10 Ways To Stay Productive Even Working Remotely

Working remotely is becoming extremely popular today thanks to technology. Whether you’re an entrepreneur working remotely or an employee, there are numerous benefits. Entrepreneurs have the freedom to travel or work from a place of their choice while employees can save time on commuting each day and work in a more comfortable environment of their choosing.

Working remotely can be beneficial, but staying motivated and productive is also a concern. Often, the added distractions can lead to being far more unproductive, which can be a huge negative for most. For those who are working remotely and can’t seem to get into the usual work groove, there are ways to boost motivation and increase productivity.

Here are 10 ways to stay productive even working remotely:

1. Create A Daily To Do List

Each day, my first activity is to create a to do list organizing the tasks from most important to least important I need to achieve each day. When you start each day with a concrete plan, you’re far more productive because you can jump from task to task smoothly as you finish each item on your list. Creating a schedule is a great way to stay ahead of your days!

2. Set A Designated Start And Stop Time

If you are working remotely, it will be easier if you set up your start and end times for each day at the same hours as your team. For my overseas employees and team members, I frequently ask them to work during my ‘work hours’ because it makes communication a lot easier. If they are working at a different time than me, I have noticed our productivity levels decreasing significantly. Working together will help you interact with your team and avoid long delays.

3. Create A Space For Work

Most people may not realize it, but I often times work from home. In fact, I have built numerous 6 figure + businesses from the comforts of my home. However, I quickly realized that working from your bed or on the couch isn’t always the most efficient way to do things. Even at home, you have to separate your home life from your work life. Create a space or area for work where you go to solely lock in on your tasks. For me, I converted the dining area in my house to my home-office and it has worked great for me.

4. Don’t Fit Non-Work Related Things Within Your Day

The biggest cancer to productivity when working remotely is changing your schedule each day to fit in appointments, hang outs with friends and errands. If you worked a job where your hours were fixed between the times of 9 AM to 5 PM, you wouldn’t be able to easily go to the dry cleaners at 3 PM or catch a matinee movie with your best friend. When you work remotely and don’t have a ‘fixed’ schedule, many people take advantage of this and fit in other things within their work day. This causes a lack of productivity and an added on distraction that can quickly hamper productivity. Stay disciplined at all times!

5. Limit Distractions

When working remotely, your work must be the priority, not the laundry or the cooking.  Don’t fall victim to the temptation of finishing household chores during the times of work. To be productive, work as though you are in the office and do not let your surroundings get in your way. Not only that, but don’t allow distractions such as the television, cell phone or other things ruin your day.

6. Identify And Solve Productivity-Problem Triggers

Conducting a self-assessment of your productivity over a week or two will help you determine what triggered the problem. Not only that, but if you’re working with a friend or family member around, ask them what things they notice that may be affecting your productivity. It’s also good to get criticism from a third party who has your best interest at heart. When you have identified the triggers, you can come up with a plan to solve them. This is an act of mindfulness and self-awareness that can benefit you greatly.

7. Wake Up Early

When you have the luxury to wake up at any time, most people cherish their sleep and decide to sleep in. However, the saying never changes. The early bird always gets the worm. Whether you’re working from the top of a 200 foot corporate building or from your desk at home, its the hungriest who earn the most. You may be working at home, but you still need to wake up early. Waking up early helps a person become proactive and more likely to identify the idea of being in charge of making things happen. What better way to stay motivated and be productive than to fuel your fire for making things happen by waking up early?

8. Get The Right Tools

If you wish to respect your new-found environment as a workplace, you’re probably going to need the proper tools to be effective. Whether it’s two monitors, a printer or a large desk, figure out what exactly you need to stay productive. Often times, people think that they can just utilize a laptop and sit anywhere and achieve anything. However, for most people that’s not the case. Surround yourself with the right tools and resources to be productive and successful.

9. Utilize A Software For Maximum Productivity 

Productivity software are available to help a person working at home become productive. This type of software will help you to stay organized and motivated and result in being productive. Some of the best productivity tool you can use at home:

– Focus Booster: A time tracking app that helps you to stay focused on the task at hand.

– Asana – A task management software that helps track projects view upcoming deadlines and submit work.

– Azendoo – A work management application available on web and mobile that enables you and your team to communicate, share documents, collaborate around tasks and get organized together.

10. Take Regular Breaks And Vacations

Working remotely is working comfortably anywhere you want, but sometimes you need a break from even that. Taking breaks daily will allow your mind to clear itself of all the jumble from your work day and enjoy a few stress free minutes to yourself. Whether it’s meditating, taking a short walk or eating something, breaks are crucial to keep your mind fresh. Not only that, but if you start feeling burned out…it may be time to take a vacation. Often times, some time off might be the answer to your lack of productivity!

Conclusion

Working remotely has its pros and cons, but if you can stay productive, then there are more benefits than negatives. In this post, I shared with you 10 ways to stay productive even working remotely.