Tip #3 – Getting Motivated
This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I get about working from home ‘How do you get motivated to work?’
Well, there are two things I want to share.
The first is, if you are loving what you are doing in your business, it isn’t all that hard to get motivated. I actually find it harder to relax than to be motivated and ‘work’. As a side note… I don’t think work is a dirty word. Do I “work” 100 hours a week or 5 hours a week? Depends on what you define as work.
The second one is actually the thing to go with for this tip and that is that action come before motivation.
Look at the word… motivation…. Motion, motor, moving! So to get motivated you have to get moving. So I suggest you take action, do something, get moving and then motivation will follow.
Think like a stopped car. It takes some effort to push a car, but once you get it moving, it takes very little effort to push the car to keep it rolling forward. It is the push at the start to go from a stop to movement.
Same thing for us. Once we get started on something, it is pretty easy to keep going.
So what can you do to get started?
Well, I have a really simple technique that anyone can do from home. I get out my phone and I set a timer for 10 minutes…. 15 minutes if I’m really flat. I think put on a playlist of songs that are fast beat, dance type music songs (yes, I have a playlist of these). Turn on some music and then scrub your sink! Yes, scrub your sink in the kitchen. Or wipe down the bench, wipe down the kitchen cabinets, clean your bathroom vanity, sweep the floor, vacuum. Any simply cleaning task that will require a little ‘elbow grease’ is a great activity.
Do this for 10 minutes, with some fun music on (that you can sing out of tune to if like me) and within that 10 minutes you will be ready to go and get started with your day because you are in MOTION!
Sometimes I just dance around to one song and that is enough. Jump up and down, sing, hands in the air (like you just don’t care!) and get moving.
Put on a pair of running shoes and tie up the laces and jog on the spot. Just the simple act of putting on your running shoes can get you in ‘state’ to get working.
The great thing is, this is not an activity that can only be done to get started. If you find your energy going down in the middle of the day, set a timer, put on a song and get moving! It will bring back the motivation.
Yes, it is a little crazy, but it works!