Introduction
You might think that working remotely would be a great excuse to get distracted, but in reality it’s the opposite. While you don’t have a boss watching your every move, you do need to stay focused and productive if you want your job to go well—and there are plenty of tools and tricks that can help you accomplish this goal. From setting up dedicated time for work to using an ergonomic chair, these tips will ensure that you’re not wasting time or falling behind because of distractions outside of your control!
Keep a to-do list
The first step to being more productive is to keep a to-do list. You can use an app like Todoist or Wunderlist, but if you’re looking for something more low-tech and analog, try writing down your tasks on a piece of paper that’s easily accessible.
The next step is updating that list regularly–at least once per day (if not several times). And when it comes time for checking off items on that list, don’t be afraid of crossing things out–it’s okay! Removing tasks from your mind by crossing them off your paper will help free up space so new ideas can come through.
Set aside dedicated work-only time
- Set aside dedicated work-only time.
- Stay focused on your work during that time.
Get yourself a good headset, not just any old thing from the electronics store.
One of the biggest productivity killers is distraction. In order to avoid getting distracted, it’s important to minimize the amount of noise around you while working. If you work in an open office environment like I do, this can be difficult. But there are things you can do:
- Get yourself a good headset! Headphones and earbuds are great for listening to music or podcasts while working, but they’re not ideal when it comes to blocking out distractions because they only cover one ear at a time–and even then not very well if they aren’t noise cancelling (which most aren’t). A good quality headset will cover both ears and come with built-in microphones so that people can hear what you’re saying on their end without having to shout over all the background noise around them.*
Create a comfortable office space.
- Create a comfortable office space.
- Make sure the room is well lit and has a good desk.
- Make sure your chair is comfortable, with proper back support, armrests, and height adjustment options for your feet if necessary (if you’re tall). It should also be close enough to your desk that you can reach all its items without having to stretch or lean forward too much–but not so close that it distracts from work!
- Ensure that when it comes to internet connectivity: – You have access to fast Wi-Fi at all times; – Your router has enough range in order for everyone in the house/apartment/office building who needs Internet access during their day-to-day lives (including guests) will be able to get online without any problems; – Any other devices used for work purposes are connected via Ethernet cable rather than relying solely on wireless signals because those tend not only reduce bandwidth but also leave users vulnerable if there are any issues with connectivity between devices like laptops/smartphones etc…
Get an ergonomic chair.
You’re probably sitting in a chair right now. Maybe it’s one of those cheap office chairs that came with your desk, or maybe it’s an ergonomic chair that was recommended by a friend or family member. Whatever type of seat you have, there are some important things to consider when choosing an office chair:
- An ergonomic chair is designed specifically for your body and can help reduce back pain, neck pain and other health issues associated with sitting at a desk all day (or night).
- They also help improve focus–the better the fit between you and your workspace, the more productive you’ll be! If you feel like your back hurts after sitting down at work every morning but never really get around to buying one because they’re expensive…well then this post may be just what you need!
Don’t be afraid to use technology to help you stay on task.
- Use a calendar. Whether you use Google Calendar or an app like Todoist, having a central hub for your tasks is crucial to staying on top of things. You can link tasks with due dates and view them in one place so that you don’t forget anything.
- Create a to-do list with specific goals in mind. Make sure each item is actionable, otherwise it will just sit there until it’s completed–and then get buried under all the other unfinished items on your list!
- Try out some productivity apps (or Pomodoro timers). There are tons of distractions available at our fingertips these days–some good ones and some bad ones–so it helps if we have tools that help us stay focused on what matters most: getting things done!
Make sure you have a clear work space with everything set up so you know where everything is.
- Make sure you have a clear work space with everything set up so you know where everything is.
- Don’t have too many distractions around you.
- Make sure your workspace is well lit, or at least bright enough to see easily.
- Keep your phone out of sight (or at least on silent) when working remotely–it’s hard enough to focus without feeling like someone might be calling or texting at any moment!
Turn off notifications from all social media and messaging platforms.
Turn off notifications from all social media and messaging platforms.
Turn off push notifications on your phone, tablet, and computer. If it’s not urgent, you can check your social media accounts at a specific time every day (like when you’re having lunch or taking a break).
Use a work-only phone or device. You might want to get rid of all distractions by using an old phone just for work purposes–or even better yet: buy an extra one! This way you won’t always be tempted to check Facebook when there’s nothing else going on in your life right now (and there probably isn’t if you’re working remotely).
Use an online task manager like Trello or Asana instead of emailing yourself notes about tasks that need completing later on; this will help keep everything organized without taking up space on your hard drive with hundreds upon hundreds of files related only vaguely in some way with “work stuff”.
Put your phone far away from you when you’re working on something important.
If you’re working on something important and need to focus, put your phone in another room. It’s tempting to check it every 10 minutes or so, but this can quickly get out of hand when you’re trying to work on something that requires concentration.
Turn off notifications for apps like Facebook and Twitter (or at least set them up so they don’t show up unless you want them). If there’s an important notification coming through from someone who needs something from you right now, they’ll call or text instead–and then again later if there’s more information needed from them!
Don’t use your phone as an alarm clock! Instead find something else: an old-fashioned alarm clock with bells and whistles; a radio; whatever works best for what time zone(s) you live in so that when one goes off it won’t wake others sleeping nearby (or worse yet–also working remotely).
Working remotely doesn’t mean that you have to be less productive or more distracted!
Working remotely doesn’t mean that you have to be less productive or more distracted! In fact, there are many ways that working remotely can actually help you become more productive.
- When you’re in an office, coworkers are often a major source of distraction. They might be chatting with each other about last night’s episode of Game Of Thrones (and not even watching it). Or they might be talking about how much they hate their boss and wish he/she would die. Or maybe everyone is just gossiping about what happened at happy hour last night–and none of these things really have anything to do with your job anyway! With fewer distractions from coworkers around all day long, it should be easier for you to focus on getting things done without being interrupted every five minutes by someone else’s drama.*
Conclusion
If you’re looking to get more done and be more productive, working remotely is a great way to do that. You have so much freedom with your time and space, but it can also be easy to get distracted by technology or other things that are going on around you. The key is finding ways to stay focused on the work that needs doing–and these ten tips will help!
