7 Ways to Help You Work More Effectively Remotely
There are various tips for working from home effectively that can help you boost your productivity as an individual. With companies now embracing working from home policies, these tips can help you balance work and home.
The covid-19 pandemic forced offices to shut down physically and move to remote working options. However, remote working is gradually becoming the new norm as more institutions are giving workers options to work from home or resume physically.
If you are new to remote working, you might have noticed how you have had to change your routine at home to fit your work schedule. You would have to figure out when is convenient and where and also find a balance between work and personal life. Adapting to this new change will take time.
I have worked (and I am working) freelance which requires me to work from home. Writing from my experience and the experience of my fellow freelancers, I share 7 tips on how to work remotely effectively.
How to Work Remotely Effectively
1. Have a Work Routine
Having a work routine and consistently sticking to it can help you work remotely effectively.
Plan a working structure with timing that guides what time you would want to work and what you intend to work on. Having this clear guideline can help you maintain a balance between work and home.
My work routine at home and when I am in school is very different. Since I have lectures during the day, I plan my outline at night. In the morning at 5, I’m up writing before I go to class.
Write your planned routine on a board or a sticky note, whichever works well for you. Chose whatever time is convenient for you. Write down the time and the task you want to work on and shut out distractions.
Tip: your phone is one of the big distractions when working remotely.
2. Shut Out Distraction That Can Hinder
Working from home means you’d have to deal with distractions that are not available in the office. Family, friends, and neighbours are some of the distractions you might face when working from home.
Shutting distractions around your working environment at home is another Tip for working from home effectively. How do you reduce distractions from home?
- Set Boundaries: if you do not stay alone, you might need to let your family or roommate know what time you would need a quiet place to work effectively. For example, my roommate knows not to play music between 5:30am to 7:00am. At that time most people are yet to wake, hence less distraction.
- Keep Your Phone in Meeting Mode: A big distraction while working from home is your phone. At work, you are used to the “professional” environment and you barely used your phone. At home, there is no one to monitor you. Keep your phone on vibration and do not make of the social media on your break time.
3. Have a Time for Break
Break time is probably the best time for people/ either at work or in school. If you can have a break at work, why can’t you have one at home.
Taking a break helps you to work remotely effectively. A 10-minute for every 30-minute break would do you good when working from home
Your brain is not a machine. Working for long hours straight without taking a break would harm you. You would become tired quietly and stress would set in.
During your break, you can do other things that do not concern work. My go-to break activity is getting food. For every 30-minutes I spend typing, I used the time to grab a snack or plate of food.
4. Create a Convenient Workspace
A Convenient workspace can help you work from home effectively. It gives you that “professional” feeling like you’re at work, except without the office walls.
An ideal workspace would include a table, a comfortable chair, and your working tools. Your laptop and working materials like books and pens would automatically take up the remaining space. Create your workspace in an environment you are comfortable in.
It is also important to get the right equipment to help boost your productivity. You wouldn’t want to have your laptop switching off when you’re on a video call. Ensure you have all the necessary equipment you’d need working in the right condition.
Also, a little bit of aesthetics can help you work better at home. A family picture or a piece of art on the wall surface can create a homely feeling.
5. Create Time for Outdoor Activities
I am so guilty of this. When I started freelancing, I’d be indoors most of the time just working. My life became a routine and eventually It affected my output. Thank God for my friends that drag me out forcefully.
When working remotely, it is very easy to get used to staying indoors. You do not have to wake up early in the morning to prepare for work. You can get too comfortable with staying indoors, your only touch of reality could be social media.
To work from home effectively, you need to set time aside for outdoor fun activities. Some of these include going to a park, grabbing lunch with friends or family, or like my favorite activity, attending a musical concert.
Having time to go outside and have fun will energize you, physically and mentally. It will also give your body a good stretch.
6. Keep in Touch with Your Colleagues
Various apps can help you connect with your fellow colleagues at work. Keeping in touch with your colleagues can help you work remotely effectively.
Apps like slack, google meet, discord is great way of connecting with your colleagues virtually. Staying indoors can make you “forget” who you work with. Because you’re not constantly in touch physically, you may lose touch with them.
Organizing a group video call can boost your productivity from home. It allows you to brainstorm ideas and smile.
7. Take Online Training Courses
To work from home effectively, you would need to be constant with new changes and advances in your field of occupation.
You can utilize YouTube, Coursera, or any free training programs that offer the choice knowledge you are looking for. This helps you become better in your output and adds to your development personally.
Conclusion
With many job positions seeking remote workers, these 6 tips on how to work remotely effectively would help you manage the balance between work and personal life while working from home.
A comfortable workspace is necessary for working from home. Make sure your work setup is convenient for you with access to a power supply and good aeration. Set a timetable that would guide how you work on tasks.
What does your dream workspace look like? Share your ideas with me in the comment section and I’d share mine!
