Hi Friend,
“How do you stay motivated when you work from home?”
Motivation is one of the topics I’m asked about most frequently, behind “Have you written any books I’ve read?” (sadly no) and “Can you really earn a living as a writer?” (really yes).
I understand the question. We’re conditioned to believe that without a supervisor watching us we’ll lose the ability to be productive human beings. Faced with a never-ending list of Netflix shows to watch and a big comfy bed that’s perfectly set up for nap time we’ll stop functioning entirely.
Motivation is baffling to us. We think that much like the gift for being a skilled and engaging conversationalist, some people are born motivated, and others aren’t. The motivated ones wake up every day, ready and willing to work, filled with a deep yearning to create, to get their thoughts on paper.
Like the postal person bravely delivering the mail through rain, sleet, snow, or hail, the motivated person sits in their office and gets the job done. No matter what. The rest of us wither away eating popcorn and binging reality tv in the afternoon, waiting for motivation to strike.
Here’s the thing about that motivated person:
Much like the postal worker, the motivated person has many reasons to get out of bed each day and almost none of them are an innate desire to work. In fact, at the top of the list is the most banal of reasons.
There are bills to pay.
It’s amazing how motivating it is to have a mortgage or rent, utilities, and a dog that apparently needs to eat twice a day (10 times a day, if I go by his preferences). The desire not to lose my home, electricity, or dog are great incentive for me to work when I just want to scroll social media from the comfort of my bed.
Just like many people who aren’t super jazzed to go to work every morning, neither am I. But I do it because I exist in the same world they do, with many of the same bills but less of a safety net.
Fear of losing my lifestyle is an incredible motivator.
But there’s good news about motivation.
It’s a lot like habit. It can be developed. And that’s a good thing because that means anyone can do it, with a little persistence.
Habits become automatic. They don’t require motivation. They just happen.
Think about brushing your teeth. You likely don’t wake up every morning with the sun in your eyes, a song on your lips, and motivation to brush your teeth in your heart (although if you do, kudos to you). You do it without much thought. That’s because you’ve created a routine.
I approach the start of my day the same way. The first few hours of the day are routine for me. They mostly happen on autopilot.
1. Wake up at about the same time every morning
2. Sit down at the computer to work on the newsletter for an hour
3. Walk the dog for about an hour (this is another situation where necessity and habit—not motivation—keep me going)
4. Make myself breakfast (90% of the time it’s the same breakfast of oatmeal and fruit)
5. Work
To eliminate distractions that could derail me I don’t turn the tv on in the morning, I wait to check my email until I’ve crossed something off my to-do list, and I put my phone in “do not disturb” mode.
Whether I sit down at my computer each morning because of motivation or habit is anyone’s guess. It’s likely a bit of both—some days I’m extremely motivated and some days, when motivation fails me, habit steps in to take over. It’s like a co-pilot taking control when the pilot needs a moment.
I also set other conditions make work more enjoyable, which encourages me to want to work:
I’ve set up my office space so it’s beautiful, tidy and welcoming (and private, so others in the house can’t disturb me). I love being in my office.
I’ll turn on classical music for background noise that won’t pull my focus.
I set goals and reward myself when I reach those milestones (with a treat or a break or the opportunity to work on something fun).
I set firm deadlines for getting work done. Like having bills to pay, an impending deadline can be incredibly motivating.
I remind myself that every job has its downsides and I’d still rather be self-employed than working in an office. Sometimes I’ll list all the reasons I love working from home.
I block out time each day to work on something I enjoy, like this newsletter, so not all of my work feels like work.
I’ve created conditions that encourage me to work and prevent distractions that can block motivation.
Sustained motivation is just habit combined with enthusiasm. Create habits so you don’t have to rely on motivation to get yourself working each day. Set your work up so there are things to look forward to every day.
Here’s to your continued freelance success,
Heidi