By: Elizabeth Young, Editor.
Keeping motivated while working or attending school from home can be tough, especially when we are facing the stress of a global pandemic. As we spend all this time at home it’s easy to lose focus. By now, we’ve all heard the wake up early and get dressed for work advice; and, while it is important to change, let’s be real — putting on dress pants and getting up at five a.m. isn’t for everyone. Find what works best for you and try new things when something isn’t working.
Whether you are finishing a semester, co-op term or even both, keep these four tips in mind to keep on the right track:
1. Change your scenery
Some people work best with a set-out space designed for work and school, but if you start to lose focus there try moving around. You could try moving your location for the day for some inspiration. Maybe that means a quick move to the kitchen table or sitting at a local coffee shop for a few hours. This change could help inspire some motivation
2. Create a to do list
Whether it’s your workload or school load, things can pile up and quickly become overwhelming and stressful. Creating to-do lists will allow you to visualize everything that needs to be done and you can pick items you’d like to complete each day. Before you know it, you’ll be down to just a few. Plus, who doesn’t love the feeling of checking something off? You can use apps such as Microsoft To Do and Google Task, or you can just keep it simple with a paper and pen.
3. Time management
We’ve all heard it before, time management is important – but it is, and now more than ever. Over time, days can start to blend together so it’s important to set aside time to work on different projects and to step away altogether. By setting aside time for projects you will feel better about taking the break after having your head down, staring at your screen for the last few hours. So, whether it’s a nice day, or even a snowstorm (because who really knows in Nova Scotia ) take a minute outside or give a friend a call… but try and avoid more screen time.
4. Mute the notifications
I’m sure, like me, you have been sucked into the time-wasters of TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. While social media does have it pro’s, they can suck you in for hours on end bringing you instant joy and laughter. This can become a major distraction, especially when you are working from home and no one is around. The dings from all the notifications can quickly distract you from whatever you were working on, so hit mute. Go through your notification settings and turn off social media apps that you know aren’t important – mute the group chats, the snapchats and the worst of all TikTok. Of course, there are some we can’t mute whether it’s a co-worker, boss, or family. Take the time to decide what is important and what can wait; This will help keep you focused and on task to checking everything off your to do list.
As we all know, we have all been in this situation since March 2020, so as we pass on a year it’s important to remind ourselves these useful tips to stay motivated and mentally well. When we lose the ability to stay motivated it can become frustrating and stressful. Be sure to tell others around you how you are feeling, and they might be able to provide you with some tips that work for them as well. Everyone experiences this feeling; you are never alone.
