5 ACTIONABLE TIPS TO STAYING MOTIVATED
Hi girl! Hope you are staying safe and healthy during this quarantine. I think it goes without saying we are ALL trying to find a new “normal” during this overwhelming time. Many of us are working from home, trying to balance work and personal life schedules all while trying to maintain somewhat of a healthy lifestyle! Girl, I am right there with you and I’m no expert but I wanted to share a few things that I am doing to keep me motivated, productive, and on track these next couple weeks. I narrowed down my 5 actionable tips to staying motivated (and balanced) for those of you that are struggling!
Declutter + Clean Your Space
For those of you that are like me, finding a space to work at home is tough because we live in apartment so there isn’t a lot of extra room. I bought this small writers desk and put it in the corner of our spare bedroom and VIOLA! Nothing fancy. :) One thing that is keeping me sane is decluttering and cleaning my work space every evening when I am wrapping up for the day. I put away any pens, notebooks, cups, etc so I have a fresh start in the morning! It helps me to be more productive and organized and rather than sorting through papers and trying to figure out which cup is clean or dirty. Also puts me in a better headspace knowing that I am starting with a clean slate.
2. Establish A Routine
This has been a tough for me I’m not going to lie but wow it’s helped so much. Just like when you’re heading into the office, you have somewhat of a routine. I set my alarm to around the same time, scroll through my phone for 20 minutes, read my daily devotional, get ready(ish), make a bowl of fruit or oatmeal and eat it while I check emails. Rolling out of bed and heading straight for your laptop will only last a couple days before you realize you are hurting yourself! Trust me, I was the queen. Try and continue doing what you normally do before you head out for work and tackle your day!
3. Time Management is KEY
I know this sounds so cliche but hear me out first! When all the sudden your couch is 10 feet away, the next episode of YOU is waiting, laundry piling up, it’s easy to think to yourself “where do I even start” today. Everyone works a little differently so this tip is not a one size fits all! Here are a few ways I practice managing my time:
Making a prioritized list or schedule: I’m a big fan of lists and I love to write out my to-do lists for the day. Sometimes, I get too caught up in finishing the list instead of prioritizing what needs to get done first. I always make a list, then put a star by at least three tasks that NEED to get done that day. I think of what I will make me feel accomplished or what will my future self thank me for. That way I stay on track of deadlines and on target to hit my goals.
Batching: If you are someone that might have a lot of tasks on your list but are similar, batch them together so you are working more efficient. Say you have to email back your boss on a project or follow up with a few clients, take those tasks and do them all at once. That way you are not going back and fourth of emailing or pulling reports! Some of these tasks might be:
Emailing and following up
Pulling reports
Making social media content
Scheduling meetings or updating calendar invites
Time blocking: This goes hand in hand with batching but basically, block out chunks of time to complete these tasks. You can block out 30 minutes on your Google calendar to answer emails and follow up with clients. You can set an alarm on your phone for an hour to pull reports and analyze data. Whatever that looks like for you, set certain amounts of time to complete a tasks in order to manage your time and make sure you are not working on one thing all day and then thinking to yourself “what did I even do today?”. I know we’ve all been there before!
4. Move your body
I can not tell you how much this has changed me productivity (and sanity) when working from home. It doesn’t have to be for long amounts of time if that isn’t your thing. Try taking a walk around the block to simply reset your headspace and recharge before tackling the rest of your list! If you are someone to likes to amp it up, try a 15-30 minute Youtube workout video to get a little sweat going. I have been doing the SWEAT app workouts and they have been great! Minimal equipment needed and pushes me. You know what they say, you’ll never regret a workout!
5. Create a killer playlist
If you are a music lover like me, this is KEY to changing my mood. In the mornings when I am eating my fruit bowl, answering emails, I like to turn on something upbeat but still chill. I will either turn on my churches cafe playlist or the Fresh and Chill playlist on Spotify. OR the afternoon hits and I need a boost of energy, I will throw on a pop or rap playlist to push me to the end of the day! Music is so powerful and can change your mood in an instant. Whatever your interests may be, I highly suggest you incorporate music into your everyday routine. Some of my go to Spotify playlists are: Fresh & Chill, ITOWN Cafe, New Music Friday, Pop Rising, All the Feels. :)
Remember, COVID-19 is temporary! We WILL get through this. I promise you that! Would love to hear your thoughts on these tips and anything else you would like to add. Feel free to comment below or DM me on Instagram (@amarakay) and we can chat away! Until next time…
