So, now we are over six months into the Coronavirus pandemic which has dramatically changed how almost every business operates. More people are working from home than ever. At first, working from home sounds exciting! No commute to the office. No traffic. More freedom. Is there even a downside?
Well, as a realtor on Maui, I can tell you, working from home is great, but it has its own set of challenges. Without the external motivators and positive pressure from our peers on a daily basis I’ve had to find my own ways to stay motivated and stay productive.
Routine
Developing a healthy daily routine is the absolute best thing you can do to stay motivated as you consider not showering before you sit down to code, or write, or do whatever virtual work you’re currently doing. Next to having a daily routine, the key is sticking to it.
Keep things as close to usual as possible. I try to start my morning in much the same way as I did when I would go to the office. Do all of the self-care that you would normally do as far as getting in some exercise, some reading, showering and getting dressed, etc. It’s easy to slide into those zoom meetings looking less than 100%. Treat your home office like an outside office where you always want to show up with your A game.
Taking Breaks
It’s also easy to get so locked into what you’re doing at home that some of the usual interruptions we are used to don’t occur and give us a natural chance to reset. Digital work can be draining and really bad for our posture and health. Setting timers to remind yourself to take a break is huge. I try to work in 20 minute intervals with a 3-5 minute break or if I’m really into something, I’ll go for 40 minutes at a time and then take a small break.
I write heavily for my website www.mauieliteproperty.com and I’m prone to get so in the zone that hours could go by before I stand up. I’ve had to correct myself from this bad habit and make sure I either utilize my standing desk more or take a quick 15 minute walk around my Upcountry Maui neighborhood.
Daily Meetings
Everyone who works remotely should have a morning and afternoon meeting with themselves about what they intend to accomplish. Simply taking 5-10 minutes to meet with yourself about what you need to get done helps to limit the distractions caused by social media and other pursuits. With two daily meetings, you can consistently be honed in on what you should be doing and keep your focus where it needs to be.
Reevaluating your progress regularly is important too. If you’re feeling like maybe you’re not getting enough done, keep track of what you intended to do versus what you accomplished.
Reach Out More
Check in with people you work with outside of scheduled meetings. Call, don’t text, and have a regular conversation about your day. This will help fill in for some of the lost sense of connection that working from home can create. Take advantage of all of the new ways to connect with your coworkers digitally and when possible see them in person to stay emotionally involved with the people you work with.
We usually know what’s going on with everyone through social media but nothing can substitute for a voice to voice conversation. While we are more connected than ever, getting lost in the digital milieu has a negative net impact on our well being and mindset. Its easy to spend an entire day in front of screens only to end it with an evening in front of screens, don’t forget to get out there in the world, socially distanced of course!
Find a Mentor
These days, online motivator personalities are everywhere. There is so much content being produced from motivational titans like Tony Robbins and Grant Cardone. If you’re a skeptic you would be surprised at the value these people can actually provide. Watch some YouTube videos, read some of their articles and listen to their podcasts. They can give you new ways of approaching success and failure.
There’s no better time to develop a personal improvement program and earn some level up stars on your path to becoming your best self. Sometimes getting over a tough time in your life can be as easy as adopting a couple of new daily routines such as exercise and better sleep. Podcasts and YouTube videos from these gurus can really help ignite a shift.
Get Out of the Office
Just because you can’t work at the main office doesn’t mean you still can’t work from anywhere that has WiFi. Take field trips to different locations to work occasionally, get a little variety in your work day. I’m personally not a fan of coffee shops because of the noise, but I like to take my hotspot to the park or beach and get a few hours of work in there just so I’m not feeling stuck at home all day.
If you can’t work away from the office, make sure that you are getting those little mini breaks in. Work is always a marathon, even if there are mini-sprints in there, think of the big picture and keeping yourself properly charged to forge ahead consistently.
Takeaways
The coronavirus isn’t here to stay forever but working from home will become more common because you can actually be more productive and have a lower carbon footprint by doing so. Take your home office seriously and show up every day like you mean business. Keep yourself on a healthy schedule and develop the ultimate daily routine that feels good and supports your success.
Check in with yourself regularly about your progress and don’t be too harsh or light but be real with yourself. Find some positive content from a YouTube/Podcast personality that you can identify with and find value from while creating positive reinforcement with yourself about your progress.
