Laundry, diaper changes, pouring juice, checking homeschooling work, changing another diaper, turning Netflix back on, settling an argument over a toy, grabbing snacks, another load of laundry, helping practice Bible verses, and changing yet another diaper.
These are just a few of the things that work at home moms deal with during their typical work day. Staying motivated with all of these distractions can be really difficult. Thankfully, these 4 simple tips to stay motivated as a work at home mom will keep you going through the day. Well, these tips and your trusty coffee!
4 Simple Tips to Stay Motivated as a Work at Home Mom
Sometimes it feels like nothing that we do really matters, and that we’re just barely surviving through the day. We became work at home moms so that we could live the life of our dreams, not so that we could get up at 6 am to finish our client work after being up until 3 am nursing the baby. (Ask me who did that recently!)
When we go through these discouraging times in our businesses, how do we stay motivated? How do we continue to get through all of the tasks on our too-long to do list? How do we get excited about our business again when our motivation is dragging?
Plan Things Out Further Than You’d Think
Okay, everyone and their mother will tell you that as a work at home mom, planning is crucial. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail and all that. It’s totally true. If you don’t have a schedule or routine, your day will be completely overrun with random tiny tasks. The day to day to do list planning isn’t going to help with staying motivated, though.
I’m talking about the planning for the future. Maybe it’s just the time of year, but I am getting fired up for where my business is headed next year! Take an afternoon and plan out your goals for next year, and then break them down into quarterly actionable tasks.
Next? Take a bit to dream. Where do you want to be in 2 years? What about 5 or 10 years from now? Sometimes we need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture to light a fire under us and get us motivated again.
Set Up Rewards for Yourself
It works for our kids, so why not us? There are some people who need some sort of external motivation for getting stuff done. Of course, it’s great to say that we all do our work at home jobs because we love what we do and we love providing an income for our family, but sometimes that doesn’t feel like enough.
Long term success isn’t always enough motivation to stay up an hour later to finish that blog post. In these times, the best method for staying motivated is to set up rewards for your goals and tasks. Make sure the reward is something that you really want to do, and make sure that the value is relational to the task.
Do not say you’ll go on a vacation if you finish your blog post, but also don’t say that you’ll eat a cookie when you write an entire book. Some rewards I like to use are Pinterest breaks, reading my favorite blogs, and watching certain tv shows.
Remember WHY You’re Working From Home
Ladies, this is huge. Knowing why you are doing what you’re doing will go a long way towards staying motivated!
Are you a work at home mom so that you can homeschool your kids? Are you a work at home mom to provide an income for your family without wasting that income on daycare costs? Do you sell a product that you believe in? Are you building a business around what you love?
Once you know your why, the deep down reason that you get up and do this every day, keep it everywhere! Write it on your mirror. Make a cute graphic with it to be the screensaver on your phone. Put it on the wall next to where you typically change diapers. These frequent reminders are sure to keep you fired up!
Find a Work at Home Mom Friend
Finally, my favorite tip for staying motivated as a work at home mom. Find a friend (or several)! Being a work at home mom can be extremely lonely sometimes. You can look up one day and realize you haven’t left the house or seen an adult besides your spouse all week.
When you do get a chance to hang out with your friends, it can be really difficult to explain what you actually do. Your spouse may try, but do they really understand how excited you get when you land that sale you’ve been working on for weeks or when a client’s project goes off without a hitch? Find a business bff.
Someone who is also working from home that you can celebrate your successes with, and who will tell you to go pour a glass of wine on days you want to quit. Trust me, as a work at home mom, you’ll need both types of support!
How do you stay motivated as a work at home mom? Any tips or tricks to share?
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I like the idea of using a reward system to keep yourself motivated as I do a lot of work from home and sometimes it can be difficult to not get distracted. I will try some of these tips.
Ana De- Jesus recently posted…Is Online Shopping Killing The High Street?
So glad that you found the tips helpful! Rewards are powerful!
