Want to know the secrets to staying motivated in your business?

Do you find yourself lost in the day letting it literally slip away…and before you know it, it’s 3 o’clock, the kids are dropping their backpacks by the door as they come home from school, and you are still sporting your PJs and slippers?

Most people find working from home to be challenging—especially at first. There are so many distractions…laundry timers are going off, kids are fighting, your phone is buzzing with notifications…and to top it off the kitchen dishes are still soaking from last night’s dinner.

And let’s face it: sometimes pajamas and a comfortable seat on the sofa just don’t provide the same type of motivation you get from a suit and an office chair.

If we’ve never met before, my name is Brooke Amber and I teach burnt-out healthcare professionals how to launch, grow, and automate a business online so you can ditch the stress and create a life of freedom doing what you love!  

Secrets To Staying Motivated In Your Business

Whether you’re home alone and the house is too quiet, or you’re home with the family and the kids are out of control, you may find it’s tough to stay on task, be focused, get your work done, and feel productive.

In today’s episode, I’m gong to share with you 5 secrets to help you stay motivated in your business.

Motivation Tip #1: Find A Dedicated Workspace

I know, it’s so easy to work from your comfy bed or sofa in your pjs…I mean, who wouldn’t love staying in bed?  

But when you associate your bed with work, it won’t be giving you the business motivation you desire. It can actually interfere with your sleep. And trouble sleeping will affect your performance the following day.  What can happen is that when you’re trying to wind down and go to sleep, your brain is like – ‘wait a minute, what are we doing? This is work time’.

So even though your bed might feel like a comfortable spot, create a workspace somewhere else. Having a specific office is ideal…one where you can shut the door to keep the noise and distractions out. But if your home doesn’t have that, the kitchen table or a desk in the corner of the living room will do.  (Don’t forget, having a dedicated office is also a tax write off!)

You also want to have a clean workspace. Putting away the receipts, the piles of mail, anything that makes you anxious.  Give yourself the gift of a clean desk.  I know I always work better in a clean atmosphere and when I get lazy and let it get messy, I just don’t work as well!

Motivation Tip #2: Create a Schedule

It’s also important that your family sees that you have set hours. This way they know they are taken care of as well, and the house doesn’t get neglected!  This isn’t always easy, but you may find that it helps you get more done than you realize.

That’s why it’s important to have a clear schedule. Establish a time to begin and end work. Try to stick to it as much as you can.

Real quick before I share the other tips, if you are someone who likes to be a part of a community of other work from home entrepreneurs, be sure to join my private facebook community, The Work From Home Entrepreneur Community. Just click the yellow button if you’re on my blog or the link is in the description below if you’re on YouTube.

Motivation Tip #3: Work in Time Blocks

Working in Time Blocks is one of my favorite secrets to staying motivated in your business. It helps tasks feel more manageable, plus holds you more accountable.

Once you create your schedule for the day, set a timer, and complete the task at hand.  Don’t let anything interrupt you and focus ONLY on that one task. 

How to Get Started with Time Blocking 

Alright, you’re sold on the idea of time blocking, and you’re ready to jump in. But where do you start? 

Time blocking is a productivity powerhouse, a secret sauce that can take your efficiency to new heights. 

Time blocking helps with your focus, achieve bigger goals, reduce stress which in turn reduces your cortisol levels, and it certainly can help bring about work-life harmony. Ultimately when you master this skill, it can really bring about some massive automation for your business.

Now, if you want to be well on your way to becoming a time-blocking pro, here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Identify Your Tasks: First, you need to know what you’re working with. Write down all the tasks you need or want to accomplish, big or small. This could include work tasks, personal tasks, hobbies, and even time for relaxation.
2.  Estimate Task Duration: Next, estimate how long each task will take. This might seem tricky initially, but don’t worry; you’ll get better with practice. And remember, it’s always better to overestimate than underestimate.
3.  Prioritize Your Tasks: Not all tasks are created equal. Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency. Highlight your most important tasks and ensure these get the prime slots in your day when you’re most alert and productive.
4.  Create Time Blocks: Start blocking out time in your schedule for these tasks. You might want to group similar tasks together (a concept called batch processing) to maximize efficiency. Remember to account for breaks and buffer time if (or when) things take longer than expected.
5.  Stick to Your Schedule: Once your time blocks are set, stick to them. Treat them as non-negotiable appointments with yourself.
6.  Review and Refine: Review your schedule at the end of the day or week. Did you underestimate the time for some tasks? Were there interruptions you didn’t account for? Use this information to refine your time blocks for the next week.

That’s it! Six simple steps to kickstart your time-blocking journey. Remember, the goal isn’t to create a perfect schedule (which spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist). 

The goal is to use your time better and ensure your most important tasks get done.

Motivation Tip #4: Limit Your Distractions and Interruptions

Another secret to satying motivated in your business and limit those pesky distractions are:

Of course, you’ll want to establish some ground rules about what constitutes a legitimate reason for them interrupting you while working.  You know, things like blood or near death experiences….those are all legitimate reasons to bother you LOL! Otherwise, they need to know you mean it when you say not to bother mom.

Motivation Tip #5: Challenge Yourself

Sometimes, a little challenge can help get you moving too. For example, you may try to beat your own record by saying you will reach out to 10 people about your product, service or opportunity in 15 minutes during the next 30-minute time slot.  Or maybe you can commit to typing X number of words for your blog post in 30 minutes or less. 

Learning these things about yourself might help you set your day up for success.  Being more aware of your time helps you use it wisely. Challenging yourself in some way might provide the extra incentive you need.

At the end of the day, it’s important that you can list all the things you accomplished and how they got you closer to your “big” goals.   

Ask yourself these 3 questions: 

• What worked today? 
• What did NOT work today? 
• How Can I Improve?

Make new goals for the next day as you remind yourself of how good you feel when you get a project done as opposed to how bad you  feel if you don’t do the work. This might remind you to take action regardless of whether you feel like it.

If you found value in these secrets to help keep you motivated in your business, please share with a friend! I’m so grateful for you. Don’t forget to join me inside my free community, The Work From Home Entrepreneur Community. Just click the button below!

Thanks for hanging out with me!  See you next time!

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