Practical Ways to Increase Productivity When Working Remotely

Tips for How to Work Efficiently From Home

A couple of decades ago, only a very small percentage of people worked from home. Since then, technology has improved to make it much easier to work remotely.

We now have videoconferencing that enables us to connect with our co-workers & clients more effectively. As well as faster wifi services and smart devices that aid us in communicating efficiently. Plus, let’s not forget how cutting out our commute has impacted us!

The way we work has changed drastically, but in an effective way and working remotely has had a mostly positive affect. These changes in how we work has resulted in it being much easier & realistic to do it from home. Now, thanks to the current pandemic, large numbers of people now do or will have to work remotely in order to stay home with their children until schools open back up for in-person teaching.

Is working from home the same as being in an office?

What some people don’t realize before starting their remote work is that it is very different than working in an office. Many of the routines that help you thrive in an office don’t translate the same in the home environment.

In order to thrive as a remote worker, it’s important to learn a new set of skills and strategies to help you be productive and successful. With my experience working from home, I’d like to provide you with some proven tips, routines, & strategies that have helped me work effectively from home and should help you too!

Strategies To Use for Working At Home

Creating a space for your work-at-home office

Designating a working space is important to help train your brain on how to keep your work-life & home-life separate. When you enter your workspace, you know that it’s time to concentrate and get down to business. Alternatively, when you leave that space you should make it a point to do personal tasks or relax instead of doing work here & there.

As much as possible, try to make your workspace feel separate from the rest of your house. This doesn’t mean that you have to have an entirely separate room to work in. For many people, that’s not even an option. But what you should do is designate an area, in maybe the living room or your bedroom, to use only for work.

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Ideally, your workspace should be as free from distractions as possible. So definitely try not to camp out at the kitchen table where your family may be coming in and out to get food. If you can’t physically separate yourself from others, try using noise-canceling headphones to help reduce the distractions that would be going on around you.

The more you do your work tasks in one area, the more your brain will associate that area with your job. As your brain starts to create an association, entering your workspace will act as a trigger to signal your brain that it’s time to concentrate on work.

Don’t forget to make your space as comfortable as possible. You will probably be there most of the day if you work full-time.

Get a comfy chair, items to organize your space, and add some decor that inspires you. If you can, try to work in a well-lit area, like near a window that lets in lots of natural light.

When your workday is finished, practice “closing” your working space. Close all the work-related items on your computer (ie programs, apps, browser tabs, etc), put away work files & materials, and tidy up your space so it’s ready for your next work day.

“Successfully working from home is a skill, just like programming, designing, or writing. It takes time and commitment to developing that skill.”

Alex Turnbull

What to include in your remote work schedule

One of the best advantages of working remotely is that there’s usually more flexibility in your work day. Specifically with regards to setting your own schedule.

That’s not to say that you should just do tasks whenever you feel like. The absence of a defined schedule could make it difficult to be productive, as well as, make it tough to get motivated to get started on your work responsibilities.

The best way to keep yourself on track is to adhere to a consistent schedule as much as possible. Things you should consider and set in advance are:

• What time you will start work
• When you will work on specific tasks
• When will you take breaks
• What time your workday will end

By creating and maintaining a predetermined schedule you are adding order & structure to your workday. This will help keep you on track so you can be more consistent & productive in the same way you would if you were in the office.

First, as tempting as it may be to spend all day working in your pajamas, take time to get dressed for the day. When you make an effort to get dressed for work, it acts as a signal to your mind & body that you’re transitioning out of relaxing mode and into work mode.

It’s also important to establish clearly defined times for when you will be working. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a clearly defined quitting time, it’s easy to just keep working far longer than if you were in the office. and don’t forget that your goal is to be fully present during your remote work time.

Make sure to communicate your schedule to all relevant people like your boss, coworkers, family, and friends. Doing so will help establish clear boundaries regarding when you will and won’t be working, which will hopefully limit unnecessary distractions.

Also, consider creating pre-work routines that will get you in the right mindset before starting your workday. Think about your usual morning routine before heading to the office.

Do you wake early to exercise, journal, walk the dog, read the newspaper, or maybe meal prep? Whatever those tasks may be for you, think about what you currently do, as well as maybe a couple of other positive habits you may want to include, so you can create a before work routine that will set you up for a successful day.

Lastly, don’t forget to take breaks while working from home. This is essential for giving your mind a rest a few times through out the day. So be intentional about adding breaks & activities into your schedule that will refresh you mentally, like going for a walk, checking in with your family, or drinking coffee on your balcony.

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How to maintain a task list just for your work activities

Consistently maintaining a task list helps you focus the lion’s share of your attention on the things that matter most. You also gain a sense of progress as you check items off your list.

At the start of each day, take a few minutes to review the items on your list. Rank your three most important tasks and then focus on getting those things done that day. Don’t move on to your second most important task until you’ve completed your first.

