How to Stay Motivated When Self-Isolating
How to Stay Motivated When Self-isolating
Our top tips on working from home and coping with self-isolation during the Coronavirous pandemic:
- Write a routine and stick to it.
- Dress for work.
- Disavow the running commentary.
- Set goals.
- Spend time improving your systems.
- Study and gain additional knowledge.
1. Write a routine and stick to it.
We all need structure. If your life lacks a solid structure your progress towards your goals will dissolve into nothingness. The problem is, during the Covid-19 crisis, when you're self-isolating or working at home, there is no structure imposed upon you by your environment. So, you may fall into bad habits such as procrastination and even laziness.
To avoid this, you should decide upon a definite structure of your own design.
Create a detailed written work plan and commit to it.
"We are what we habitually do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
2. Dress for work.
How you dress affects how you feel. If you dress like a layabout, you will not work like a champion.
If you allow yourself to sit at your homeworking desk dressed in your pyjamas, then you are unlikely to do your best work.
It is important to dress as if you were going to work, because you ARE going to work.
"You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it." [Edith Head]
3. Disavow the running commentary of the MSM news.
You need to follow the main events of the world news, but you don't need a running commentary.
Many people are obsessing over the news, and social media comments and it is messing with their minds.
Limit your input to the news to once every six hours.
Between the input of bad news, get on with building your life.
"You become whatever you think about". Earl Nightingale.
4. Set goals.
The direction of your life can be driven by either:
- Your decisions.
- Other people's decisions.
If you don't make your own decisions about what you want your future life to be, then by default, you will have to accept what other people decide for you, in your absence.
Don't be at the effect-end of other people's decisions.
Become a causal agent in your own life. Set clear goals that will benefit yourself and others.
"One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals." [Michael Korda]
5. Spend time improving your systems.
During this crisis, when many of us are no longer allowed to go to work, we can use that time to think creatively and wonder: "How can we improve our systems?"
The organisations that will succeed, are those who design the most efficient systems.
Human muscle power is strictly limited, but human ingenuity is unlimited.
Humans have masterminded the use of mechanical, electrical, electronic and information systems, that make each individual more productive than we ever thought possible.
Yet no matter how efficient your current systems are, you can still improve upon them.
"Your organisation can be no better than its systems". [Chris Farmer]
6. Study and gain additional knowledge.
During the "lockdown", one thing you may have more of, is time. You can do two things with that additional time; you could waste it, or use it wisely.
Don't waste it. Use it!
Use it to gain additional knowledge.
You would gain an advantage over your peers, if you knew more about goal setting, communications, emotional management, time management and conflict management.
We have an Online Professional Development Course which covers these topics, which you can access immediately.
Take advantage of our time-limited SPECIAL OFFER on our popular ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING COURSE, today.
"Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field." [Brian Tracy]
Definition: work-from-home routine
A work-from-home routine is a self-made work process you write down that sets clear start and finish times for tasks and breaks, links each task to a goal, is planned before the day starts, and is followed every working day. If any one of these traits is missing, it is no longer a true routine.
Show CG4D Definition
- Written schedule that sets start and finish times for tasks and breaks
- Links every task to personal or business goals
- Prepared before the working day begins
- Followed consistently to build productive habits
Article Summary
“Structure stops drift,” says trainer Chris Farmer, and the way to prove it in self-isolation is to keep a clear routine, dress for work, check news rarely, set clear goals, improve your systems and keep learning; follow these six steps and you turn lockdown from pause into progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What is the first step to stay motivated at home during self-isolation?
How do I build a work-from-home routine that really sticks?
Does dressing for work matter when nobody sees me?
How often should I check the news to limit anxiety?
What goal-setting tips work best in lockdown?
How can I improve work systems while stuck at home?
What are quick ways to keep learning and grow during lockdown?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
Office for National Statistics, Feb 2024: 29% of UK workers now work from home at least once a week, and 16% follow a mix of home and office days. LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024: 90% of firms plan to keep or raise spend on online learning, and 78% of staff say learning new skills keeps them motivated.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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