On some days, I jump straight out of bed filled with energy and enthusiasm to greet the day and I am excited to get things done. On some days, it seems I just want to lie down on my bed and I feel sluggish and I dread starting my day at work. How my day will turn out is greatly affected by my motivation to do my work.
Over the years that I have worked from home, I have found that intrinsic motivation plays a more crucial role than extrinsic motivation in keeping yourself motivated. Intrinsic motivation comes from within yourself while extrinsic motivation comes from outside yourself, external sources. When you are working from home, it is easy to get distracted and be lazy. If you are not motivated to do your job, you will find yourself squandering your time on binge watching all day, getting obsessed with cleaning the house and doing chores, playing video games, and falling down into the abyss of other time-sucking activities you can do. The flexibility in how you manage your time when working remotely is a double-edged sword, so to speak.
I want to share what I have learned to be the most effective intrinsic motivators for me.
Love what you do
We’ve heard it a lot of times: “you have to love what you do”. It’s cliche. It’s easier said than done. It’s also very true. I think that loving what you do at work is your most important motivation. Of course getting paid is right at the top as well, but money gets spent, you run out of it. If you are passionate about what you do, and you are able to do it everyday, that gives you happiness, energy, excitement, and all the reasons to push you to continue doing your job. So it is very important to love your work. It is a real challenge and it might take you a good number of years in your life. It might take a lot of searching and trying out different jobs.
Don’t stop learning
When I think about the years I was in college, I realize that I was mostly motivated by my eagerness to learn. The classes I excelled at were about the subjects I was very interested in. The pursuit of learning and mastery is a great motivator. When I started to work, at first I was keeping myself busy with applying what I have learned from college. The daily grind became repetitive. I felt bored and demotivated. It was partly because, at that time, I was figuring out what I love doing, but mostly it was because I stopped learning. So it became clear to me that I should be continuously improving. I reignited my passion for learning, I read books, pursued training courses and certifications, read blogs, sought out mentors, etc. This is one of the things which keep me motivated, the drive to continuously improve and gain mastery over the skills I use to do my work.
Take a break
It might seem counter-intuitive that one of the things you can do to keep yourself motivated is to take a break and rest, but I think it is very important. Even our bodies need a good night’s sleep after a hard day’s work. For me taking a break is not just about slacking off and doing things which doesn’t move you forward to your goals, I think there is more to it. Pausing to take a rest gives you a chance to reflect on where you are currently and look back to review your accomplishments. Celebrating what you have been able to achieve will surely motivate you to keep moving forward.
Have faith
I believe in God. I believe that God gave me the skills I have to fulfill a purpose here on earth. When I get lost in a sea of doubts, when I am filled with questions about what I am doing and where I am going, this belief provides a guiding light. I find this verse from the Bible to be a powerful motivator:
Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
I think we all need something to believe in, to keep us motivated in using our skills to do our work. This faith will keep pushing us forward, especially through failure and setbacks.
Keep moving forward
When working remotely or working from home, it is mostly up to you to keep yourself motivated. Aside from what I have shared, I’m sure there are more ways and techniques you can use to keep yourself motivated. Find what works best for you and make sure to adapt to changes.
Remote Agility 