There are a number of effective ways to keep a task list. There are a number of planners that are specifically designed to help you identify and accomplish your most important tasks, including:

• Full Focus Planner
• BestSelf Planner
• Bullet Journal

If you want to maintain your list on your computer and smartphone, check out these apps:

• Trello
• Todoist
• Omnifocus
• Google Tasks
• Things

If you simultaneously want to stay on top of your schedule and your task list, you may want to try using the Pomodoro technique. It works like this:

1. Identify your most important task
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task for 25 minutes (one Pomodoro session).
4. Take a 5-minute break.
5. After four Pomodoro sessions, take a 15-20-minute break.

*To learn more time management strategies check out: Most Practical Tips for Managing Your Time

Ways to communicate with coworkers when working remotely

Even when you’re working from home, it’s still essential to stay in touch with your coworkers. With remote work, miscommunications are more likely when trying to convey information over technological channels.

To keep misunderstandings to a minimum, it’s important to communicate often and create systems for confirming that everyone on your team understands specifics & their responsibilities. If your company doesn’t already have tools in place for communication, you could consider using the following:

• Direct Messaging tools. There are times when you just need to get a quick answer from a colleague without getting into a full conversation. If you were in the office you would just stick your head in, ask, and be on your way! For these instances, chat applications come in very handy. Consider Jabber by Cisco, Slack, or even Hangouts if your company already utilizes GSuite.
  
• Video Conferencing tools. Video conferencing tools are essential since you won’t be able to meet in the office. Zoom is a popular option, but make sure your company invests in a subscription that offers more secure connections. For companies that have Microsoft Outlook, they can just use the new Teams video conferencing.
  
• Collaboration tools. The best collaboration tools allow work teams to stay up to date on projects that they are working on. You want to be able to easily track, make changes, and add notes to any item or task. Trello, that I mentioned early for personal tasks lists, is also a great option for teams to use.

• Project management tools. Project management tools ensure that projects keep moving and that the right people work on the right tasks at the right times. The best project management tools allow tasks to be assigned, deadlines to be set, reminders to be sent, and more.

Best ways to reduce distractions when working at home

When you work from home, distractions are everywhere. These distractions can make it difficult to get things done. The more you can reduce distractions, the more productive you’ll be.

Know yourself. Most distractions arise internally, like getting bored, hungry, or tired. If you know when these kinds of distractions tend to arise, you can plan accordingly. For example, if your energy starts to flag in the afternoon, schedule a brisk walk.

Shut things down. An abundance of incoming emails, Slack messages, and texts makes it hard to focus. Sometimes the best solution is to shut all of these things down for set periods of time. Consider only checking your communication tools at designated times during the day.

Block distracting websites. There are a million time-wasting distractions on the internet. One of the most effective solutions is simply to block all the websites that tend to suck you in. Physically prevent yourself from wasting time.

Work during your peak times. There are certain times of the day when you’re more energized, focused, and productive. As much as possible, use your peak periods for your most important work. Avoid wasting these times on things like email, which you can do even when your brain is tired.

Tips for including movement in your workday

When you work from home, you’re in one location much more than normal. To combat claustrophobia, try to get outside each day. Simple outdoor activities you can do include:

• Take a walk
• Shoot hoops
• Learn Tai Chi
• Water your lawn & plants
• Eat your lunch at the park

In addition to just getting outside, try to exercise several times per week. Consistent exercise helps you keep the pounds off and increases your overall sense of well-being. If you don’t have access to equipment, there are a number of apps that can provide you with guided workouts.

Making connections with others when you work from home

Isolation and loneliness can be big challenges for remote workers. After all, your office mates are a big part of your social circle. That all goes away when you work from home. It takes concerted effort to ensure that you get consistent time with others. But it can be done.

Working at coffee shops or a coworking space can make you feel like you’re part of society, even if you’re not directly interacting with others. Taking social breaks can also be helpful. For example, you could work several hours in the morning and then grab lunch with a few friends.

Another option is to join local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce or a softball team. You may also want to think about volunteering, which enables you to socialize with others and make a meaningful contribution to your community.

The big takeaway is simply to find ways that you can spend time with others. Generally speaking, extended periods of isolation aren’t healthy. So, it’s important to make the effort to be around other people.

Avoid Doing These Things While You Work Remotely

1. Avoid always being available. You may feel like you need to be always available to your boss & coworkers and obligated to respond to their messages during non-work hours. As much as possible, try to avoid checking & responding to messages during your off-hours at home.
2. Avoid trying to prove you’re working. With remote work, you may feel the need to prove to your boss that you’re working by immediately answering every message that comes your way. The issue with this is that it prevents you from being able to focus for extended periods of time.
3. Avoid being hard on yourself. If working remotely is new for you it would be important to remember that there will be a learning curve at first, so cut yourself some slack. Working at home is very different than in an office, so it might take some time to get used to your new routine & environment. Over time, you’ll get better at it so don’t be hard on yourself.

How to Be Productive When Working Remotely

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