HOW TO BE PRODUCTIVE & STAY MOTIVATED WHEN YOU WORK FROM HOME

May 9, 2018

It's no secret that I work from home and I am loving it. It truly is such a blessing that I am able to do what I love for work, be my own #girlboss, and truly go after my dreams. To say that it's all roses and PR packages would be a lie though. Honestly, working from home is a blessing and a curse. I mean, my bed is twenty feet away from me and a nap just sounds so good...but I should probably finish my work, huh?


I know a lot of you work from home or it's your goal to work from home as well, so I thought this would be the perfect post so that you can learn some of my tricks for keeping my booty productive & motivated throughout the workweek.


One // Establish a routine

I'm all about routines, lists, and more lists. They truly are the things that keep me going in life. I find it extremely key to establish a routine to stay motivated. For me, I can easily convince myself that sleeping in for just another hour or two won't hinder my productivity...but then after those two hours, I'm still sleepy, I'm sluggish, and I have no desire to do anything. I'm preaching to myself when I say this, but STOP sleeping in and get your booty out of bed.

Once you're awake, wash your face, brush your teeth, and get out of your jammies. I usually stay in my jammies for a little while, because I just want to be comfy, but take it from me, put on jeans every once in a while. For months, I never changed out of jammies or leggings and I gained so much weight and I never noticed...the worst ever.

Something else to have within your routine is start & stop work times. If you start working by 9 AM make sure you're cleaning up your workspace by 6 PM so you don't overwork yourself. Working from home, I allowed myself to fall into the "I'm always working" trap and it was detrimental to my mental health and overall sanity. There's a time to work and a time to simply do life.


Two // Have a designated work area

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a home office, and I am so thankful that I have one. It gives me a place to get into work mode, stay focused, and stay motivated. This means no working from your bed anymore...guilty. I usually have everything sprawled out on my desk or the bed in my office (it doubles as a spare room). When I sit down in my chair, I feel ready to get my work done.

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Three // Stay organized

No matter what room in the house you're working from, stay organized. I'm talkin' binders, file folders, calendars, the whole nine yards. It's so important to stay organized, because you're the only one responsible for your records. There's no one in accounting that you can hold accountable (see what I did there 😉) for your lost receipts.

I have a binder dedicated to all-things work, plus a monthly & weekly calendar/planner to keep my life in order. It also helps if you go to Target and pick up some cute office supplies!


Four // Eat regular meals

Raise your hand if you've gone an entire day without eating, because you've simply forgotten to take a break? 🙋 It's so bad, but I'm sure we've all done it at one point. Even when I worked as a retail manager I would forget to eat, because I would be so focused on my work.

Make sure you are taking proper breaks to grab lunch or a snack. When I'm not eating properly, I feel all sluggish and that's when my brain pretty much stops working. If you want to go the extra mile, create a meal plan for the week to keep yourself on track!


Five // Get some fresh air

This is probably the most important tip I have. Working from home can be the most lonely and depressing thing ever. It's definitely such a blessing to have the ability to work from home, but a huge curse, because you hardly have human interaction. One day I hope to be able to hire an intern, but until that day comes, I'll be getting my human interaction from the barista at the coffee shop or the checkout lady at Giant.

You definitely don't have to stop working in order to get some fresh air. Go to the coffee shop and work for a few hours or try and meet up with another friend to work with for the afternoon. It makes a huge difference when you can see another human and not just your cat all week. I always joke with my friends, because I get so chatty when I finally see them. I'm so glad they understand my struggle and let me talk their ear off! haha!

If you work from home, what are some other tips that you would give to me?!


22 comments

  1. I gained since I’ve worked from home over 3 years now! Adding an exercise routine & eating healthier has helped me a lot!
    -Alexandria

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    1. Yes! Eating healthier has made such a huge difference. I'm still trying to get my booty into gear and work out more! Now that it's gorgeous outside, I'll be going on lots of walks.

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  2. I'll be working from home this summer, so I definitely plan on putting your tips to good use.

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  3. fresh air always helps me out too- i get in such a funk sometimes so def thanks to sharing great tips!

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    1. Yes!! Today I just HAD to get out of the house. I was in such a weird funk this week. It's amazing how much a little fresh air helps.

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  4. Having a routine is essential for me! I also find that changing out of pajamas and into a "real" clothes helps me stay on track haha.

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    1. YES! It's amazing how much more productive you can be when you switch into real clothes! I always take myself more seriously.

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  5. Getting into a really solid routine has been huge for me! It's so easy to get off track - a routine helps big time!

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  6. Getting fresh air is so huge! It completely recharges you!

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    1. It really does!! I went to a coffee shop today and it's amazing how a little human contact can change your whole day haha!!

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  7. Excellent tips! Having a dedicated work area is huge for me!

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    1. Yes, for sure!! Now that we're moving next week, I get to redo my entire work area and I'm so excited!

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  8. I also work from home and am so guilty of working in pjs and working all hours of the night and day. Finding a routine and balance is key!

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    1. YES, exactly!! It's definitely super hard----especially on those days when you feel inspired to work at 1am! haha!

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  9. Omg this is so true!! I am much more productive when I work on my house office than when i do it on the couch - usually end up napping LOL

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    1. HAHA Same!!! Definitely working at a table or somewhere you can focus is key!

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  10. I'm with ya in definitely needing that one dedicated space for work, or I'm way less productive.

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    1. YES! And you have your whole desk set up in your office-- you def get tons of work done!! I can't wait to redo my "office" in my new home next week!

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  11. I am totally guilty of not eating because of the busy lol!! I have learned fresh air is needed, I wake up work, get ready, get kids ready, drop one off at school then go for a walk if weather permits. It totally clears your head!! Great Post!

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    1. Oh that's such a great routine!! I STILL need to get in a better routine of eating on time. I always get sooo distracted. haha!

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