Tips to stay motivated during an online internship program

I’ve worked remotely for almost seven years, so I understand what it generally takes to work from home successfully. But then the social distancing orders went into place in March. Now, I’ve gone from focusing on work alone, in my home office, to sharing my workspace with my wife. Therefore, working from home has become less about working and more about home.

So in this article, I have shared some tips for interns who want to stay motivated during their work-from-home internships.

Here are five tips based on that research and my own experiences.

1. Update your mindset

Many of us are trying to juggle two full-time jobs simultaneously: parenting and work. But you cannot physically do both at the same time. Repeat that to yourself if you need to. 

Therefore, I suggest that you be realistic to keep from getting demoralized. These are challenging times, and you can not be as productive as before. But as an intern, you should impress your mentor in your unpaid or paid internship.

2. Set realistic goals

Now that you’ve updated your mindset write down the task for the day. It will help you not only prioritize your work when time is limited but also enable you to be satisfied that you’re still focusing on what matters. As a result, celebrate the small wins to help you stay motivated. Moreover, this online internship will help you to become acquainted with the corporate culture.

3. Create a new routine

Doing work from home online internship gives you more flexibility than ever before. However, as an intern, you need to establish your routine so that you can meet the deadlines. 

I recommend keeping to a healthy routine, blocking off working hours (as much as you can), and preserving a dedicated “work zone” in your home, even if it is temporary, to stay focused.

4. Help yourself stay on track

Making the most of your time can help you get specific about how you will deal with obstacles. Invest some time thinking about things that might make it challenging to stick to your goals, and then come up with concrete plans for how you will deal with them.

Planning these “if → then” kinds of rules have been found to be effective in helping you stick to your goals.

5. Stay connected

Interns doing work-from-home internships can often feel isolated and motivation can quickly wane. Therefore, so efforts to feel like part of a community at work can help, turn your camera on during meetings. And, try to recreate that water cooler talk via chat or by scheduling catch-ups with your colleagues. 

According to the report, 65% of Americans intend to continue working remotely after the pandemic subsides. If you continue working from home, I can tell you it will get easier when life returns to normal!

If you are looking for an online internship program, then ULead is here. It for students to upskill themselves while reinventing learning and transforming lives with us. Leadership is the most sought-after skill by all companies, and Ulead is the place to be if you see yourself as a corporate leader in the future. Apply now!!.