Ok, so most of the people who hear that you work at home won't think you need to have more fun. After all, you just sit around and watch TV, and some piddly amount of money just appears with no effort on your part, right?

Don't know about you, but none of that's true for me. I work hard, watch very little TV (and I'm generally working at the same time), and the money's pretty darn good.

But some days it's just so hard to get going. Things just kind of drag, or maybe you're frustrated that things seem to be staying in one place. Whatever the reason, sometimes you need to spice things up a little to help motivate yourself when you work at home.

* Work someplace else! If you have a laptop, work in the back yard, take the kids to the playground, just start working someplace you don't usually. If you don't have a laptop computer, think of some of your other work that could possibly be done away from your desk. Even if it's nothing but brainstorming ideas, getting out of your home office can be a lot of fun and actually help your productivity.

* Play some music! No, not the kids' favorite CDs, something you want to hear.

* Involve your kids. They'll have a lot of fun helping you and you're making your work more real to them. It's a great example for your children to learn that there are more possibilities out there than just a traditional job.

* Take time for you. If you're feeling burnt out, taking a break can actually help you to get more work done.

* Make more time for your kids. I've found I do much better if I make sure to include plenty of time to play with my children throughout my day. They're much more cooperative when I say I need to work if I've been playing with them other times.

* Learn something new! Come on, what have you been considering learning but haven't found the time for? Maybe it relates to your work at home job or business or maybe it's about a hobby, but learning can give you a fresh perspective even if you aren't learning something specific to your work.

Anyone who has worked at home for a significant time knows that working at home isn't the cakewalk some think it is. But you can revive yourself by changing your habits, even if it's just for a day or two a month.