In the period of quarantine a lot of companies had to ask their employees to work from home. Some people were happy about that and got used to such kind of work quickly and positively. For other people it is a real challenge, because it is not really easy to work from home effectively, without being distracted by other members of the family, own laziness, mobile devices, etc. But the demands of our bosses remain the same as if we were working in the office. So what to do to make the remote work as effective as possible?
Organize your work space. It is often difficult for the brain to switch to work mode, because usually home is the place where we relax and have rest. That is why it’s important to create a dedicated workspace, a small office in your apartment. It doesn’t have to be a large office desk, but you should have a place where you are comfortable and have everything you need for work. Ideally it should be a separate room, but if it is impossible, your working place can be in some part of your apartment. The working atmosphere is the most important here.
Remote job is still a full time job and you have to keep yourself organized. Start with making the schedule for the day, write down the tasks that you need to accomplish today. It is important to follow this plan. Otherwise it doesn’t make any sense. A clear plan of actions, and preferably a schedule with deadlines gives any work discipline. Remote work is not a freelance job, when you independently determine a convenient schedule and number of tasks.
Get ready for work. If you turn on the computer and start working as soon as you open your eyes, it will not give you good results. Start your day as usually. Get up in time, do exercises, take a shower, have breakfast, and change your clothes from a bathrobe or pyjama to something casual. First of all, it can be an addition to the organizing of your workspace. And secondly, you can be urgently connected to the video conference and it will not be good if you’ll make your colleagues waiting until you get ready.
You should do your best not to get distracted by social media, news and phone calls with friends. Of course, the most important here is your willpower and determination, but if you can’t control it there are some tips. For example, you can install a special web browser extension that temporarily blocks access to the websites not connected with your work. Turn off the phone notifications while you work, limit the number of times of checking email inbox, and so on. For example, if you are a Gmail user, you can set up automatic filters and block unwanted senders to have a clean Gmail inbox.
Try to stay positive and it will help you to work more effectively. For example, you do not need to waste time on the road to work, spend more time with your family and form the schedule that suits you.
Unsubscribe from everything that distracts you while working. When you work remotely it is more challenging to focus on your work because you are surrounded by your family members and other home tasks. Therefore, it becomes even more important to be less distracted as possible. If you use email frequently, try to unsubscribe from all unnecessary mailings and block spam senders in order not to waste your time on deleting each message manually. You can also use an email unsubscribe software to help you opt out from all unwanted marketing mailings in a few clicks.