Are you struggling to stay motivated working from home? Working at home part-time is standard practice for Team Intellek, both in the UK and the US. In a past blog post, we shared how the team’s work-life balance is enhanced at Intellek and touched on remote working.
IN THIS ARTICLE...
Healthy, Engaged & Motivated When Working from Home
As we continue to stay in touch with clients day-to-day, we have found that many are finding working from home tough. So we wanted to share our top tips for homeworking to help you remain healthy, engaged, and motivated.
1. Stick to a Routine – Don’t Stay in Your PJs!
Boundaries can easily become blurred whilst working from home. We recommended that each day you adhere to planned break times and start / finish times. It is important for your well-being that you are strict with this to help stay motivated working from home.
It’s vital to continue to do what you would normally do if you were going into the office. Get up promptly, get dressed, and get working! You will feel a lot better for it.
2. Separate Your Work Environment
Your working environment, where possible, should be in a safe and practical space; with security and privacy in which to work.
Ideally, your physical work location should be away from your normal day-to-day living within the home, although this may not be possible for everyone. If this isn’t possible, consider the possibility of screening off a section in a room; to maintain a division between home life and work.
3. Be Professional and Be Realistic
Of course, it is important to maintain professionalism when working from home, as there will be telephone calls, team meetings, and video conferencing with colleagues or clients.
However, there will inevitably be occasions when home life crosses into working life. For example, children calling your name, dogs barking and doorbells ringing, or worse still something like this!
If this should happen whilst you are on a phone call or in a meeting with a client or other professional, then simply stay calm, be professional, and explain the situation. We are all human and other people will understand.
4. Stay Connected With Others
Videoconferencing is advisable when speaking to colleagues and for client meetings, in order to retain the all-important human connection element of your working day.
If you’re using Teams for videoconferencing, remember the ‘Blur Background’ option is always available to obscure anything you may not want to be visible.
Enjoy your unique working environment – share a picture on social media (or with colleagues) of your new home setup, as you get creative and personalize your workspace. Take a moment to upload a picture of your garden or a video of your pet performing tricks.
5. Stay Active to keep Motivated Working From Home
According to the World Health Organisation, inactivity is the fourth biggest risk factor in adult mortality – so get moving!
If you can’t stand up to do your work, get up every 30 minutes to stretch your chest and spine to reverse the hunched position of sitting at a desk. You will improve your posture, use more muscles and burn more calories this way and help reduce potential back and neck pain.
Whilst you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, throw in some lunges, squats, and stretches – if nothing else it will keep the family or pets entertained.
6. Stay Hydrated!
Take regular walks to the kitchen (generally every 30-60 minutes) and grab yourself a glass of water. It’s easy to become dehydrated when you’re immersed in something. Set an alarm to get more water if necessary. Alternatively, keep a reusable bottle of water on your desk and drink it regularly.
7. Fill Your Downtime With New Things
Don’t flop on the sofa in front of the TV during your downtime. Take the opportunity to complete some household chores, walk the dog, do a 15-minute Pilates workout, or go for a run. This will definitely help you to stay motivated working from home.
You wouldn’t be able to do any of these things from the office, so seize the moment!
8. Avoid Snacking When Working From Home
It’s so easy to snack at home – avoid temptation by preparing your food and healthy snacks in advance. Working from home means you don’t need to grab a sandwich from the bakery; use your time wisely to prepare a proper lunch and keep a safe distance from the biscuit tin.
How to Stay Motivated Working From Home
What other ideas or pointers do you have to stay motivated working from home? Share them with your team. Perhaps a virtual lunchtime yoga session or a mini demonstration of a self-defense Krav Maga sequence?
The important thing is to stay connected with each other and stay happy, healthy, engaged, and motivated while you work from home!
If you have any great tips we’ve missed, we’d love to hear from you.
Intellek (formerly TutorPro) is a founding member of the learning technology industry. With a presence in the USA, UK, Canada, and the EU – for over 30 years we have pioneered the development of cutting-edge eLearning software and online training solutions, with a large and diverse portfolio of international clientele.
Disclaimer: We use all the tools available including generative AI to create relevant and engaging content.
