Did you know that over 70% of Americans resort to working from home at least once every year? It’s a nice change of pace, but it can quickly become boring if you’re not careful. Follow these helpful tips on how to shake things up and reignite excitement for your work while you spend time at home.
Take breaks often.
Get up and walk around the house, or take a short break outside if the weather is nice. When’s the last time you ate lunch in a different location?
Take your laptop outside with some fresh air and sunlight.
Find a work buddy.
If you can’t stand working alone, try to find someone who’s willing to work with you from home. You can share a desk, or simply work in the same room. Just remember to maintain some good boundaries – don’t let your work buddy distract you from being productive.
Create a Home Office
Look at magazines and online pictures of beautiful desks, or find ideas on Pinterest for creating a great-looking home office. Your space doesn’t have to be big – you can work in a corner of your bedroom, as long as the space is organized and inviting.
Work from Another Location
If your schedule allows for it, try working from a coffee shop or library every now and then. Get out of the house and enjoy a change of scenery. You can also work in a co-worker’s office if you’re short on time, provided that you respect their office hours and don’t stay too late.
Try working different hours.
If your schedule permits it, try switching up your regular routine by getting up early or staying up really late to complete some work. Or perhaps you could work nonstop for a few hours and take a long break – whatever you need to do to stay motivated until the job is done.
Create a Competition for Yourself
If you find yourself getting bored and uninspired, try creating a friendly competition with yourself. If you work for 30 minutes without stopping, give yourself a small reward when your time is up.
Get Fit While Working from Home
Burn some calories while you’re working on your home-based business by doing exercises that don’t require large amounts of space. Try tucking your laptop out of the way while you do crunches, planks, or breakdancing.
Experient with Music
Experiment with different types of music to work out your mood. Try listening to classical during slow periods, or pump up the volume and listen to more upbeat songs when you’re working on creative projects that require energy.
Play Work Bingo
If you find yourself with a lot of spare time, try playing a game called “work bingo.” Break out a notepad and make a list of all the tasks you need to complete today. Check off each task when it’s done. Create a grid on the paper so that each box represents five minutes of work. Fill one of the boxes with a creative task, and another section with more tedious tasks.
Take a Stretch Break
Stretch your arms over your head for ten seconds every time you get up from the computer to get a glass of water or walk around the house. You can also do this when taking a break from work bingo!
Pretend You’re on Vacation
If you need some motivation to get through a slow workday, pretend that you’re on vacation and that this is your only chance to work on your home-based business.
Sit by a Window
Some people find that working by a window is motivating because they get distracted easily. Look outside and appreciate the beautiful day, or catch up with your neighbors if you can.
Get Inspired by Other Work-From-Homers
If you need some extra motivation, check out Instagram accounts, Pinterest boards, and blogs dedicated to successful home business owners.
Read Productive Quotes
Don’t forget to surround yourself with inspiring quotes that remind you of your strengths and give you the boost you need to get back on track.
Create a Pinterest Success Board
Pin images of your goals or things that motivate you to a “Success” board on Pinterest. Play with designs, quotes, make your own pins using Canva.
Grow an indoor Garden Near Your Work Space
A garden doesn’t have to be big or outdoor to grow plants that are healthy and beautiful. Make an indoor herb garden or plant some succulents that can brighten up your workspace.
Have Theme Days
If you tend to get bored, try having theme days where you dress up or complete small tasks in an unusual way that’s more fun than your usual routine.
Get a Cat
Getting a pet for your home office is the perfect way to increase productivity and live with less stress. Having the cat playing nearby, or purring in your lap, is the least you can do for yourself.
It’s easy to go stir crazy and feel frustrated or lonely when you’ve been told to work from home without a choice – especially if there’s no end in sight. But you’re not alone. With no physical meetings to attend, no co-workers to enjoy water-cooler chat with, and no office breakout zones to explore, working from home has become an isolating – and all too boring – reality for much of the nation right now.
But if you resist the temptation to shut your laptop, put down your phone and run away, and instead embrace these tips for how to stay productive and happy while working from home, you’ll be able to conquer your doldrums and reignite excitement for your work.
