How to be more productive when working remotely?

In one of the previous articles, I discussed how to work remotely without going crazy. I like the topics of remote work, productivity, and time management. I believe these are important topics, so I would like to explore increasing productivity while working from home.

The prolonged restrictions mean that most of us work all the time remotely. I want to share my way of better commitment and the opportunity to focus on work duties. It doesn’t have to be a solution for everyone. Don’t be afraid to try and improve it.

Most important tasks

A great way to achieve your goals is to set three tasks for each day of the week. This gives you flexibility as you can change tasks. What you fail to do one day goes to the top of the list for the next one.

Planning ahead for the next week worked best for me. The problem with Monday’s planning was that I didn’t always want to do it.

I could end my post here. Introducing a plan is good when we have goals to achieve. The nature of our work is also crucial.

As an IT specialist, I cannot always make such planning. Sometimes task delays, new priorities, or critical issues can change the entire weekly plan. As I pointed out in the post about reacting to change, it is normal to change our plan. What can you do in such a situation? See what else you can apply.

Calendar is your friend

I have approached the use of the calendar at work many times. Often with poor results. However, the need to combine studies and work forced me to become friends with previously hated calendar.

At work, I try to define the hours of my availability clearly. If I have any appointments, I save them immediately in the calendar. The same applies to the recruitment process, private meetings, or important phone calls. It goes out of my mind. Checking the next day’s tasks and setting the reminder option is enough to keep it under control.

To-do list

A clean head is extremely important. It allows you to focus on the activity you are doing. The best way to do this is a keeping a to-do list.

There are many services where you can store your ideas and tasks. One of them is Trello. It has a huge advantage in the form of easy-to-manage sections (for example, a division into backlog, in progress, and done). I store there my ideas for new articles. If you don’t know where to start, start with ordinary paper cards.

If we are working on something and we have a great idea, write it down on a piece of paper. After work or in the evening, transfer it to your application. You don’t get distracted by trying to check it out quickly.

Pomodoro technique

I have already mentioned the Pomodoro technique once. Its idea is based on 25-minute blocks of work followed by a 5-minute break. In my case, it didn’t work out. The 30 or 35 minutes blocks have worked much better.

It’s worth a walk during the break. It is worth looking out the window and relaxing your eyesight. Constantly staring at the monitor is not healthy for our eyes.

It is also worth experimenting with the work position. Both sitting and standing work alone are not proper for our body. But practice one after the other in time blocks can get good results.

Reduce distractions

Distractions are everywhere. The most popular are phones and social media. Often, just disabling notifications is not enough. It is worth moving the phone to another room. We will eliminate the urge to “check notifications quickly” and the FOMO¹ effect.

It is also worth blocking Facebook and other social media while working. On the Internet, you can find a lot of solutions that will allow you to stay focused. If you absolutely must use them, set yourself specific hours.

Soft background music also works for me. Both the singing and the instrumental versions work well. Forest sounds and similar are also worth checking out. You have to adjust the music to your liking. It should be the background, not something you want to listen to actively.

Summary

Productivity is excellent, and it’s worth taking care of. Small changes can give you fantastic acceleration. Getting better results, staying focused, and feeling that the next thing is done are great.

Fear of missing out - I will describe it more in one of the following articles. ↩