Productivity is a concern for modern management. As offices have seen productivity benefits of traditional, standardized and documented practices, these companies have also imposed key performance indicators to better gauge employee production and productivity. At the same time, the people themselves, from the employees up to the owners realize that they need to work better, as well as improve their working environment. Companies and work environments constantly evolve bringing new challenges to the people and the workplace. There has been a steady increase in the number of remote workers, mainly due to the job requirements, and, more recently, the outbreak of covid-19. Technology, in the form of the internet has helped along the shift towards remote working. This is a new situation for plenty of people and common day-to-day occurrences can become distractions for remote workers. From 78 experts, we have compiled below their methods of keeping focus while working while away from the office. 1) Productivity Killers are Distractions The biggest productivity killers are distractions – internal & external. Internal distractions are what come within your body like hunger, day dreaming, arousal, wanting to multi-task, feeling tired, desire to watch/read the news, etc. External distractions are things like your phone, outside noises, a family needing your attention, notifications, social media, multiple browser tabs open not related to the task at hand, and anything the diverts your attention. You’ll need discipline and a system in fighting both internal and external distractions. Here’s one that works for me: Calendar everything! I avoid task lists and instead schedule everything on a calendar. That way I don’t have to think about what to do next. If it’s not planned, it’s easy to get distracted especially by internal distractions.Invest in good noise-canceling headphones. I use Bose Quiet Comfort 35-2. It’s one of the best investments in terms of avoiding external distractions. I have it paired with my phone and desktop for music, conference calls, etc.Get a standing desk. I switched to a standing desk which you raise and lower. I try to stand as much as I can because it’s healthy but also because it helps you power through the times when you want to take a nap.Divert some Netflix to learning. Even if it’s just a few hours per week – it makes a huge difference as you gain knowledge and skill up.Avoid news like the plague. The negative reinforcement is more debilitating than anything else and easy to go down a rabbit-hole. Schedule a time to get updated from places that just give you the facts. I use Twitter to get my daily updates and always try to go directly to the source to avoid secondhand bias. The game here is really about focus. You’re productive when you’re focused. Lastly, it’s easy to trick yourself thinking you’re productive with team meetings. They’re usually a waste of time unless you’re collaborating on specific tasks. Keep the team meetings to a minimum. When you do meet, keep them short and specific. Thanks to Gerry Sandhu / CRO Consultant 2) Productivity and WellbeingPhoto Credit – Tom, SEO Executive I have two young children who can be quite giddy around me and would love to tap on my laptop just to see what happens. So I stay productive by making sure that I’m alone in the room to start with. I combat the loneliness of not having any coworker by listening to my favourite tunes while working. And I make sure to take 5 mins off the computer every hour, to rest my eyes, my mind and stretch my legs and back. Being productive is important, but wellbeing is fundamental. Thanks to Tom / SEO Executive 3) A Second Monitor Get a second monitor if you can manage. I used to work exclusively on my laptop, and I picked up a relatively inexpensive monitor on Black Friday. My productivity has skyrocketed being able to manage multiple tasks without constantly having to switch back and forth between windows or programs! Thanks to Kyle Enfield 4) Use a Calendar In order for me to stay productive, I need to live by my calendar. If it is not in the calendar, it may as well not be happening. I share the calendar with my direct team so they know my availability. I have a routine that I adhere to strictly which involves setting an alarm at a set time everyday, breakfast and walking the dogs at a set time, setting time aside for rest and relaxation is also very important. During the day, I work with the Pomodoro technique as it works for me to ensure I get maximum output when working on a project. Thanks to Rich Voller – Digital Marketing Consultant 5) Daily Accountability Our team is staying productive by making sure we’re all accountable for what we’ve done on a day to day basis. Each morning we send a message on our team channel with our goals for the day. Then at the end of the day, we each summarise what we managed to achieve. It keeps us accountable and ensures we’re keeping everything moving forward. Thanks to Ryan Watson / Performance Marketing Manager 6) Daily Standups Dive into your daily stand ups every morning – Daily stand ups to