Although a lot of the country has opened up again, thrusting crowds of people who are sick of their kids, spouses and pets back into the world, some people, like myself have decided that the world is still just a little too germy for us to risk re-entering society. We have decided to keep on being annoyed, at home, for the sake of ourselves, our families, and everyone we share this earth with. In our house, apartment or parent's basement, we can find comfort, however, it's honestly the most bored we have ever been. So, for those of us who have decide to work from just a little bit longer or even permanently, how exactly do we stay motivated to get work done?
First, let's go over some of the jobs you may be working in or considering working in:
Freelancing
Writing
Virtual Assisting
Customer Support
Web Development
Transcription
Photography
Web Testing
Gaming
Blogging (Oh yeah...)
These roles, especially if you are able to do them in your own time, are super hard to focus on. I work as a writer on Fiverr, and I also work as an Author. I even have 4 published fiction books on Amazon Kindle! (Please, for the love of all that is good in this world, buy them!!!!) Even though this has been my job for about 5+ years, I still get super distracted, especially with a comfy bed constantly calling my name and my two dogs chasing my cat or barking non stop at every freaking thing that moves outside. “How do I stay motivated with so much distraction?” you ask.
Well, first of all, I make Daily Goals. Daily goals, which can be written on sticky notes or dry erase boards in my office, allow me to prioritize what I'm doing that day. It usually looks like this:
Tuesday Goals!
Finish Writing Short Story
Take A Break Time/Play With Pets
Do Yoga/Meditation/Prayer
Read Bible or Listen to Devotional
Work On New Book
Work On Fiverr Work Orders
This is the glory of being your own boss! You can plan to do stuff like this and it will be when you want to do it. However, some of you are not your own boss and you have to work for other people or companies. In this case, your goals may be drastically different and follow a required time or work hours that you must work during. If this is you, you can still set goals around your breaks and off time. Here are a few of the things you can do with limited time:
Meditate
Getting some fresh air
Taking a short walk
Run an errand
(For you clean freaks, like myself)
Do laundry
Organize your work space
Clean your pets water and food bowls
Wash your car
If your too tired to do any of the above:
Simply sit with your eyes close and relax
The second thing I do is Make a Schedule. Scheduling your task and work time is extremely important. It helps you to not only avoid burnout, but most importantly, it makes it possible for you to not miss certain deadlines. Set aside specific times for you to work on your work, whatever that may be. You can adjust this time to suit either the ease or difficulty of each job or task. For example, in one of my Fiverr Gigs, I offer Company Biography Writing Services. In other words, I write company About Us sections. These type of biographies are usually only about a paragraph long and I require my client to fill out a questionnaire so that I have all of their info. Since I have all of their info and it's only a paragraph long, these types of biographies only take me about an hour. Accommodating my severe ADHD and life's unpredictability, I schedule to work on the biography for 2 hours. The time slot you chose, be it in the morning afternoon or night, is totally up to you. You may have family or other life situations that are more important, so pick a time slot that is perfect for you, and those most important, who need you as well.
My third bit of advice is to Remind Yourself Of Why You Work From Home. My original reason for working from home was because I couldn't find the type of work I always wanted to do, so I made my own opportunities, via Amazon Kindle and Fiverr. There was also the fact that I feel my ADHD, which inspires many of my books, is a true blessing from God and I don't want to waste the talent He has given me. Even when I face those super mean and disrespectful people during my jobs, I always try to remind myself that I have this ability for a reason and I'm not gonna let angry people mess up my destiny. Your reason for working from home may be the same, or maybe it's safer than going out, your doing it to be closer to your family, you could be dealing with a sickness that prevents you from working outside of the home, or you just simply like working in your own space. Use this reason, whatever it may be, as fuel to keep going. It's a tough world out there, regardless of whether you work in or outside of the home. Trust me you will face trials, but when you know your reason for doing what you do, none of the bad, annoying stuff matters. You are providing services that the person coming to you can't do themselves. Take pride in your talent, don't abuse it, and remember to be grateful. There are people all over the world that would love to be in your position.
Peace!
If you would like to check out my books, website or Fiverr Gigs, please follow the links below:
My Books
https://www.amazon.com/April-Thompson/e/B00BD6EGNM/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
My Website
Do You Want Your Own Awesome Website?👇
https://www.site123.com/?aff=5145909
Biography Writing
https://www.fiverr.com/aprilthompson/write-a-professional-biography-for-you
Content Writing
https://www.fiverr.com/aprilthompson/write-professional-and-informative-content-for-you
eBook Editing and Blog Writing
https://www.fiverr.com/aprilthompson/provide-ebook-editing-blog-and-ghost-writing-services
