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There are a couple of different scenarios of how a person becomes a remote worker. The most common situation is that you usually work from the office, but because of certain circumstances – like the worldwide pandemic, you start working from home for an undefined time.
Another situation is when you land a new job that gives you the ability to work remotely. For example, when you start working for an online agency. Or maybe you start an online business of your own and decide you will be completely fine without an office.
All in all, remote jobs can be just as productive as work from the office. In fact, remote work can become even more productive. But for that to happen, you need time to get used to new job arrangements and master some tips and tricks that will help you become more productive while working remotely. Today, we are going to share some of those tips with you.
Tip #1: Use Effective Communication Tools
When it comes to remote work and productivity, effective communication is always crucial. No matter if you are the boss and need to communicate with your employees or the employee who needs to communicate with your entire team, high levels of communication need to be present within the workplace. If you still haven’t chosen a reliable group communication platform, Slack could be the choice.
Since you are not sitting side-by-side with your coworkers and likely have joint projects or other matters to discuss and follow up on important updates, it would be beneficial to start using an employee workflow management platform that works with Slack.
Implementing such a platform will increase the quality of communication in your organization. It will also help manage the team’s entire workflow easier, especially if you take the opportunity to improve Slack by integrating other tools, such as Dropbox, Donut, Hubspot, Tettra, or Eventbot.
Tip #2: Create a Workspace
If you plan to be working remotely for quite a while, mostly because of the pandemic, and you want to be successful and avoid ruining your career, setting a proper workspace can help you quite a lot. Even though it may sound simple, it can help you get rid of many obstacles that you face every day while working from home.
First of all, a dedicated workspace will help you focus. The human brain recognizes home as a place to unwind and rest, not work. And this already makes it more challenging to focus. But if you were to create an uncluttered workspace meant only for work, such an environment will help you increase work productivity.
Also, as you set yourself a comfortable workspace, stick to a couple of rules. To start with:
- Don’t do any other activities rather than work in your workspace.
- If you want to eat, go and have a break in the dining room or the kitchen and vice versa.
- Do not work from bed or other areas of your home when they should be for rest and entertainment.
If you get into the habit of restraining yourself and sticking to these three suggestions, your work efficiency will improve noticeably.
Tip #3: Avoid Distractions
As most of the remote work problems come from the inability to focus, avoiding distractions can change your daily work routine in the right way. So after you create a productive work environment and have a proper workspace, make sure you always keep it clean and uncluttered. Avoid distractions like books on your desk, and you will have fewer reasons to look away from tasks at hand.
Also, as many people already know, one of the biggest distractions is our smartphones and social media. Yes, you have probably used a smartphone in the office. But what you are missing out on is that there is no one to comment on your behavior. While at home, you will have more freedom and more temptation to use your phone and scroll through social media or even play mobile games.
Tip #4: Invest in Tech
If you plan to be working remotely for quite a while, you need to understand that it is important to have reliable work tools. A computer, computer accessories, internet connection, a smartphone, a camera, and necessary software should be a priority.
8 Must Have Tools for Remote Workers
And if you are serious about keeping your remote jobs, maybe it is time to invest in better tech? Especially if you have had the same computer for many years and have noticed how it is not performing that well anymore. Your work efficiency depends on having a reliable computer. Ask your employer if they would be willing to invest money and buy you a new computer? Or perhaps you can take one from the office?
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