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7 Ways to Stay Motivated

by Jean Murray on February 20th, 2009

Yesterday’s post about aiming high got me thinking about how to stay motivated. Some days it’s difficult to get up and get going - even when your office is just around the corner (literally!) from your bedroom and the kitchen.

I know how it feels. Working at home has its own rewards - and drawbacks. The rewards are that you can work in your jammies and not have to talk to anyone. The drawback is that you are working in your jammies and not talking to anyone. For you - and me - I offer you a list of suggestions to get you re-motivated on those days when it’s difficult to get up and get going.

1. Clear the deck. When my office is a mess (and that’s frequently!) I’m not motivated to get going. Either last thing before you quit at night or first thing in the morning, clear the deck by clearing up the mess on your desk and decide on the first 3 things you need to get done that day.

2. Act like it matters. It does. Sometimes when we’re working at home it doesn’t feel like we are really working a “real” job. But if you look at your last month’s bank statement, you will see that you are doing this for real. If you don’t have a business bank account, get one. Get business cards, even if you don’t have anyone to give them to right now. Get and use letterhead. Get a business signature on your email. Get a real URL with email connected to it, not just .aol or .gmail. Why does this motivate you? Because acting like you are doing this for real is exciting. I’m not saying it will keep you motivated forever, but if you’re having a bad day, the thought that you are in a real business and that it does matter may be enough to get you past the slump. It works for me.

3. Stay Focused. Easier than it sounds. It’s so easy get distracted by what I cal BSO’s (bright shiny objects) - those things that draw us away from what need to be doing. Eliminating the distractions and staying focused can bring us energy and give us additional motivation.

4. Hang around with positive people. I talked today to a woman who is starting a home crafts business. Her excitement and positive energy got me motivated too. Energy is contagious - be sure you don’t catch the negative stuff. When i am down, I call my favorite aunt. She’s always funny and positive and full of energy - at the age of 91!

5. Do something for someone. I learned years ago that when I started to feel down and sorry for myself, the best way out of the slump was to find someone who needed help and do something for them. It can be small - like a card, a small gift, an email, or phone call. I am always surprised how I feel more positive and motivated even when I’m not doing anything for my business.

6. Form a support group. It can be a sometime-group, or a formal MasterMind group. Get together with your group on a regular basis to support each other and talk through issues and problems. It’s a great way to keep each other motivated and moving forward.

7. Take off. On those days when you can’t do anything else, it’s sometimes best just to call it a day - or an hour. Take a walk; read a book; watch your favorite TV show. Sometimes you just need to clear your mind and not think about it for a while. Some of us work 6-7 days a wek, and it’s difficult to stay motivated without a break. Taking off can bring you back to the job with renewed enthusiasm.

Tags: business tips, , motivation

POSTED IN: Disadvantages & Concerns, Networking, Personal Experience, Work At Home Moms, Work Life Balance

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