One of the most prominent trends observed in the global workforce is the mass-populace transitioning from a traditional nine-to-five office lifestyle to a remote working environment. Most of the common problems people run into when they start working from home are due to a lack of clear expectations and companies’ unchartered remote infrastructure. However, despite any external hurdles, there is still a lot you can control to become just as productive while working from home.
1. Separate Your Workspace And Living Space
The first thing that you can do to train your mind that you are going to work is to have a separate place in your home reserved for working. If you stick to a routine, you will soon be able to naturally accept the fact that you are in that particular part of your home to work. Not to get on social media and waste time, watch movies or whatever you do in your free time.
2. Invest In The Right Equipment
If you work with a company remotely, you might get them to purchase some work items for you such as tables, chairs, fast internet and even get compensated for these purchases. If you have the right equipment at your disposal, it will be a lot easier for you to remain productive. Even if they don’t have an official policy, it might be worth discussing tech-upgrades with your direct supervisor and making a case for improved performance.
If having a faster-computer with high-speed internet will help you perform your work more efficiently, for example, then this is a huge win-win for you and your employer. With the proper tools like noise-canceling headphones and the fastest tech available, you will be able to work at higher productivity levels than you previously imagined possible.
3. Get Into Work Mode
It can be challenging to get into a work mode and start working productively right away at home. Instead, you might have to perform part of your previous office routine: wake-up, shower, eat breakfast, drink some coffee, get dressed into comfy-casual and gradually get yourself into a productive mindset. It usually is not as easy as sitting down and turning on your computer to get into the right work mindset productively. The idea here is to let yourself get into “work mode” as streamlined as possible.
4. Structure Your Day For Work And Living
Structuring a routine is one of the best ways that you can ensure a productive day. Those who work sporadically will never ultimately develop a consistent schedule. Like everything in life, you need to find the correct work-life-balance, but this will only happen if you plan and execute it well.
Even if you can only reserve a few hours a day, try to make this time sacred. Spend as much time as you can each day to work towards becoming a successful remote worker. There are no companies that will ever reward procrastination or disorganization.
5. Set Daily, Weekly And Monthly Goals
One core issue for some people who are new to the remote working industry is that they do not have clear goals for the day, week or month. Without these goals, you have no tool for measuring your success. Instead, you should go into each day of work with two or three specific goals so that you can track your progress and make sure you are heading in the correct direction.
It is essential to have both long-term and short-term goals. Daily goals will help you track your daily successes, whereas monthly achievements allow you to track long-term success. Also, you will be able to look back and notice how far you have come on your journey towards being a successful remote worker. When you obtain goals, it will also help you feel that you have accomplished enough work each day and week.
6. Keep Your Home Clean And Tidy
Clutter is a great way to decrease your productivity. Before and after your free time each day, spend a few minutes cleaning your working environment. If you make a daily habit out of this, it will never turn into a big chore.
One thing you can do is to have an organized space where each of your office supplies goes. This way, it is easier to keep your workspace organized. You will simply need to move everything back into its place at the end of the day.
Remember That Remote Working Is A Skill To Develop
Nobody can pick up a laptop and instantly become an expert at remote work. In reality, many people take years before they start to figure everything out. Therefore, keep searching around for productivity tips that work well for you and your style of working.
Most importantly, please don’t give up on improving your remote work skills, as it will likely take some time to reach the level you want to achieve and pay off tremendously long-term.
