Many employees are realizing that they want more flexibility when it comes to work/life balance. This is one of the reasons that remote work is getting more popular than ever. Of course, companies are also realizing that remote work can improve productivity, as well. However, this now begs the question: how do you ensure that you are a productive remote worker?
Some of these tips might not work for everyone. Some employees might find that one tip is indispensable, while other tips might not work for their lifestyle whatsoever. Either way, here are some tips for remote work that you might want to consider.
Think of the Office
Remote work allows you to work from your home, but let’s be honest: it might send the wrong message. You might be eating breakfast in your pajamas, but your heart really isn’t in your work at that moment. One great tip is to mentally prepare as if you are going into the office before you start working.
For some people, this might involve making the right amount of coffee to get in the “morning mood” to work. For others, it might be putting on a full suit and shoes so that your mind is activated into “work mode”. The last thing your company wants to do is hire remote workers that end up staying in bed and treating work as a secondary priority. Add life to your working environment by adding modern desks to your home workplace.
Over-Communicate
There can often be all sorts of obstacles when it comes to remote work. You might be in a different time zone than other co-workers, and there might even be a language barrier to deal with. It’s important to recognize that there is nothing wrong with over-communicating to make sure that expectations are understood.
While it might be a bit “annoying” in the moment, over-communicating is better than under-communicating, which can affect the productivity of the entire organization. Of course, you should figure out the right channels to communicate in this manner.
Use the Right Tools
You might be working remotely, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t tools that can be used to make sure that you stay connected to co-workers. You might use Slack for messaging, for example, which can help keep things clear in terms of expectations and deadlines. Many organizations also utilize Asana for project management. Meetfox can also prove to be an extremely valuable tool and is an incredible way to hold online meetings with clients, partners, and more.
Make A Plan
One of the easiest ways to make sure that you stick to a routine even if you aren’t in the office is to plan out your hours ahead of time. Do you have a meeting on that day? Is there a video conference soon? Can you get some work done before that, or is it better to wait until after? What priorities can be rearranged, and what might take priority today (for whatever reason)?
You should plan your day in the morning, as soon as you get up. You might find that creating “blocks” like this for yourself can help you achieve your goals. Also, you might even get some time to take a needed break afterward.
Play The Right Music
Remote workers enjoy flexibility, which means that they get to determine more about their workplace than usual. Some workplaces play one radio station, over and over again. If you are working from home, you get to choose your own soundtrack! However, you should make sure that you are choosing carefully.
It doesn’t matter what genre of music you choose – whether it’s lo-fi, hard rock, rap music, or classical – just make sure that you can concentrate with music in the background. After all, your job is about productivity, and you can listen to music on your own time. Either way, you might find that the right background music can help you “get in the zone.”
Conclusion
There will be times and situations where you feel like staying in bed, but that’s what happens when remote work is a part of life. However, it’s up to you to recognize that your home isn’t your office, even if it begins to feel that way.
You should do everything you can to make sure that you can remain productive without giving in to the many distractions around your house. Of course, make sure that you exercise, as well, since this might affect your overall mental health. These tips should help remote trackers stay productive, and with their eyes on the prize.
Related: Remote Work FAQs
