10 ways to be more productive when working from home or remotely

Whether your only colleague is your cat, or you’re struggling to carve out a quiet space in a busy household, working from home or remotely yields different challenges to the average office.

While creative professions and consultants have often spent time working alone, their income tied to their productivity, for those of us used to the rigours of a fixed location and hours, WFH can involve a new way of thinking.

If your productivity needs a boost, here are 10 tips to help keep you on track.

1. Set up a dedicated workspace: Designate a specific area in your home as your workspace. Having a dedicated space can help you create a boundary between work and personal life, improving focus and productivity.
2. Establish a routine: Create a consistent daily routine that includes set working hours. This helps condition your mind to be in a work mode during specific times, enhancing productivity.
3. Dress for success: Although tempting, avoid working in your gym kit. Dressing up as if you were going to the office even if you’re not on a video call can have a positive impact on your mindset and motivation levels.
4. Set clear goals and prioritize tasks: Begin each day by setting clear goals and creating a to-do list. Prioritize your tasks based on urgency and importance and tackle them accordingly.
5. Minimize distractions: Identify potential distractions in your environment, such as social media, TV, pets, children, or household chores. Minimize these distractions during work hours to maintain focus.
6. Use productivity tools: Explore various productivity tools and apps that can help you stay organized, manage your time efficiently, and collaborate effectively with colleagues.
7. Take regular breaks: Missing the office tea break or coffee run? Breaks are essential for maintaining focus and preventing burnout. Incorporate short breaks into your schedule and use them to stretch, walk around, or do something enjoyable to recharge your mind.
8. Practice effective communication: Stay connected with your colleagues and supervisors through regular communication channels such as email, instant messaging, or video calls. Clear communication helps avoid misunderstandings and keeps everyone on the same page. Be proactive in sharing updates and seeking clarification when needed.
9. Implement time management techniques: Even if you don’t have to record your hours for billing, we all need to find ways to manage our time. Explore different methods like the Pomodoro Technique (working in focused intervals with short breaks) or time blocking (scheduling specific blocks of time for different tasks). Find what works best for you and adapt your work style accordingly.
10. Foster work-life balance: Establish a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries between work and personal life. Log off at the end of the workday, step away from your screen and engage in activities that help you relax and rejuvenate outside of work hours.