How I Stay Motivated While Working Alone

The story is originally Published on Medium.com 

A lot of people complain about their noisy workplaces, where they have to put a lot effort to prevent the commotion from breaking their concentration. I faced similar workplace issues myself at one of my earlier jobs. Working in solitude did sound like a fairly comfortable option then. It was only after I started working remotely did I realize, it’s an option not free from drawbacks as well.

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True that I could fully concentrate on the work at hand with nothing to distract or interrupt me. But, the feeling of being left to yourself and work alone can be very overwhelming at times. 

At times I felt it was probably a better idea to work among people and have real colleagues. It may have felt annoying then, but having people coming up to me for a chat in between work actually helped to relieve a lot stress.

But working remotely was my choice and I knew I had to work out a way to get used to it and also start enjoying it. Because if I am not enjoying my work, I am not performing.

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With such a great volume of things happening on the social media, it cannot be all bad. I came across this inspiring quote and decided to keep it on my home screen, so that it was the first thing I saw when I turn on my computer.

“What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be. -Ellen Burstyn”

As days passed I realized that working alone was fine, as long as you really love what you are doing. There’s a bliss in solitude which one can only realize if they are left to do things they love to do on their own.

It was difficult to keep going in the beginning. The solitude did weigh heavy at times and the work pressure seemed profound. But what helped me to get through it and to eventually start liking the idea of working alone was a few self-inflicted measures.

The genuine passion that I had for my work was my biggest motivation. But apart from that I made it a point to not let loneliness get the better of me. So, I started socializing more outside work. Socializing was, however, not limited to the social networking sites alone. I began to spend more time with friends and family off the online space as well. This helped me feel less stressed and more rejuvenated.

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I was also actively participating in a number of community events that involved a myriad of tasks so that I am not left feeling that my job is the only thing I have in the world.

I made sure I was following a proper schedule for everything. It is important because if the rest of my life is not in order it is bound to have an adverse effect on my work.

Taking short breaks in between is vital - at least I need it. I would either sit back and relax while munching on my favourite snack or have a quick look at the newspaper or my phone for any new message or notification from the social networking apps. The best part is that I can take these short recesses whenever I feel it will be convenient. So, yes it scores over the unwanted interruptions that I had to face at my previous work places.

I can choose a different environment for my work whenever I feel like, to get rid of the monotony. So the nearest café or a quiet corner at the park also serves as a pleasant workplace.

What I learnt in a past few months “Things will not always go our way”

We need to make some adjustments even if it’s the ideal thing for us. Working alone on my own turned out to be just what I wanted, only after I considered the downsides of it and did all that was necessary to keep myself motivated inspite of everything.

However, it really depends on what you want at the end of the day. A highly active workplace with a constant flurry of activities could be the ideal work environment for some people. But for others like me working in solitude is the most suitable option. However, it may not be the perfect choice right from the very beginning. But if you are confident that this is what you want, you can always afford a few small adjustments to make it the ideal option for you.