keep the team in the loop about what each other are working on in the day and if anyone has a specific task they need to do throughout the day. Take a break! You may feel guilty about being at home but you still need time to switch off and relax. You can even take small breaks every two hours and change scenery. Tick all of your tasks off in Asana so you know what you have done but also your team can also. Have some background music to keep you motivated throughout the day. Video call your colleagues if you’re feeling alone – keep each other motivated and positive! (we have virtual lunches) If you are not alone in the house communicate your expectations with anyone who will be at home with you – set some boundaries! Pick a definitive finish time each day – Working from home can also feel like being at a casino — you can get so caught up in your activity, in a relaxing environment, that you lose complete track of time. Make sure you have a strict time to keep that work-life balance. Thanks to Puja Kotecha – Digital PR Specialist 7) Work Environment For me, staying productive while working remotely is all about the environment. Working and relaxing in the same environment is not a good idea. It’s like staying in bed and watching movies; over time, your body forgets your bed is for sleeping and will keep you awake so you can watch the movie. When it finally comes to sleeping, you spend hours in bed awake because your body is used to watching movies in that environment and gets confused. When working at home, I have a dedicated working space that has no distractions and is just for me to do work. Every time I sit there, my body and brain both know it’s time for work and nothing else. By separating work and relaxation areas, you’ll quickly notice a difference and increase in concentration levels. Thanks to Sam Carr / Marketing Manager 8) Do Less Work I’ve worked remotely for a few years now and all the obvious productivity advice is obvious because it works. I’m talking about needing a dedicated workspace with a good chair, natural light and a regular supply of coffee. But the main thing that makes me more productive sounds counter-intuitive at first: Do less work. Let me explain: I’ve found that I am most productive when I have taken the time to go outside for a walk, cooked a decent meal for myself, played with my dogs or done some form of exercise. Even things like having a shower or doing the dishes is enough of a cognitive boost to get work-related things done. And when you think about it, spending an hour to do one of those tasks doesn’t eat into your time that much when you don’t have to commute. Thanks to Jake Sheridan, Freelance SEO 9) Use Time Trackers Time is the crucial thing even you are alone, so i am using time tracking tools to measure my effectiveness at home. This way, i can easily understand which time range is more productive and what kind of tasks take more time for me. Also, using slack, zoom kind of tools helps me avoid communication problems. When we are away from the office, some tasks may take more time for people in your team because of the distance. I am using Loom to record specific task videos to avoid this problem, and it creates much more productive work for you and your team in the remote process. Thanks to Serbay Arda Ayzit, Co-Founder 10) A Dedicated Workspace Find yourself a dedicated spot for your workspace. You can associate this spot with your job and leave when you are off the clock. Make sure its comfortable but don’t let it be the sofa o your bed. Also, don’t feel bad for taking short breaks to do housework like putting on a load of washing. Taking short breaks are great for productivity and it means you save more time for your own time later on. Thanks to Freddie Chatt, Ecommerce Consultant 11) Make ToDo Lists With ToDo lists, not looking at the mail in the first hours to avoid jumping from one task to another and planning from the day before what is the most important or the 3 most important tasks to finish in the next day. Thanks to Carlos / Owner 12) Avoid Emails avoiding email and turn off the mobile phone Thanks to Carlos / SEO 13) One Task at a TimeSpecialist Focusing in task, I try to finish one task at a time Thanks to Carlos Fernández / Marketing Specialist 14) Daily Priority List As a manager of a remote team – productivity is always in the back of my mind. We work together virtually to stay collaborative, transparent, and accountable every day. My biggest tip for remote working is to create a priority list each day. Planning your schedule around the important items (remembering the difference between important and urgent!) will help you stay motivated and honest with yourself with how you spend your time. Thanks to Reahanna Parker, Marketing Manager 15) Be Organized You can stay productive following all of the usual advice such as using pomodoro timers, putting your phone on DND, not logging into Facebook and such but I’ve found a few things that help me stay on track when working remotely: Shut Your Email Down Everyone can get lost down a rabbit hole when they open their email. Instead