If you’re looking for remote working productivity tips so you get more done and stress less, you’re in the right place. Here are my personal productivity tips for your work-from-home life.
Working from home can be extremely difficult. There are loads of potential distractions.
I started working from home before Covid. I decided to take early retirement and change careers to do what I enjoy for a living.
It was my first work-from-home job. So, I had to learn what it takes to get up to speed and remain productive both on the work-from-home side and the family side of things.
These tips for remote working productivity can help you organize your life a little better.
Let’s start by talking about tip number ten.
Make sure you hang around till number one. I think it’s one of the most important of all.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7YaUlMdGoo[/embedyt]Now that you have the freedom to work from anywhere, it offers flexibility and the opportunity to continue pursuing your passions while earning an income. But how do you ensure you stay productive and maintain a healthy work-life balance? In this blog post, we’ll share some of my top remote working productivity tips specifically tailored for remote workers like yourself. I’ll be discussing tips for setting up a productive workspace, managing your time effectively, staying motivated, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. So grab a cup of coffee, settle into your favorite chair, and let’s begin the countdown!
10. Establish a Pre-Work Routine
I know that everyone’s work-from-home schedule is different, and their remote working productivity regime is different. But I’ve found it best to get up and get ready for work, just like I did for years.
For me, this means getting up at 6 a.m., getting fully dressed, and starting my workday.
Next, I make coffee and head down the hall to my home office. Once I’m there, I hop on the computer and open three tabs in my browser.
First, I look at my emails to ensure that I don’t have any that need my immediate attention.
And, since I subscribe to USPS Informed Delivery, I get an email informing me of what to expect that day in my physical mailbox.
Next, I take a look at the NOAA site (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to get my weather. I like their forecast because there are no distracting ads.
And finally, I open Feedly and take a glance at the top news headlines from the Associated Press, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal.
However, I don’t read the articles unless it might be a topic that may directly affect my family or myself.
Having this morning routine helps me start my day in an organized way.
All of this takes me less than 10 minutes.
9. Set A Start and Stop Time
Having definite start and stop times helps you stay on track and allows you to get things done before the day slips by without making progress.
So, most mornings, I begin work at 6:30 a.m. I create a shortcut that opens Slack on one monitor and Asana on the other.
Once they’re open, I can check to see if I’ve received messages from my coworkers and look at current or pending assignments.
Once that’s done, I get started on my project.
In the evenings, I generally stop working around 3 p.m.
That’s because my remote working productivity takes a nosedive. There’s generally more noise outside, I’m mentally drained, it takes me longer to accomplish tasks, and they contain more errors.
8. Minimize Distractions
I make sure to set alerts on my desktop, tablet, and phone to silent unless they’re work-related. If traffic noise is heavy outside or someone is working on the lawn, I wear Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones.
Not only do they block out distracting noise, but I can also listen to music (on a lower volume).
If I’m alone in the house, I set my security camera to a visual notification so I know if a package is being delivered or if someone is at the door.
7. Schedule Mealtime
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t usually eat for a few hours after I first get up. I don’t recommend doing that, but that’s what I do.
So, around 9:30 a.m., my wife and I enjoy a good breakfast together. This gives us a chance to discuss our personal schedules and agendas for the day.
When I’m at my desk, I drink lemon water and keep high-protein snacks handy to avoid getting too hungry.
Then, at 1:30, we have a quick light lunch. If I want to avoid becoming sluggish, I’ve found that I mustn’t eat heavy meals or those with too many carbs or sugar.
Once lunch is over, I check my messages and go straight back to work to maintain my momentum.
6. Take Frequent Breaks
It’s too easy to get glued to your desk and sit there for hours. It isn’t good for your circulation, posture, and mental concentration.
Personally, I lose track of time. So, I’ve begun setting reminders on Google Home to help me take short breaks.
To be honest, at first, the reminders were annoying. Still, once you get used to taking an occasional short break, you find them refreshing.
