4 Tips for High Productivity When Working Remotely in 2020
Working remotely may seem like a walk in the park. No dress code, no commute, nobody looking over your shoulder tracking your every move, plus added flexibility. While it does have a plethora of benefits, it can actually be a very counter productive move if you’re not sure how to manage your time or are easily distracted. So, to help you maintain a high level of productivity, while still reaping the benefits of working remotely, I’m going to share four of my best tips for being productive while working from home.
Utilise productivity apps
It’s no secret that technology is key when it comes to organisation and productivity. Installing productivity apps can help you manage your tasks, handle your clients and figure out just where you have that extra little bit of time to put towards that project with the looming due date that you’re yet to make a start on.
A few great productivity apps include:
Asana (free or paid subscription)
Great for tracking marketing campaigns and managing content creation.
Just Press Record ($4.99 on the App Store)
Allows you to save time jotting down notes with an awesome transcription function.
Memento ($3.99 on the App Store)
A task management app that looks sleek, modern and is super easy to use.
Create an achievable daily to-do list
Managing your productivity is all well and good, but you need to make sure you’re setting achievable goals and to-do lists for yourself. There’s nothing worse than setting up your day, working as hard as you can and only being able to tick one or two things off the list you set for yourself. What’s worse is if you’ve provided a client with a set completion date that was totally unrealistic because you based it on a full to the brim task list.
It all comes under the old saying: Under promise, over deliver. Creating and sticking to an achievable to-do list allows you to exceed expectations without running yourself ragged.
Create the right environment
There are so many suggestions out there for creating the perfect remote workspace. It’s important not to get bogged down in everyone else’s ideal environment. Sure, take inspiration and bits and pieces from what other people are doing but this is YOUR workspace, not theirs. As long as it’s safe and allows you to do what you do best, you can decorate it and fit it out any which way you like!
Schedule in time for yourself
You are your most important asset. Seriously. If you’ve ever worked from home, you know how hard it can be to draw the line between work and personal life. You really do need to make that distinction. Schedule in a walk or a yoga session around lunch time each day. Take a break to watch an episode of Friends. Even just step out onto the balcony with a coffee and sit and watch the birds for a bit. You need to take a break or you’re just going to burn out.
Try your best to set dedicated working hours as well. Whether it’s 9am-5pm or 7pm-3am, you need to have those boundaries in place in order to find a good work/life balance. Your friends and family will certainly thank you for it.
So, what do you think? Are you ready to take the plunge and start working remotely? For those who already do work from home (as a result of Covid-19 or otherwise), do you have any tips to share? Pop your suggestions in the comments.
Until next time, keep safe and well!
KB
