It can be super hard to find and maintain your staying in motivation, especially considering we don’t know how long we will be staying in for!  But after a few weeks at home, I’ve found that it’s all about balance and creating the perfect environment. Here is my best advice for how to keep your spirits high so that you can be as productive as possible, I hope you find it helpful!

SET YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

One of the most important parts of staying motivated is starting the day with an enjoyable routine! For these last few weeks of lockdown in London, I have been getting up really early when I can  to make the most of the morning sunlight that comes into our bedroom. I find that the first few hours after you wake up are the most productive hours for creative tasks. I recommend you get up, pray , exercise, shower and get dressed properly and tend to the kids if you have any. This will help you to feel more normal, even if you are just changing into your best staying in outfit! Next, make your  breakfast and jump straight into your biggest task. I promise it will make you feel better. Plus, you’ll get the hardest task out of the way quickly and still have time for all other things on your to-do list :).

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL HOME OFFICE SPACE

It’s crucial to create an actual working space if you want to stay productive and motivated throughout the day. If you’re working from the sofa or bed,  you’ll be tempted to relax and maybe even take a nap. I’ve made this mistake before and you can trust me when I say that it makes you feel so much worse! I know it might be hard and that lots of people might think they don’t have the space for a home office, but you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with a little creativity. Do you have a kitchen table? Clear a space there for your desk. A coffee table? Get some comfy cushions and set yourself up for the day. Wherever you choose, you can easily make it beautiful with just a few cosy home comforts, and as long as you’re separating your workspace from your sleep space, you’ll be able to keep the motivation going.

STRUCTURE YOUR DAY

After your morning routine is all done, you still have the rest of the day to go and you need to break it up into manageable pieces! Imagine you are still working your normal hours and be strict about when you will stop work for the day. Ok, I know I need to practise this one more too! Take short breaks every couple of hours. Use this time to enjoy the sunshine, stay hydrated (always important!) and of course for nice healthy snacks, if you love to snack like me ;). If you have kids, take this time to bond with them. I usually play games, and do the stuff my kids want to do. I’d also recommend that you stop and make time to have lunch without any distractions. It’s the perfect time to regroup, gather your thoughts and to focus setting on achievable goals for the rest of the afternoon.

SCHEDULE VIDEO CALLS

A lot of us still have meetings and calls to take for work and I highly recommend setting at least one of these as a video call. Not only will it force you to change out of your pyjamas (which you will have done anyway if you read the first part!), but it will give you some time for social interaction. It’s so different from having just a phone call as you can show your emotions more and get excited about your upcoming projects.

TAKE THE WEEKEND OFF

Give yourself a break on the weekends so you can start fresh each Monday. It’s crucial to give your mind a rest and still recognise weekends as the days you can relax! Save your chores for the weekend so you don’t get distracted during your assigned working hours and most importantly, do a few things you love. Whether that’s sleeping in or watching some fun movies, I already made a list of my favourites to help you out! I hope that these tips help with your staying in motivation so that you can make the most out of each and every day. Stay safe my loves.