how to get motivated after a holiday or time off work

Whether you’ve taken a few weeks off  to spend time with family and travel abroad, or have been mainly at home dipping your toes in your business here and there, chances are you’re ready to get your head back in the game and start creating new projects and opportunities.

Like you, I’m feeling both excited to get started and a little apprehensive about my ability to actually sit down and ‘get sh*t done’! Knowing how easily I get distracted (ooh look pretty interiors on Pinterest), I’ve created a list of strategies that help me to feel more motivated, aligned, supported and nourished, so that I can achieve my goals with ease and flow.

Here are five top tips to make returning to work productive and enjoyable:

• Set a realistic alarm. Let’s be honest, if you’ve been staying up late and relaxing all morning over the summer months, or enjoying cosy winter lie-ins, then a 5am alarm is going to feel pretty terrible! You’ll hit snooze over and over, before finally dragging yourself into the kitchen for coffee a couple of hours later. So be realistic and set a time that you know will work for you. Remember, you can always make it 5-10 minutes earlier each day for a week until you get to your preferred wake up time.
• Drink a glass of water. Keep a bottle by your bed (I love my 24 Bottles ‘Clima’ bottle that keeps water cold overnight) and drink as soon as you wake up. Hydration is key to a clear head, so keep drinking water all day long. Two litres is a minimum and aim for three or more if you live in a hot climate or exercise for over an hour.
• Start the day with some meditation and stretching. I found a couple of short meditation and yoga videos on YouTube over the summer and have been doing them every morning for a few weeks and it feels great. I created a playlist that also includes a cardio/body toning workout and some affirmations – so I pick and choose which I feel like doing. Sometimes just the three minute meditation is all I need to feel focused. Find something that works for you and just do it before anything else!
• Wear clothes that make you feel fabulous. That gorgeous floaty maxi dress you only wore once to a party, wear it! Those beautiful new earrings you fell in love with in the shop but haven’t worn yet, put them on! When you work from home it doesn’t matter what you wear, but by choosing fabrics, textures and colours that make you feel great, you’ll be exuding a more positive energy that will shine through in all you do – whether that’s client projects or boring admin tasks.
• Plan your most important activities. I’m not a fan of hour-by-hour scheduling, I find it too restrictive, but I do get far more done when I plan the most important tasks each day and give them a time frame. For example, one hour of blog writing, one hour for a video chat with an online business friend, three hours on a client project. I can then be flexible with each activity and work them around cooking for my family, picking up one of my daughters from a friend’s house or going shopping for cat food. (Luna is telling me he’s hungry as I write this!)

However you spend your days at work, always ensure you plan ahead for the important things that make life even better. Things like date nights, family trips, self-care and time with friends – as well as making time to prepare, cook and eat delicious healthy food that supports your body, mind and soul.

Take some time every day to reward yourself for your commitment to your business and to plan ahead for the next few months. Use this time to think about what lights you up, what fuels your passion and what lights the fire in your belly.

As a small business owner or creative entrepreneur, the lines between business and personal life can get repeatedly blurred. It’s important to always allow yourself time to fully switch off from work mode by spending time journalling, relaxing and being in nature so that clarity and creativity flow freely and abundantly.

Lorraine xx

Lorraine is a self-confessed lover of homemade vegan hot chocolate, fluffy animals and Pinterest. In between looking after her family and pets she effortlessly weaves words into magnetic copy for overwhelmed creative entrepreneurs who need a little word-whispering magic sprinkled over their unique brand. Find out more about Lorraine’s copywriting, ghost writing and content creation services here.

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