The Covid-19 pandemic has caused more and more people to work remotely. For those of you who are new to working remotely, working from home can be challenging and even distracting. Whether you are brand new to remote work or want to become a remote work pro these 7 working remotely tips will help you maximize productivity and maintain a work-life balance.
For starters, remote work has several benefits, such as no personal time spent on commuting, no hassles deciding your attire for work, no more spending money on lunch outings or eating unhealthy food at the office cafeteria, to name a few. However, just like anything remote working has some challenges associated with it. As a reminder, we all face different issues due to our various lifestyles, personalities, family responsibilities, and type of work. Still, we all face the same core challenges as remote workers.
Here are the 7 Tips for Working Remotely, based on our teams’ personal experience and what we’ve learned from others:
1. Create a Comfortable Workspace
Create a designated workspace at your home and aim to make it as comfortable as possible. A pro-tip is to set your workspace in an area that offers lots of privacy, such as a home office or a spare bedroom. Also in case of work meetings make sure you have a background that you don’t mind others seeing. You might also want to invest in a comfortable office chair and armrest pillow. By creating a comfortable workspace you will find that you will be able to stay more mentally focused and productive during your work hours.
2. Reduce Distractions
There are millions of distractions that come from working from home. To stay 100% focused on your work and increase productivity make sure to turn off unnecessary phone notifications. Create a routine schedule for yourself and your kids. A great tip is also to close the door of your home office to let your family and roommates know you’re unavailable. Lastly, avoid doing household chores and watching TV during your workday.
3. Take a Break to Stretch
Working at a desk for long hours can take a huge toll on your body, so make sure to stretch to get your blood flowing. Stretching is a great way to regroup and de-stress, plus it will leave you feeling refreshed and energized! Make sure you take a break even if it’s just for a few minutes. If you really can’t take a break at the moment, try stretching in your seat, standing up, or changing positions. VidDrop makes this easy with automated reminders to stretch and take a break.
4. Listen to music to stay motivated
Listening to music while working can help you manage anxiety, become motivated, and stay productive! A great pro tip is to create a playlist that makes you feel good and motivated. You can also find productivity playlists that are already made. A Stanford study found that music moves the brain to pay attention. Researchers utilized musical compositions from the 1800s in their study and found that “music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention".
5. Get some fresh air by working outside
Take advantage of your freedom from the cubicle by working outside whenever possible. Studyfind.org research concludes just 29 minutes spent outdoors results in a 45% increase in productivity. Moreover, 63% of surveyed employees say they feel much better “in themselves” after getting some fresh air. To be able to work outside make sure you situate yourself under a shade, stay hydrated, and stay organized! If you end up loving working outside you can also spend a few bucks and get a specialty sunshade for your laptop to avoid screen glare.
6. Use a planner or calendar
When you work from home you won’t have a physical reminder that a meeting, appointment, or deadline is coming up. Therefore it can be very useful and effective to get into the habit of using a planner or calendar. By using a planner or calendar you can plan your day better and your to-do list for the day. You will also be able to physically see your workload for the day. TruWorkspace makes this cinch with integration with Google Calendar, Apple iCal, and Microsoft Outlook calendars,
7. Virtually check in with your coworkers
Sometimes working from home can make you feel lonely, which is why it’s important to take the time to check in with your coworkers and get to know them. Ask them if they have any new status updates, discuss developments, and provide feedback on their work. Having a strong unified team can really help you improve your company’s remote culture. It will also make your employees feel valued and appreciated. TruWorkspace allows you to share what you’re working on and connect with co-workers with ease.
Working from home has its challenges, but it’s nothing that you or your company’s team can’t overcome. I hope these tips will help you feel more comfortable working remotely. If you have any questions or concerns make sure to comment down below. Here at TruWorkspace, we are here to help. Let’s make remote work a dream!