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In just a few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everything about our lives, including how we work. Many of us are now working remotely from home. Out went long commutes, business wardrobes, rigid schedules, and endless meetings. In came Zoom meetings, flexible schedules, sweatpants, and a better work-life balance.
As time has passed, you might have discovered that staying motivated and organized can be tough when you’re feeling isolated at home. If you’ve got a partner and kids who are also at home, you’re now a full-time mom as well. It’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed and less motivated. “We’re feeling less productive and more fatigued because we are not equipped for this,” family relationship expert Melanie Ross Mills explained on Today.
If you’re struggling with getting and staying organized and motivated, here are some easy, helpful tips.
How to get and stay organized while working from home
Keep a schedule
For moms, it’s difficult to establish boundaries so work time doesn’t bleed into personal time. Sometimes you won’t know what’s supposed to come first: being a mom or doing your job. As work-from-home mom Michelle Horton earlier revealed to Mom.com, “It’s impossible to work and parent at the same time. At least not without doing both of them poorly. Compartmentalizing your time is key.”
Now more than ever, time management is vital for busy moms. It’s helpful to structure your day by sticking to a normal workday routine. Perhaps a few organizational apps that sort out your email or keep track of your finances can help you save time or work more efficiently.
Dedicate a separate home workspace
Using your laptop in bed just doesn’t cut it. Mentally and physically separate your work life from your home life by establishing a workspace. If you don’t have room for a separate office, you can designate a table, transform a closet, or even create a corner office in the living room.
A place for everything
Some of us are natural Marie Kondos, but for the rest of us, keeping an organized home office can feel unobtainable. Enter productivity guru Alex Cavoulacos</a>; on her website the Muse, she created a list of steps to get and stay organized, including decluttering your desk, your desktop, your email and basically your whole work life.
How to stay motivated even when your office is your kitchen
Be social
Humans are social animals. You probably miss your coworkers, even your annoying ones. It will help you to stay motivated if you keep in touch with them beyond Zoom meetings. If your company doesn’t organize virtual happy hours, plan your own. Or depending on the regulations in your community, try organizing a (socially distanced) IRL get-together.
Dress up (a little)
As tempting as it feels to stay in your PJs or sweats all day, stay motivated to begin your workday by getting dressed. Studies have shown that what we wear to work affects our self-perception as professionals.
Set new goals
Sometimes staying motivated means changing what motivates you. A forced change like having to work at home can make you think about igniting new passions by changing your life in other ways.
Treat yo self
Choosing special treats to reward yourself for a job well done really works. What are your favorite treats and indulgences?
Practice self-care
Especially now, it’s hard to stay motivated 24/7. Be gentle with yourself and practice self-care to renew and reset. Some ideas: prayer or meditation, a walk in nature, rewatching your favorite rom-com. And remember, this too will pass.
Use these 10 quotes to spark your motivation
Start your day with these quotes, 100% pure #Inspo.
“No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.”
– Regina Brett
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
– Maya Angelou
“This is the moment I accept the most challenging times will always be behind me and in front of me.”
– Kobe Bryant
“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”
– Oprah Winfrey
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
– George Eliot
“You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
– Louise L. Hay
“Just try new things. Don’t be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar.”
– Michelle Obama
“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”
– Beyonce Knowles
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
– Joseph Campbell
“I am ready to face any challenge that might be foolish enough to face me.”
– Dwight Schrute
