14 Easy Ways To Excel Your Best As A Remote Worker

Recent world events have altered the corporate scene, with more companies than ever allowing or demanding employees to work from home.

While many people work from home, workers and supervisors are still adjusting to the change.

Working from home implies more distractions, fewer opportunities to engage naturally with coworkers, and a greater sense of social isolation—all of which can lead to decreased productivity.

So, we need to look into innovative ways to work and become productive. The following recommendations are to improve your focus, deal with the drawbacks of remote work, and become an expert at working remotely.

1. Create a proper work setup

You have a lot of flexibility as a remote worker in terms of how you work.

A conventional office worker would be required to work at a specific desk and show up dressed according to expectations.

As a remote worker, you have more control over where you work, what you wear, and other professional aspects. One of the first things you should create is a proper work setup.

Make a discrete workplace where you can sit and concentrate without getting distracted by the TV, video games, or your pet. Even if you only have a small work area, make sure it’s tidy and that you have everything you need nearby. Try to keep the couch as far away from the kitchen as possible. Sitting on the couch all day is taxing on your back, and you may find yourself unmotivated and too sleepy to accomplish anything.

2. Learn to be disciplined

Working from home needs more discipline than a regular 9-5 job. Without a supervisor, the temptation to rush through your task can happen quickly.

So, ask yourself: are you capable of handling your workload on your own?

This could be difficult for you if you don’t have the discipline to control your work time and enhance your project management skills. Remember that you won’t have your coworkers to keep you in line or assist you.

3. Learn to be alone all day while working

Many people find transitioning to remote work to be a lonely experience. Do you think you’ll be happy working alone all day, every day? It will help if you master this expertise on your own. However, you’ll need to be familiar with a variety of project management technologies.

4. Plan your day as you did in the workplace.

When you work from home, you are your boss and have complete control over your schedule. You can quickly lose concentration if you don’t have an in-person meeting schedule to break up your day. To stay on track, plan out what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. Create personal events and reminders in your online calendar to remind you when to begin the assigned tasks and begin new chores. You can manage your work by using Google Calendar.

Be more productive by structuring your day like you would in the workplace. Working from home will not intrude on your personal life if you have this system in place.

5. Balance your work and break time

Feeling unwell may decrease productivity. That is why you must include breaks in your routine.

Breaks are essential to rest your eyes. They help to rejuvenate your energy. In this way, you can stay focused on your work and avoid burnout.

So, try to work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. Follow this throughout the entire workday.

6. Use user-friendly tools to increase your productivity

Nothing is more vital than staying in sync when working remotely.

Spend less time dealing with technological issues or incompatible gadgets. Adopt an easy-to-use platform so you can focus on what you need to accomplish to ensure your success.

7. Make it challenging to use social media.

The purpose of social media is to make it simple for us to open and browse.

However, this can reduce your productivity significantly.

So, remove all social media accounts from your browser shortcuts. You should log out of all accounts on your phone or computer during work hours to make it difficult to access them.

Turn off social media notifications while working from home. This will help you avoid being tempted to take too many social media breaks throughout the day.

8. Brush up the knowledge and talents that remote work need

Remember, it is not always possible to speak with your bosses or coworkers to learn new things—especially when you are not in the office. So, you need to be an expert in everything that is required to work remotely.

So, try to learn to use essential software like Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and other project management tools like Slack, Trello, Asana, Basecamp.

It’s a good idea to brush up on your knowledge to increase productivity while working from home.

If you are not familiar with these tools, you can learn online to make yourself more confident.

Knowing different things will help you handle any role, even if you’re working remotely for the first time.

9. Commit to complete the task within the deadline

 Most tasks take longer to complete than you expect. So, it would be best to work hard to complete the job within the deadline.

Even if you fall short of your target, you’ll still have a substantial list of completed activities at the end of the day.

10. Plan your work ahead of time

Trying to figure out what you’re going to do today can take time away from actually doing it.

Be flexible with your plan if necessary, but it’s also critical to commit to a calendar that defines each job before you begin. Make your schedule the day before to make it feel more formal when you wake up the next day to work on it.

11. Document your work

Employees working from home should document more than they usually would.

Distant workers are more likely to misunderstand what others have stated.

You should jot down a few extra notes than usual.

This ensures that everyone is on the same page and comprehends what you’re trying to say.

If you’re working on a critical task, include extra notes to ensure that everyone understands what you’re attempting to accomplish.

12. Seek help when required

It is crucial to communicate, manage your time well, and be self-motivated and stick to a routine.

But it is also essential to engage more with each other, not just about work and help that you can get from your colleagues. When you work in an office, you’re surrounded by many who could check on your progress. This gives you the accountability you need to stay productive all day.

You won’t have the same level of accountability as a remote worker. If you become sidetracked, you must make sure that you are accountable. So, ask for help when you need it.

13. Balance office and family time

It’s necessary to set aside some time for yourself. Make a schedule for when you’ll be working and when you’ll be done for the day.

When you’re done, make sure you don’t take on any more work assignments.

It is easy to go from working to relaxing after a long day during office hours. Make sure your family understands your working hours.

They may believe you are always available because you work from home.

Make sure they understand you work at specific hours of the day. Provide them with a schedule of when you will be available.

14. Use tools to increase your productivity

If you want to save time and be more productive, look for productivity tools. For example, the device “Superhuman” provides the fastest and cleanest email experience.

It includes functions such as the option to send emails and attachments later. You can also make follow-up reminders and track when recipients open your emails and attachments. You can also use the tool Evernote for increasing productivity. It functions as a virtual sticky note, but it also helps you organize, search, and synchronize all of your tasks.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect tools for your needs may take some time. But you can create a fantastic remote working experience with some effort.

Each of us has a unique approach to productivity, and what works for one person may not work for another.

Try to find out when you are most productive during the day. Try to create a schedule and habit that you like.