When it comes to Productivity in remote Work, concerns have been raised about navigating through productivity slumps. Jobkast‘s employer partners have some tips to help you make the most of remote work’s benefits, including flexibility, better output, and improved work-life balance. The true essence of remote work is a blessing that is yet to be fully realized by many in the post-pandemic world.
Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of your time while working a full-time remote job:
The Optimal Schedule
Every individual has time on their own during the day when they are the most productive and those times when the task at hand becomes a drag. One of the keys to maintaining productivity in remote work is to identify those peak-performance windows of the day and set your schedule around those time slots. Some are early risers who enjoy the calm of the morning to work. Then there are others who are most focused with hustle and bustle around them.
Deep Work
Once your schedule is set and you have these time slots identified – get ready for some deep work. The “deep work” method has been praised and practiced by productivity gurus, cognitive behavior specialists and professionals from all industries. The hack for maintaining productivity in remote work is simple – instead of a marathon, go for sprints! Avoid multitasking at all costs – find out why here.
Our level of productivity or output usually slows down when we work for longer stretches of time. We get drained and easily distracted. To get the most efficiency – that is “get more work done in less time” – it is crucial to focus and work deeply over short sprints. As the author of the book “Deep Work”, Cal Newport, says:
“Human beings, it seems, are at their best when immersed deeply in something challenging.”
When you seem to be losing focus, get up, take a break, or do other things that are less focus-intensive. Recharge and get back to the grind.
Defining Breaks…Procrastination Hazards!
Not all breaks are fun. Some are just hazardous at times. The way you structure breaks and what you do during breaks have a massive impact on your productivity. If your activities are not planned well, you fall into the dreadful hands of the most famous serial-productivity killer – procrastination.
Define the intentions behind your breaks and stay away from rewarding yourself with too much dopamine (the feel-good hormone). These breaks can also be used for easier tasks such as laundry, doing dishes or calling a friend. This way your mental engine is on stand-by while your brain rests from the previous session of deep work. Carefully executing breaks can do wonders for your output.
The Social Touch
Calling a friend shouldn’t always be during breaks or your downtime. Productivity in remote work can be greatly influenced by the social environment around you. While many of us prefer to be secluded to an extent while working, others are motivated by people around them. Instead of having colleagues with whom you may not get along, you can have your favorite people working around you. Alternatively, cafes and co-working spaces can be great for preserving that social touch while you dive deep into your work.
Refreshing Ambiance
Sometimes it’s not the people around you, but just the ambiance overall. This brings us to the last yet potent productivity hack of having the right ambiance. You may not have realized it just yet, but the ambiance in which you work contributes to your overall productivity. Similar to our first tip in this list, each ideal working environment is relative to each individual. A clean and tidy desk, a floral-scented candle, or the right amount of sunlight can all add to your work. While the ambiance at your company’s office may not be to your liking, you have the autonomy of making the choice of your ambiance when working remotely.
Check out our Five Tips for Landing your Dream “Work-from-anywhere” Job!
There are many other productivity hacks that you can implement to face the challenges of productivity while working remotely. You can apply those listed here today and start reaping the benefits now. A majority of the workforce is now favoring “flexibility” over all other priorities when it comes to their work. Challenges in productivity should never take that flexibility away from your lifestyle.
