Motivating Yourself

If you're like me, there are times when you just don't want to work. You look for any excuse to leave your computer or work station: laundry, dishes, supper preparation, even cleaning behind the refrigerator all start to sound appealing when your motivational level is low.

Now that it's July, and probably hot and sticky (at least in the South where I live), it gets doubly hard to motivate oneself to do work. Here's how I give myself the kick in the pants needed to tackle the work.

1. Schedule breaks. If I know I'll have a break in a short while, I can usually push through and get some work done. Sometimes you might need to set an egg timer in order to ensure you get a break.

2. Work one day, goof off the next. I've scheduled all my work on one day, then taken the next day as a "mental health" day to relax or do something fun with the kids. This kind of schedule can rejuvenate your batteries.

3. Turn evenings into a no-work zone. Make a pact with yourself that you will turn off the computer at a certain time, like before supper or directly after dinner. Spend the evening with your spouse, children or in doing something you enjoy, like reading or working on a hobby.

4. Break work projects into pieces. It helps if you take a project and create a series of small deadlines. That way, you're not trying to get the entire project done in one sitting, but are spreading it out over several days or even weeks, depending on the project.

5. Learn to say no. Sometimes, you should turn down work in order to keep motivated doing the work you already have.

6. Remember why you're at home. If your work is turning into drudgery, take a few minutes to remind yourself why you choose to work at home: to be home with your kids, to avoid the expenses of a commute, to supplement your household income, to set your own hours. Whatever the reason, reviewing why you're at home can be a way to refocus your attention to your job and make you more motivate to do it well.

Self-motivation is one the keys to a successful home-based business. Now that I've finished this blog, I have a glass of unsweetened iced tea calling my name.

Until next time,

Sarah