10 Ways Creative Professionals Can Stay Inspired & Motivated While Working Remotely
by Kelsey Arrington on Nov 04, 2022 Sometimes, it can be hard to stay motivated as a creative professional. And when that happens, it can be hard to feel productive or stay focused. Can you relate? Have you ever lost your creative spark? Is it hard to stay inspired while you work from home? Here are 10 ways art, design, and development professionals can keep the creative juices flowing while working remotely.
Key Takeaways:
- Be patient with yourself as you brainstorm, create, design, or code.
- Create boundaries between work and home life to avoid mental burnout and physical fatigue.
- Seek sources of inspiration and write down your ideas.
Develop a positive mindset.
If you are running into difficulties working remotely, perhaps it’s time to shift your perspective on WFH life. We admit that changing your perception of remote work is no easy feat. However, with a little effort, you can adopt a positive outlook on your work situation. Instead of focusing on the cons of remote work, think about all of the benefits such as increased family time and decreased commute time, for instance.
Take regular breaks.
While remote work often eliminates normal office distractions, having a hyper-focused atmosphere can create other issues – like working long hours without a break, for example. To avoid body aches that arise from sitting for long periods of time or mental burnout; it’s essential to take a break every now and then. While everyone’s schedule is different, we recommend taking breaks at regular intervals to stretch, walk, or rehydrate throughout the workday – even breaks as short as 3-5 min can help to alleviate mental stress.
Know your peak energy and slump times.
Everyone experiences different levels of energy. And this can vary depending on the day, what one has consumed and one’s sleeping habits. So, it’s rare for any employee to experience high energy levels and motivation for the entire day.
However, if you would like to improve your productivity levels, it’s important to gain a baseline understanding of your peak energy and slump times. Understanding your body and its energy levels will help you determine the best times to schedule meetings or tackle difficult tasks.
Get enough sleep.
Let’s face it, getting the recommended amount of sleep per night is not always easy or feasible. However, it is important that we get enough sleep to sustain our bodies and minds throughout the next workday. After all, when do not get enough sleep, our bodies and minds lose energy, our motivation dwindles and our work suffers as a result.
Reward yourself.
Having a hard time staying motivated or focused? Consider creating an incentive to get your to-do list done! When used strategically, rewards can help a remote worker sustain motivation throughout the day.
There are several ways to reward oneself while working remotely. Some include:
- a coffee break at a local coffee shop
- a quick walk around your neighborhood
- a movie after work
- a delicious treat to enjoy during lunch break
Set up your home office. Include cozy items.
If it’s possible to create a home office for yourself, we highly recommend doing so. When setting up a home office, don’t forget to include items of comfort – that range from decorative throw pillows and blankets to more practical items such as space heaters or ergonomic office chairs. One of the benefits of working remotely is having access to your home and the items that bring you joy. So, keep that in mind when setting up or redecorating your home office.
Use an idea wall to brainstorm.
If you work in an art or design role, you likely experience times of creative drought and other times when there are creative juices flowing. Sometimes, you may have too many ideas, and other times, you may not be able to recall a single thought. Creating an idea wall can aid you in both of those instances.
Idea walls allow you to brainstorm without being distracted from your main priorities. All you need to get started is a wall, corkboard, or whiteboard and a pack of sticky notes. Write your ideas down as they come and place them on the wall. Categorize or color-code the sticky notes if you like, it’s your wall after all. The goal is to keep a continuous stream of ideas that can help your company reach its goals and to stay creative.
Make a schedule.
Working from home can be a challenge for creative professionals who lack a clear boundary between work hours and personal time. To remedy a poor work-life balance, remote workers can try creating a schedule that includes a morning routine, work hours, and time to have a personal life. Don’t get us wrong! This is not always easy and you should always use your own discernment when prioritizing work projects. However, it is important to take care of your well-being and one way to do that is to create a schedule to regulate how you spend your time.
Give your eyes a break and listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks.
What are your sources of inspiration? For many artists, designers, and developers; auditory media be a great source of inspiration.
So, put on some music while you work, or tune into a podcast. Likewise, you can listen to an audiobook during your mealtime or as you work on projects.
If you don’t want to wade through the digital clutter, we have you covered with this list of 25 design podcasts or this one that includes podcasts for remote workers.
Make sure you love your job.
Sometimes, it’s hard to stay motivated when you work from home. We all know that! A lack of motivation happens to the best of us. Luckily, we can implement strategies, like those listed above, to get through our day-to-day challenges. However, it is hard to sustain motivation when you are no longer interested in the work you’re doing. To remedy that, use our job board to look for new employment and create the future you see for yourself.