Even if it’s just walking out on the front porch or going down to the mailbox, just getting away from the desk for 10 to 15 minutes will help clear your thinking. When you return, you can look at a project with “fresh eyes.”
After taking a short break, I’ve often found that I can resolve an issue I was struggling with within seconds or find faster ways of accomplishing something taking too long.
5. Set Boundaries
One of the best things you can do for your remote working productivity is to set limits. For me, this means not responding to every text message or phone call unless they are an emergency.
I don’t do social media anytime during working hours. It’s too easy to go down the rabbit hole and lose hours of time. And, if someone calls or texts my phone, I let them leave a message.
If it’s essential, I’ll respond immediately, but if it’s not, I’ll get back to them during one of my breaks, at lunch, or when my workday is over.
4. Use Time-Blocking
When you’re working from home, you have to oversee your time. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself working too much and start neglecting yourself and those closest to you.
Or, you’ll not get enough done during the week and wind up working weekends. Either way, it’s not a good thing.
One of the best ways to manage your time is a technique called “time blocking.”
There are lots of great time-blocking planners you can use that’ll help you get started.
Creating blocks of time in your schedule to accomplish specific tasks allows you to have an overall view of your day.
This way, you can prioritize your tasks into separate blocks of time and boost your remote working productivity. And you can tackle things in smaller chunks without stressing out and becoming overwhelmed.
3. Schedule Your Work
As Steven Covey has said in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent, and not enough time on what is important.”
No doubt you already have meetings on your calendar, but there are other essential things that you should be planning, too.
Personally, I schedule the most important tasks for early in the morning. As it’s often said, “Slay your dragons before breakfast so they won’t eat your lunch.”
Look at what’s really important on your agenda, estimate how much time it will take you to complete the task, and then place it on your schedule.
2. Use Your “Magic Time”
Figure out what time of day you’re most focused and productive. Then, use your “magic time” superpowers to tackle demanding projects and leave the smaller tasks for when you’re running out of steam.
Knowing your “magic time” is essential if you’re going to boost your remote working productivity.
That’ll make you more effective, and you’ll find that you’re less stressed at the end of the day.
For example, since I’m a morning person, that’s when I can get massive chunks of my work accomplished.
The benefit of starting extra early in the morning is I have fewer interruptions, the house is quiet, and there’s much less noise outside. That’s why I don’t stop for breakfast till after 9 a.m.
Those first three hours are “magic time” for me. That’s when I do my most challenging and mentally taxing tasks.
Then, I schedule the rest of my morning and early afternoons for things that don’t require much concentration. This allows me to be highly productive.
1. Have A Designated Workspace
Now, we are at number one, having your own designated workspace. Without a doubt, this is the most important tip for increasing your remote working productivity.
It’s truly incredible how much stress relief you gain and how much your productivity will improve by creating a separate space for work. Just getting a better light or a new desk chair can do wonders.
Even if you have limited space for your home office, it’s a good idea to take time to step back a little and evaluate it.
Is your work area in the best place possible? If not, where should you move it?
Even if you can’t relocate your home office space, you can eliminate the clutter, remove distractions, and get them out of the way. Be sure to visit my article on customizing your home office.
Later on, in another post, I’ll share how I’ve organized my office, reduced clutter, and how it’s taken my remote working productivity to a whole new level.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you found at least one new remote working productivity tip that’ll help you get things done easier and faster in your work-from-home life.
And if we missed any that you think are particularly useful, let us know in the comments!
Whether you’re just starting to make the transition or have already ditched your desk for good, it’s always nice to have some feedback.
And that’s why we want to hear from you. I’d like to hear from everyone, not just work-from-home veterans.
I’m especially interested in hearing from those who are learning new ways to boost their remote working productivity. You can help others by sharing your story and helping us fine-tune our list of ten remote working productivity tips.
Use the comment form below to tell us about your remote working productivity tips.
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