6 Tips for Maintaining Motivation as a Remote Worker

By Made In Group
schedule22nd Jun 20

 

In the wake of social distancing, remote working has now been part of many of our working lives for as long as three months now. Whilst we have found that some individuals undoubtedly thrive under these conditions, in terms of productivity and output, others will be missing the office environment which they relied on to stay motivated throughout the week.

Face-to-face meetings and catch-ups over coffee have been largely replaced by video conferencing applications, many teams are still entirely working from home and even the likes of exhibitions have gone digital. However, we are thankful that modern technology has given us adequate alternatives to physical operations, many of which are on offer to Made in Group members, such as virtual breakfast mornings, roundtable discussions, webinars, live Q&As and much more. Whilst this digitalisation of networking would not have been everyone's first preference, the reality of the worldwide pandemic is that industry professionals need to embrace these changes in order to not be left behind.

Keep reading to discover 6 ways to stay motivated whilst remote working and to find out more, read our latest article on How to Prepare for a Virtual Meeting.

 

1. Make a Schedule and Stick to It

Sound simple? Well, one of the biggest dangers of working from home is that the lines can blur between work and play. Striking this correct work-life balance is absolutely vital to maintaining motivation whilst working from home in the long term. Setting boundaries with your collegues and clients and also being strict with logging in and logging out is key here.

It is essential for long term productivity and a healthy work-life balance for employees be strict with an official "logging off" time each day. Of course, it can often be tempting to push this back due to the highly connected world we live in, where sending an email or work message can be done at the click of a finger from every location. However, to maintain productivity and motivation during the times you are "logged in", it is important to set clear times apart for working and unwinding in this regard.

Adhering to being strict with both logging in and logging out won't only keep your motivation in check, but it can also boost your productivity. Just as when you are working in the office, it is vital to get into a strong routine of getting up at the right time and being ready to work at the same time each morning. Being 5 minutes late to begin work from home every now and then can become a slippery slope of causing detrimental damage to your productivity and falling short of your work objectives.

 

2. Have a Designated Office Space

Secondly, selecting the right office environment forms a large part of getting yourself into a healthy working routine and is vital for long-term motivation whilst operating remotely.

For those who aren’t accustomed to working from home, it can be very tempting to slip into the habit of lounging about on the sofa all day with your laptop or responding to your emails from the comfort of your duvet. However, it is absolutely vital for both your long term productivity and mental well being for employees to choose a designated office space to get into “work mode” in.

If you are lucky enough to have an office room at home then this will provide the perfect space. However, if you are forced to use a room which is also used regularly for non-work living, such as a lounge or dining room, then there are certain things you can do to help differentiate it as being a "working space" during this time (e.g. decorating your "desk" with items that you would in your regular office to help create a healthy remote office environment).

 

3. Maintain Team Social Events 

The downside of remote working is that a lot of people will most likely spend the entire working day in solitude, which can be damaging for both motivation and mental well being. 

Therefore, making sure that your team still maintain social events - through a virtual medium if needs be - is vital for long term happiness and productivity whilst working from home. We suggest that you should attempt to maintain "team socials" just as regularly as they would have occurred before remote working became wide spread. The likes of Zoom provide a fantastic platform for team catch-ups and playing games such as quizzes.

 

4. Dress for Work

This is one piece of advice which a large proportion of people will be currently dismissing who work from home. Whilst you don't have to wear a three-piece suit every day, simply having a shower and wearing a shirt will make a world of difference for your motivation and productivity each day. Another key tip here is to wear shoes - whilst we won't claim to be psychological experts - there's something about doing this one simple thing whilst doing work which can do wonders for your output and motivation whilst working remotely...

 

5. Don't Be Afraid to Change Up Your Environment Occasionally

In point 2 we spoke about the importance of having a designated office space, however, this doesn't mean that you can't change up your environment from time to time when your motivation is starting to fall flat. This is particularly important if you rarely come into contact with other people in your usual 9-5 remote working environment.

In non-socially distant times, working at a local cafe or a shared office space can be extremely effective. However, for times when this is not possible, simply moving your desk around at home or spending an afternoon working in the garden can be helpful in jolting you out of a rut. If this isn't feasible, then stretching your legs on a walk during your lunch break may be what you need to freshen your environment and your work up.

 

6. Plan Things to Look Forward To

Whilst in the current socially distant climate this is not as simple as it once was, there are still loads of ways in which you can make plans for yourself to look forward to, whilst still staying safe. Without knowing your personal situation it is difficult to advise you on whether it is a good idea to go shopping, visit local parks, meet up with a friend (whilst socially distancing), etc. However, even from the confines of your own home, you can still make plans to look forward to and get you through the work day.

Making plans is a vital part of motivation and will do wonders for your productivity throughout the week. From Zoom calls with friends and movie-marathons to art projects and garden sun-bathing, just make sure you have some idea of what your weekend looks like and it'll be far easier to muster motivation for your remote working week.

 

Embrace Digital Networking at BBLIVE2020

Beginning 17th August 2020, Made will launch a digital exhibition "with a big difference” called Backing Britain 2020 Live - an immersive experience between the digital and physical - which will propel the manufacturing industry into a new era of networking:

Book Your Place at Backing Britain Live 2020


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