and more efficiently in the hopes of finishing up the day soon. Being a night owl instead of a morning person is also fine until you can focus and get in the deep work mode.

2. Set Clear Deadlines and Goals

Starting your workday without a schedule may leave you disorganized and overwhelmed, given how flexible working remotely is. Therefore, it is essential to have a schedule for each day.

Most of the remote workers plan their days the night before. It allows them to start the day with a clear head each morning.

A day planned already in advance will save you from the anxiety and exhaustion of indecision. Apart from increasing your focus and productivity, laying out daily goals and deadlines will make you feel accomplished and motivated when achieved.

All work and no play is the key to burnout. Plan your day, keeping in mind your breaks, family times, and self-care time. A smartly planned routine can disciple you to achieve more, maintaining mental health in check.

3. Set up a Workspace

Beds are for sleeping, not working. Don't work where you sleep. If you don't want to feel guilty binge-watching TV all day, lying around in your bed or couch in pajamas, set up a home office. Not a table you've set up in a hurry. A messy, disorganized space also hinders your ability to think and work effectively.

A proper home office for work includes all the essentials such as a laptop, a standing desk (sitting desk is also fine), an ergonomic chair, a good pair of headphones, etc. Having a dedicated workplace will stimulate your brain towards a work-like environment, leaving behind all the distractions.

Working at places you associate with leisure may generate laziness and hinder your productivity. A proper schedule and a dedicated workspace are the key tools to avoid distractions and keep you motivated.

4. Dress like you're going to an Office

There is nothing wrong with working in pajamas if you're getting your work done. But more often than not, you'll realize, you're way too comfortable. Our brain generally associates comfort with leisure.

Looking presentable is no harm for anyone, though. Reports have found that people tend to feel unproductive, demotivated, and lazy when they don't dress for work.

Getting in proper office wear, on the other hand, creates an office-like professional feeling while keeping you prepared for any impromptu video calls. We are definitely not enforcing a proper suit and tie outfit, but just to get out of your pajamas and into something a little less comfortable.

Start your day early, shower, have a healthy breakfast with family, and get dressed, and start working.

5. Indulge in Self Care

Working remotely does not limit you to remaining in the house alone 24*7. To avoid feelings of isolation and anxiety, maintain an active social life. Go out, meet new people, get some sunlight, but don't confine yourself to one room.

Apart from your work, invest in learning new skills, listening to podcasts, and reading books. Focus on your career goals, along with job responsibilities. Self-care also includes taking care of your body along with your mind. Squeeze exercise in your daily schedule and eat healthy foods.

During these tough times, though, remain calm and composed and stop stressing out. Instead, focus on having meaningful family time apart from working and take care of your mental health as well.

6. Dedicate a Rewards System

Nothing is easy. Every task requires hard work, so reward yourself. Usually, in the traditional office setup, teams get various rewards like gift cards, paid vacations, team outings, and many more when they reach their goals and deadlines. Many companies include a reward system to respect the dedication and hard work of employees.

Working from home, you can start small. Plan your day with rewards as the incentives for completing short tasks, maybe a great outing, a family movie time, a vacation, or a camping trip.

Challenge yourself to complete a planned task with full concentration to earn an extra hour to watch your favorite TV series or play with your dog or kids. Motivate yourself by setting up a dedicated rewards system to increase your throughput for the day.

7. Say No to Distractions

Remember you are working remotely now, you don't have a boss to look over your shoulder. It is essential to set boundaries between work, having fun, and spending time with family.

Taking fun breaks is essential, but binge-watching Netflix, or spending the whole day on social media is enough to demotivate you at the end of the day, looking at the work output. Instead, employ strategies such as putting the phone away, leaving your personal laptop while being on the work laptop, physically removing yourself from situations, etc.

Say no to any additional distractions by employing a proper work schedule and making sure your colleagues and family respect it. You really need to concentrate on work, so turn your attention from distractions and toward your work.

Implement these pointers while working remotely, and you will feel instantly organized, disciplined, and motivated to do your best work every day. Pair these strategies with your work ethic to create a work-life balance you have always hoped for.