Updated for 2025: Practical AI & Business Moves
As a black entrepreneur from the tail end of the baby-boomer generation who’s been in business for 25 years, I’ve never thrived working from home. After breakfast, no matter what I eat—even decaf coffee—I hit a wall of lethargy. It wasn’t until I started working at coffee shops that I realized the culprit: isolation. Being surrounded by people, noise, and movement instantly lifted my energy and motivation. Turns out, working from home can drain you—not because of your diet or screen glare, but because our brains crave social connection and environmental stimulation.
Our upbringing wired us to see home as a place for rest and leisure, not productivity. We ate, relaxed, and slept there, but rarely worked creatively or intensely. Plus, during the day, we were at school or work, not home. So, the sudden shift to remote work—especially accelerated by AI automation and the creator economy boom—has thrown many of us off balance.
If you’re struggling with motivation while working remotely in 2025, here are some updated, practical strategies to help you reclaim your energy and focus:
- Recognize boredom and delegate or automate the grind. I used to hate parts of my business so much that I hired help. Today, with AI tools like ChatGPT and automation platforms, you can offload repetitive tasks without breaking the bank. If hiring isn’t an option, platforms like Fiverr remain useful—just vet freelancers carefully by reviews and samples.
- Pay yourself first—physically, mentally, and financially. This means prioritizing your well-being before diving into work. Take time for morning rituals that energize you, whether that’s meditation, a short workout, or simply hydrating well. Remember, most “emergencies” can wait, so guard your focus fiercely.
- Hit the gym or move your body early. Starting your day with exercise boosts energy and mental clarity. With many gyms now offering AI-personalized workouts or virtual classes, you can tailor your routine to fit your schedule and goals.
- Hydrate immediately after waking. Drinking water first thing wakes up your organs and primes your brain for productivity.
- Delay email and phone checks for at least two hours. Early morning inbox dives often spiral into hours of reactive work and distraction. Protect your prime creative hours by focusing on deep work before digital noise invades.
- Manage your spending when working outside the home. If you’re like me and find yourself working from coffee shops or coworking spaces, watch out for the “small” expenses that add up—daily coffees, meals out, and transport. Planning meals and coffee runs can save hundreds monthly, which you can reinvest into your business or wellness.
- Prioritize sleep and track it smartly. As we age, quality sleep—especially REM—is critical. Devices like Fitbit or Apple Watch now offer advanced sleep tracking and AI-driven insights to help optimize your rest.
- Keep home as your sanctuary. Make a clear boundary: work happens elsewhere or during set hours; home is for decompressing. This separation helps your brain switch off and recharge.
- Combat isolation with hybrid work and community. The pandemic taught us that pure remote work can sap motivation and mental health. Hybrid models—mixing home, office, and third spaces like coffee shops or coworking hubs—help restore social connection and reduce burnout. Join creator communities or mastermind groups online to stay inspired and accountable.
- Leverage AI and automation to reduce overload. With the creator economy exploding, tools that automate scheduling, content creation, customer engagement, and data analysis can free up your mental bandwidth, letting you focus on what truly moves the needle.
Working from home isn’t just about location—it’s about designing your environment, habits, and tech use to fuel your motivation and creativity. If you’re feeling drained, it’s not just you; it’s the isolation, blurred boundaries, and outdated notions of what “home” means for work. Adapt, automate, and connect—and you’ll find your energy returning faster than you think.