I think this post is great for anyone who works at home. I do and I often fall into the trap of seeing things around the house that need done instead of the current task at hand, which more often than not has a deadline attached to it. The reward system is my go-to and I LOVE it!
You are so right! I’ve noticed that especially when I’m dreading a deadline, the dishes and laundry start calling to me.. :) Rewards are awesome!
I have never really had an issue motivating myself. I guess the money that I make is enough to do the trick LOL :)
Robin that is part of the rewards! Great job staying motivated!!
These ideas still relevant to any other situation, and I sure will pick up some of them . The last point ‘find a friend’ is really true, I mean, wea be so wrapped up at home with stuff going on that we forget ouside world. .
Rose Sahetapy recently posted…SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY
Rose that is so true! There have been days I realize that I haven’t seen an adult besides my husband all week! I’d go crazy without my online buddies!
The reward system totally works for me! I tell myself if I accomplish A, B, C….. then I can do X, Y, Z. There aren’t a lot of external opportunities for recognition so if your personality needs that, let the people in your life know so they can encourage you!
Oh that’s a great tip, Michelle! I know that it definitely helps me when my husband or best friends gets excited about what I’m doing so I’m not so alone!
I’m going to reward myself with a lunch date or a spa morning. Great idea as I plan for 2016! I’m all about the WHY as well. Starting to say no more, so I keep my sanity.
Saying no is so important! Have you read The Best Yes book? It changed my whole perspective! Also, a spa morning sounds fantastic!
I find really getting into a routine helps when you hit that autopilot mode. Getting there is tough though! Don’t they say it takes 28 days to form a habit? Having friends is definitely some of the best help!
Having a really solid routine definitely helps!
Love all of these tips! It can be really helpful to find a friend that understands what you do. Not only do they make good sounding boards, they help keep you sane when things start to get crazy!
Great tips! I like setting a timer and trying to get as much done in x amount of time. I guess I am competing against the clock. This helps keep me focused.
That is a great tip! I love to use timers. I use them with my kids while homeschooling as well. :)
I love the idea of rewarding myself! I wonder if my husband would agree with the idea of a pair of new shoes when I get my weekly tasks done! haha I can wish right?
It is definitely worth a try! I might have to try and convince hubby of the same thing!
I think the “why” is the most important! Even though I don’t work from home I constantly remind myself “why” I’m doing or need to do things. It’s really an excellent source of self-motivation!
Kelly B. recently posted…OOTD: Puffer Vest Obsession
Great motivation tips for anyone. Remembering your why is key to being productive and success.
I so agree! I’m writing a book for work at home moms right now, and there is so much in there about keeping your why at the forefront of your mind!
A reward system is a great idea! I try to set hours for myself, so that I don’t work too long, but it is definitely challenging! There is always just one more thing to do :-)
I have been working from home now for about 10 year now and the hardest part is separating work and play.
Now I’m looking into going back to work outside the house….that will be the tricky part!
I agree, that is the hardest part! Also, sending luck your way! I can’t imagine going back to working outside the house. It would be a blessing and a curse I think!
It is so hard to stay motivated as a work at home mom! I have started doing what you said and scheduling things out farther than I think and it has made things so much less stressful!
Glad the tips helped Debra!
Great tips! Sometimes, I believe it can be a trying experience to stay motivated when working at home. I’m surrounded by too many distractions!
It’s so true. The dishes and laundry are forever calling our names!
I’m pretty good about staying motivated. 3 out of 4 weeks I’m on it… But there’s always that one week where I drag! I then use small rewards threw out the day. Do this to get that etc ;-)
Yeah, there’s always that one week that puts me behind!
Woo buddy I need to read this and 100 others just like it. We just got back from vacation and normally we’re so excited to come home and rest. We’re usually home bodies but this time we got home and just got sad! Having a really hard time getting back in the swing of things and getting motivated to pick my site work back up!
I completely understand! Sometimes I feel like I need a vacation from my vacations!