5 Reasons Why You Seem Unmotivated While Working from Home

22 April 2021

There are days where we get in the mood of not doing anything or feeling listless. Fear not because we have all experienced that. You might just have a hard time getting in the zone and being focused. Even if this happens, it is okay to feel that way. You are human and you are allowed to feel exhausted and bored. 

No matter what your reason is, days like these happen to everyone at some point. When we have the strength or energy to go to work, we feel like dragging ourselves until the shift ends. You might even feel sad or anxious about how slow the time is moving. Feeling this way is valid and normal for all of us. But if you feel that you are going into a downward spiral or just want to be more productive, there are tips that we will be sharing for you to escape that mood.  

If you feel fatigued or burnt out because of juggling too many responsibilities in life, we are here to help you. Here are seven reasons why you feel this way alongside some tips on how to improve why you are feeling a certain way.

1. You Have a Lot of Things Going On 

It is a known fact that the grind never stops. We all want to live a financially stable and worry-free life but for us to achieve that we have to work hard for it. Most people tend to bury themselves in work just to make ends meet. 

You might have even taken in another part-time job just to increase your savings. The bottom line is you are too busy. Being busy is mostly seen by many as a status symbol in today's workplace; it indicates that you are in high demand and trusted with a large number of responsibilities. Although this affirmation is good for your self-esteem, spending your entire waking life in "job mode" will leave you exhausted and unmotivated.

It is okay to get yourself busy and work hard to provide for yourself and your family but doing so many things every single day can be extremely draining. 

What You Can Do: 

Have more breaks in the day and make your job a priority. Take a stroll or a run, eat lunch somewhere far from your desk, and, if necessary, sleep. Taking a step away for a moment may often be the most effective way to remain centered or find solutions to work-related problems.

Make certain you take your breaks at the appropriate times. For example, if your motivation is at its highest in the morning, use that time to concentrate on your day's most difficult tasks to maximize your productivity. Take a couple of minutes to refresh your brain after you have completed your most difficult or time-consuming tasks. Let me remind you that taking a break would not stop you from reaching your goals. It just gives you ample time to have a breather.


2. You Find It Difficult to Start

Going to try to get started on a project when you have no idea where to begin is a huge demotivator. We have all heard that the toughest part of starting a major job or a difficult project is getting underway, but once you get into the swing of things, the whole thing can seem a lot less daunting.

What You Can Do:

Try to improve your productivity. When you are stuck on how to tackle a project, the trick to staying motivated is to remove the obstacles that prevent you from getting started in the first place.

It can be helpful to approach things one step at a time. If you do this, you can get less overwhelmed by the task and you can finish it on a lighter note. As long as you have started working on it.

Try to develop a routine that will help you ease into the workday and gain momentum. Having a cup or two of coffee can help, especially if that gives you the extra boost you need.


3. You Have Merged the Lines Between Your Personal and Professional Life

Leaving your work at the office was the norm before smartphones took over our lives and bringing work home with you needed extra effort and preparation. We are all mentally and physically linked nowadays because we have access to our work email in our pockets.

When we are not in the office, it can be difficult to disconnect from work, especially if we are working on a big project or have a lot on our plate.

What You Can Do: 

Try to establish a designated time to scroll social media sites for your break. You can also set a routine for your home responsibilities alongside your work requirements. Learn how to smoothly run and execute things by planning them out. Start organizing your day at your desk from FlexiSpot before you do anything else. 

4. You are Emotionally Drained

If you mentally drop out at work and cannot recall a single thing once you get home, you are emotionally detached from your job. Other than that, you might just have had enough physically and mentally, which have affected you emotionally as well. 

Your social needs could have been harmed as a result of working from home. You seem to be missing out on physical contact. Do not undervalue the effect of your emotional needs on your motivation — teams who trust and support one another are happier and more effective, even when done online.

What You Can Do:

Socialization is not put to a halt just because we are physically distancing from one another. A good solution you can do is by having weekend virtual parties or reconnect with your friends once in a while and catch up with your life updates. Doing this can impact your motivation. 


5. You Confuse Your Free Time with Your Vacant Time 

Just because you are done for the day and have ample time to do other things besides work, does not have to automatically mean that you can still do offline tasks. Make sure to set boundaries. Balance everything out and stop when you need to stop. If you were asked to report to work on a weekend and you do not feel like it since it is your rest day, you have all the right to say no.

What You Can Do:

Cherish your time off and set some limitations. After a productive work week, you do not have to force yourself to continue working. You deserve to rest and relax for once. Taking a break is normal and vital for you to regain energy and strength to conquer new and challenging tasks. This is essential to make you a successful and productive professional.