Working from home can seem like a dream come true. However, many people find that they lose motivation incredibly quickly and end up lazing around, not getting anything done.

This doesn’t have to be the case! Nathan Abadi, the owner of Excel Capital Management in New York, is the true advocate of working from home. He’s been doing so since March 6th alongside his team of over 15 people to ensure his business keeps going, despite the strange times. He said, “I know the difficulties first hand and wanted to share some of the things I do to motivate myself and my colleagues”.

You too can stay motivated and enjoy working from home with Nathan Abadi’s top tips. Let’s get into it, shall we?

1. Early Bird Gets The Worm

We’re starting with the part that everyone hates — getting out of bed.

Since you don’t have an office to go to, it can feel pretty pointless rolling out of bed at 7 am. But, take it from someone who knows; the early bird well and truly gets the worm.

Waking up like you have a traditional office job to be on time for will work wonders for your productivity. Every study has proven this. You’ll work harder, faster and better if you swap your 11 am mornings for 7 am (or 7:30, whatever suits you).

2. Feel Human

When you’re working from home, you might fall into the pajama trap (i.e. wearing your most comfortable, soft clothes at all times). You don’t have any coworkers who are going to judge you, or a boss telling you that you’re taking casual Friday too far, so why bother getting dressed?

Well, it has been psychologically proven that your brain will take on the characteristics that your fashion choices conjure up. So, wearing joggers and a t-shirt that’s 5 times too big for you will force you into an unmotivated and lazy mood.

Having said this, let’s just clarify something. We’re not saying you should suit it and boot it every day; that might be a bit too much. However, throwing on some jeans a clean top is bound to give you a productive, energetic lift.

3. No More Bed Working

Some people who have just started working from home may not have a choice but to work from their bed. But, if you can, avoid this at all costs.

We just talked about that lazy feeling which comes with wearing pajama’s or comfy clothes all day. Well, sitting/lying on your bed with your laptop will triple that feeling, we promise!

Not to mention that, when you try to go to sleep at night, your work will be thrumming around your head since you’re in the same spot! It won’t be good for your career, nor your health.

4. Planning Is Your Friend

Your planner (whether digital or good ol’ paper) should be your best friend.

Working from home gives you the freedom to pick your hours and plan other activities throughout the day. However, this shouldn’t just be left to chance. You will reap the working from home rewards if you structure your day. Basically, you need to do some hardcore adulting.

Oh, before we move on to our next tip you should know — there’s an app for this. Just like everything nowadays, you can find a free app that will help you plan your work and activities every day. Some people find that they’re even more productive when they use a nifty, sleek-looking app!

5. Work Hard, Play Hard

That’s right. Working from home can give you countless opportunities to play just as hard as you work. Although, you will need to find some sort of balance — don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

Essentially, you will be working with the principle of positive reinforcement. Consider following this strategy:

1. Work solidly for 2 hours.
2. Watch an episode of your favorite Netflix series.
3. Finish a project (or work for another 2 hours).
4. Play a video game (or watch another episode).

This way, you are changing the activities that are typically distractions into rewards for your hard work and focus.

Alternatively, you can try the increasingly popular Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique

For those of you who end up in never-ending YouTube rabbit holes, you’ll have probably come across The Pomodoro Technique. We’ll break it down for you since it involves 6 steps.

Step One: Task

Here, you need to pick a task you want to finish. Whether it’s small or big or in between, it doesn’t matter. It just needs your undivided attention.

Make sure you write it down on a piece of paper since we’ll need this later.

Step Two: Timer

Set a timer for 25 minutes. That’s it. Just 25 minutes of pure, focused work.

Step Three: Work

Work nonstop for the full 25 minutes. When you hear the ring, stop. If you’ve discovered you need to do something else, write it down.

Step Four: Check

Put a checkmark against the finished task and take a moment to pat yourself on the back.

Step Five: Short Break

Set the timer for 5 minutes. This is your break time! Make some coffee, breathe, meditate, flip through Instagram. Anything!

Step Six: Repeat

Once your short break is over, repeat these steps 4 times. After this, make sure to take a long 30-minute break before doing another 4 Pomodoros.

6. Distracting Websites Begone

Even when you’re in an office, you’ll experience distractions by the surfing web. But at home, it’s amplified by loads thanks to your zero-filter policy.

You can easily change your habits though. Whether you’re a fiend for Facebook, Instagram, Reddit or Twitter, you can delete browser bookmarks or even set timers that literally block these websites until your workday is over.

The Bottom Line

Remember, anything is possible. While you might not believe us right now, we’re certain that following these tips will bring you motivation and enjoyment from working at home.