WFH – Motivation Without Your Team Around You

Over the past two years, working from home or hybrid styles of working have become a new normal. Current government advise recommends working from home when you can, so how can you get motivated when you’re away from your team? This week, we explore 5 tips to help you to improve your focus when working from home.

1. Don’t isolate yourself – Working within a team can be particularly motivating, which is why some find their productivity either decreases or is less consistent when working from home. This is because we are social creatures, and often interacting with others can help to energise us, or reaffirm our goals. If you are away from your team, perhaps it is time to create a team group chat? It is likely that they are feeling a bit alone, and speaking with your team virtually may have a similarly motivating effect!

2. Clear your space – Perhaps it sounds obvious, but with a messy workspace you may find your mind starts to wander and that you get distracted more easily. Creating a workspace that is clear and organised will help your work to be more focused and will increase your productivity.

3. Set up your workspace in a quiet place – Not everyone has the room for a home office, but if your workspace is in a particularly busy part of the house, you may be prone to distractions. For example, opting for a room without a TV in it will prevent you from getting tempted to procrastinate. On top of this, quiet spaces promote deeper states of focus.

4. Make sure you are getting enough sleep – Feeling sluggish? You are not alone. Up to 57% of Brits report feeling consistently tired throughout the day. This figure has accelerated through lockdowns and working from home orders, experts predict, as the quality of sleep people are getting has decreased. There are a number of potential causes to this, but predictions state that worsening quality of sleep is linked to a decrease in exercise. Taking daily exercise, along with eating healthily and giving yourself time to unwind at night could help you to sleep a bit deeper, allowing you to be more alert and focused the next day.

5. Energise yourself – Eating properly and taking breaks are an important factor in motivating yourself. When you are working from home, it can be difficult to take breaks. However, it is an important part of being self motivated, as short breaks will enable you to feel energised throughout the day. Another key way of energising yourself is in your diet. 34% of those working from home have said that they eat more unhealthily since working from home. To prevent this, consider preparing healthy meals ahead of time, so that you have the time to eat and enjoy your lunch break. This will also help you to stay energised throughout the day, as sugary food often lead to a sudden burst in energy that is not sustainable for longer periods of time.