Remote work is a double-edged sword, offering as many benefits as it does challenges. And as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, employees and businesses around the world are having to adapt to this new way of working.
The complexity of remote work can be summarized in a few simple stats:
- The primary concerns of managers when it comes to remote working are reduced employee focus and productivity (82%), but also employees overworking (67%)
- On the other hand, 63% of the global workforce feel they’re more productive working remotely than they were at the office
- One big challenge is that remote workers are racking up an extra 28 hours of monthly overtime since lockdown began and 22% report having trouble unplugging after work
- Despite the fact that 19% of remote workers struggle with loneliness, 80% feel healthier, less tired, more human, and more connected to their family since transitioning to remote work, and a whopping 98% of people said they’d like the option to work remotely for the rest of their careers
These statistics paint a picture of a workforce struggling to find balance in a complex new working environment. But they also show the benefits that can be realized when those benefits are achieved. The key to doing so is to focus on productivity, separating work from personal time, and staying connected.
6 Tips for Staying Productive When Working Remotely
Staying productive when working remotely doesn’t have to be a challenge. It just means creating a framework that allows you to be successful at it.
1. Give Yourself an Assigned Workspace
In order to be productive, you need to provide yourself with structure. And this starts with creating an assigned space that’s dedicated entirely to work.
Whether it’s a nook in your kitchen, a desk in the living room, or a full-on office in a spare room, it’s important that you have a fully-equipped place where you head to when it’s time to put a good day’s work in.
If you struggle with doing this at home, you might want to consider a virtual day office or a private office at a flexible office space like The Post Workspaces. This way, you’ll have access to all the amenities you need for a productive workday as well as a structured professional environment to keep you on track.
If you’d like to learn more, or to book a tour of our space, contact us today and start working more productively right now.
2. Eliminate Distractions
This is where you’ll need to exercise some serious self-discipline. But it’s such a vital part of being productive.
Eliminate distractions at all costs. Put your phone away. Log out of social media and apps. Close your office door. Let people know when you’re working so that they know not to distract you.
Take stock of your biggest distractions and get proactive in eliminating them.
3. Act Like You’re Going to the Office
It’s all too easy to get out of bed and sit in your jammies all day. But again, it’s important to have structure.
So, treat your mornings like you would if you were going into an office. Get up. Take a shower. Brush your teeth. Get dressed in real clothes. Make a good breakfast.
And then sit down at your desk at an assigned time and work.
4. Know Your Productive Times
In that last point, you might’ve noticed we didn’t say, “sit down at your desk at 9:00 a.m. sharp.” This wasn’t accidental. It was by design.
Why?
Because not everyone does their best work at the same time of day. And that’s where you can leverage the flexibility of remote employment to harness your productivity.
Assess when you work best. Maybe you’re most productive between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and then you crash from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. before getting a second wind at 6:00 p.m.
Whatever your most productive times are, do your most challenging work during those times. Then use your lull periods to either do your more mindless tasks or to simply take a break.
5. Give Yourself Brain Breaks
Speaking of breaks, don’t deprive yourself of them!
In a regular office environment, you’d find ways to do that, right? Maybe by going for a quick fresh air break. Maybe by taking a stroll to a coffee shop with a colleague.
Whatever it is, do it when working remotely too. Pencil it into your calendar, if you have to. But whatever you do, take breaks to refresh your brain and come back reinvigorated.
Then, watch your productivity levels skyrocket.
6. Live and Die by Your To-Do List
To-do lists aren’t just a handy item. They actually offer psychological benefits.
The process of planning your days, weeks, and months reduces stress on your brain. And the act of scratching items off your to-do list actually gives you a kick of serotonin — the chemical that makes you feel happy and satisfied.
For remote workers, it’s so critical to your productivity levels that you effectively utilize your to-do list to create accountability and keep yourself on track.
4 Ways to Separate Your Work and Personal Lives
When you work remotely, you lack the physical and mental separation that comes with leaving your workplace and going home.
As a result, it can become tough to create boundaries between the two, which can quickly lead to overworking. Unless you take steps to stop that from happening.
1. Set Hours and Stick to Your Schedule
Once you understand the times of day when you work best, set yourself a defined schedule and stick to it adamantly with the exception of extenuating circumstances.
Use your calendar. Outline when you have meetings as well as when you’re going to start and finish work. Don’t book calls outside of those hours. And when the workday is done, walk away.
If an idea comes to mind outside those hours, jot it down and think about it tomorrow.
Remember, just because you have access to work 24/7 doesn’t mean you should be tuned into it accordingly.
2. Create a Log-Off Phrase
This might seem silly, but try creating a “log-off” phrase that you say at the end of each workday that signals to your mind that it’s time to stop thinking about work for the day.
It could be anything, from “that’s a wrap” to “over and out” — whatever works.
Try it for one workweek and see if it helps.
3. Create Separation Between Work and Home
Sometimes, the easiest way to create separation between home and work is to literally create separation.
Find a flexible office space where you can go to — and leave — each and every workday. That way, the second you walk in your front door, you can leave work right there on the mat.
If you’d like to learn more about flexible office space in Tucson, contact us today. Our team is here to help you.
4. Find After-Work Hobbies
Want to make sure you shut off work at the end of the day? Simply make sure you have things to do after work.
Set up time to see friends. Work out. Go for a walk. Join a book club.
Whatever makes you happy, make it happen.
By creating commitments after work, you’re giving yourself a reason — and permission — to put work away for the day and enjoy your personal life.
3 Strategies for Staying Connected While Working Remotely
Working remotely can be lonely business. There’s no two ways about it. But it doesn’t have to be. It’s just that the onus is on you to find ways to stay connected.
1. Be Proactive in Networking
Networking is a great way to stay connected and generate potential professional opportunities.
And while we may be in the midst of a pandemic, you can still network effectively.
How?
In our blog post, Networking in a Pandemic: 10 Tips to Continue Making Connections, we explore some easy and effective ways to do it, including:
- Know what you want to achieve
- Consider your personal brand
- Get comfortable with technology
- Start with people you know
- Check-in regularly
- Attend virtual networking events
- Host your own networking events
- Increase your visibility
- Offer value, be empathetic, and make it personal
- Benefit from the professional community at a flexible office workspace
For all the details, check out the full article.
2. Join a Professional Community
While we’re on the topic of benefitting from a professional community, this is another critical way to stay connected.
For example, The Post is a bustling and diverse hive of professionals, who are awesome by the way, and we all learn from each other as well as support one another.
All our members receive access to our interactive user friendly Community Member Portal which allows you to:
- Create and customize your company and personal member profile
- Upload your business logo and/or a professional headshot as well as add in additional information about what you do or what services or goods your business offers
- Network and connect with other professionals in The Post Member and community portal
- Join The Post Workspaces community Slack Group
To learn more about how you can benefit from our professional network at The Post, just get in touch with us.
3. Don’t Cut Out the Chit Chat
You know what they say about watercooler banter? It’s an important part of workplace culture. So, when working remotely, it’s important that you keep it alive.
You can do this effectively with instant messaging tools like Slack or Hubspot that allows you to stay in touch and chit-chat with colleagues or friends in real time.
That banter will keep your brain engaged and keep you feeling connected to people, even if you’re not physically working with them.
Ultimately, when done correctly, it’s been shown that 85% of workers found advantages in remote work that make for a better work-life balance.
Are You Looking for Flexible Office Space in Tucson?
If you’d like to learn how flexible office space can benefit your work-life balance, get in touch with us today.