Every remote worker faces distinct obstacles, ranging from difficult-to-avoid diversions to increasingly complex duties at home that make it difficult to strike a healthy work-life balance. The good news is that the incredible benefits of remote work make the time you put in to overcome any work-from-home hurdles more than worthwhile.
Because of the unique elements of remote work, you’ll need to plan ahead of time if you want to work from home successfully. You may overcome any work-from-home issues by creating a few good habits and following some essential guidelines. Check out these 6 strategies for working remotely that can help you succeed!
- Begin Early
When you work in an office, your morning commute might help you wake up and feel prepared to work by the time you arrive at your desk. The move from your pillow to your computer at home, on the other hand, can be far more abrupt.
Believe it or not, one strategy to work efficiently from home is to start working on your to-do list as soon as you wake up. Simply starting a project first thing in the morning can be the key to making incremental progress on it throughout the day. Otherwise, you’ll prolong breakfast and allow morning drowsiness to sap your motivation.
- Act as if you’re headed to the office.
The mental relationship you form between work and an office might help you be more productive, and there’s no reason that feeling should be lost when you work from home.
Do all you would do to prepare for an office job when working from home: Set an alarm, make (or go fetch) coffee, and dress nicely. Internet browsers, such as Google Chrome, even allow you to create numerous accounts with distinct toolbars at the top, such as a toolbar for home and a second toolbar for work.
- Plan your day as you would in the office.
You are your own personal manager when working from home. You can easily lose concentration or burn out if you don’t have things like an in-person meeting schedule to break up your day.
To keep on track, plan out what you’ll do and when you’ll do it throughout the day. Create personal events and reminders in your online calendar to tell you when to shift gears and start on new chores. This is made simple with Google Calendar.
- Make it more difficult for yourself to play about on social media.
Social media is supposed to be quick and easy to open and browse. However, at work, this convenience might be detrimental to your productivity.
To offset the ease of use of your social networks during work hours, remove them from your browser shortcuts and, according to Fast Company, log out of all accounts. Consider working mostly in a private or, if using Chrome, an “Incognito” browser window. This ensures that you remain signed out of all your accounts and that each web search you perform does not autocomplete the word you’re entering. It ensures that you will not be tempted to take too many social breaks during the day.
- Work when you are most productive.
Nobody works from morning to evening; your motivation will naturally ebb and flow throughout the day. When you work from home, though, it’s even more vital to know when such ebbs and flows will occur and manage your schedule accordingly.
To make the most of your most productive hours, schedule your more difficult chores for times when you know you’ll be in the correct frame of mind. Use slower times of the day to do the simpler, logistical duties that are also on your plate. These chores are referred to be “little acts of success” by Verily Magazine, and they can help you generate momentum for the larger jobs that await you later on.
- Set a firm finish time for each day.
Working from home may give you the sense that you have a better work-life balance, but be wary of that notion. Working from home might also feel like you’re in a casino: you can become so engrossed in your activity, in such a relaxed environment, that you lose track of time.
Instead of coworkers reminding you to pack up and leave the office, set an alarm at the end of the day to indicate that your usual work day is coming to an end. You are not have to stop at that exact hour, but knowing that the work day is officially ended can help you begin the process of saving your work and calling it a day.
