Self-Care to Enkindle Motivation
From the time we are born, we are taught to work hard, never slow down, and burn the candle at both ends to be successful. The problem is, the side effect of working hard without taking care of yourself is burn out. When you reach the point of exhaustion, you are no longer at your best and success fades away along with your commitment, desire, and drive.
When you lose passion for what you are doing, achievement turns to drudgery. The key to a successful life is balance. Both in personal and work life situations, you have to master the art of self-care along with being able to cross the responsibilities off your list.
When you are inspired, well-rested and internally balanced, you cannot help but be happier, more motivated and more successful. The better you get at finding ways to take care of you, the more responsive others will be to your positivity, which in turn motivates you even further.
Finding Balance When You Work From Home
For some people, working at home is a great option that allows you to be productive by working at your own pace on your own unique schedule. For others, it is more difficult to attend to family and home matters while also being efficient at getting your work done.
Distractions can make or break your workday. Schedule work increments of 1–2 hours with phones and email turned off, and your door closed. Then when you have accomplished something off your list, you can check messages and spend thirty minutes responding. Repeat this process until the end of your workday to maximize your efficiency.
Plan your day the night before and put only 3–5 top items on your list. If you don’t get to one or two of them, move them to the next day. Don’t just keep pushing forward until you are too tired to think. Your body and brain need downtime to recharge to keep working correctly. Don’t forget to take breaks; experts suggest a 5-minute break after every 45 minutes of work.
When you are home, be home. Keeping work and personal time separate is critical to mental and emotional wellbeing. That line can quickly become blurred for people who work at home. Resist the urge to run into your office to send just one more email. Truly allow yourself to relax when the workday is over.
Stress-Reducing, Self-Care Tips
When searching for balance in our lives, we often overlook the most obvious tip: prioritization. Create a list of what is most important and focus on those items. Let the rest go until another time. When it is time to rest, rest. By planning out your week, it gives you a sense of control over your time and a more peaceful approach to your tasks.
Invest in “you” time. Build in stretches of time doing something you love like listening to music, reading, walking, or even tackling a puzzle. Our brains don’t function well when we force work all the time. We need rest and relaxation to refuel the cells and re-energize our motivation. Get plenty of water and fresh air during your breaks.
Living healthy actually adds to your success level. When you eat good foods, get plenty of rest, and exercise regularly, your body and mind are in much better shape to handle the demands of juggling work and family life. If you are under unusually high stress, certain foods and exercise practices can help alleviate the pressure.
Taking Care of You
Another great way to reduce your stress and achieve better work/life balance is meditation. Meditation helps to slow down the mind, give your thinking a break and allow inspiration and clear direction to surface. Even 10 minutes of meditation per day can help immeasurably.
Something else that is helpful is to make a list of positive affirmations or a gratitude list. Successful people swear by writing and reading gratitude statements throughout the day. Positive attracts more of the same.
When you look good, you feel good. Transform your shower with a new shower head for an invigorating, cleansing experience. This way, when you dress for success, you will feel super clean and confident, ready to face whatever challenges come your way.
Don’t forget to treat yourself to something nice. If you have worked particularly hard one week, treat yourself to a movie, a relaxing bubble bath, or even a latte for your morning routine. This self-induced pat on the back motivates you towards even more success.
Success the Smarter Way — Motivate Yourself
Most of us want to be successful. Your definition of success might vary from the next person’s, but in the end, it all means the same thing. To be truly successful you have to be pleased with the way your life is going and how you are accomplishing your goals, whether personal or professional.
Self-motivation is one of the most critical aspects of success in any endeavor. You must be the one pushing yourself forward and making the list of next steps. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Having self-motivation fosters pride in your work and personal achievements.
Self-supervision is another highly efficient trait that helps you be successful. You know what your boss expects from you. If you cover all your bases, when it comes time for that promotion or a raise, you’ll know you have it. Instead of waiting for your boss to bring up issues of punctuality and going that extra mile, instill those habits yourself.
You cannot overlook the power of a positive attitude. Successful people never give up, they don’t complain, and they don’t give in to negative thinking. There is great power in positivity and forward thinking.