of keeping it open and letting it distract you whenever something comes in — set yourself up on a schedule to check it at certain intervals throughout the day. Set Slack notifications to DND while you’re at it also. Test Your Tech If you’re new to working from home and know you have a meeting scheduled via something like Zoom — be sure to test out your ability to connect to a call first. Don’t be the person having to spend 10 minutes troubleshooting why your camera/microphone doesn’t work. Plan Your Day Yesterday At the end of each day plan out your primary tasks you want to accomplish tomorrow. This will allow you to hit the ground running and stay focused. I’ve tried doing this first thing in the morning and it always left me second-guessing myself about what was most important. Keep your task list limited to high level items as well. Don’t get granular. 3-4 major things is usually a good mark to aim for.Set Boundaries with Family (or Roommates) Have a talk with your significant other, children, etc. If you don’t set expectations with them about how to interact with you (e.g. interrupt you) when you’re working from home, you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and possibly cause some unnecessary arguments. You know your family better than anyone — so establish your boundaries in whatever way is best for you situation. Thanks to Skyler Reeves / Founder 16) Comfortable Workspace Set up a workspace in which you have everything you need to work comfortably and productively. Have a tight work schedule and stick to it, just like if you were in the office. Respect work processes and procedures. Take breaks. Get some fresh air at the end of the day and exercise. Thanks to Marketing Manager 17) A Standard Template I like to organize my daily tasks into a standard template and also leave room for unique tasks on the list as well. This way I can easily recognize I’m not getting things done. I also like to use the Pomodoro Technique to break large tasks into smaller ones, with short breaks to keep things fresh. Thanks to Garrett Graff – Head of Account Services 18) Planned Daily Tasks I usually pay most attention to being well organised. When I have planned my daily tasks well, there is a lot less chance to waste my time. I also maintain communication with my colleagues through collaboration tools, so that I can be up to date with any essential information, and also be able to seek assistance. And last but not least, I choose a specific space at home to be my work space which will provide me with enough lighting, and will allow me to feel comfortable enough to focus on my tasks. I also have a prepared Spotify list to keep my mood up. Thanks to Nikola Baldikov – Digital Marketing Manager 19) A Daily Routine I treat remote work like I would going to the office – everything but the commute. Get up, shower, get dressed, accomplish my morning routine. Although convenient, I try to avoid rolling out of bed in my PJs and pulling out my laptop. The routine helps me get in the right frame of mind for your day. Additionally, I start each day with a list of the key priorities I want to accomplish. I try and hold myself accountable to it, checking at several points throughout the day on my progress. Thanks to Amanda Thomas / Owner 20) Separate Space The best way that I stay productive is two-fold: First is having a separate space from the rest of my house (I work from home most days) and second, I make use of pomodoro timers to add structure to my day and work against my nature, which is to procrastinate by learning (reading, listening to podcasts, etc.) Thanks to Brendan Hufford / Director of SEO 21) Lists Every day I have a list of to-dos and at the end of the day I update that list with what’s been done/needs to be actioned on/what’s left etc. This way if I get bogged down or have times like this current climate I can stay focused even if my brain goes to other places. The lists help so much to stay productive and on course when you write everything down for yourself and can then breathe and go onto the next task/project/work. Also checking off tasks at the end of the day (even virtually through a list) feels really good, not as good as writing a paper one but still helps feeling accomplished. Lists. Thanks to Jessica Joyce 22) Accountability Partner Well, many people are less productive in isolation. And thats what remote work does. It isolates you. To counter this, you can use a site like focusmate.com It assigns you an accountability partner for 45 minutes. You can add your friends too on the platform or get assigned to random strangers. The best way to make use of this platform is to tell your goals in the beginning of the session and then tell the other person if you were able to complete the task or not at the end of the session. Thanks to Shaurya Jain, Founder, Attention Always 23) Weekly Review I recommend http://www.timesnapper.com/ – lets you play back your week just like a movie. You can have TimeSnapper calculate how productive you are. You just tell TimeSnapper which programs make you productive and the tool will take care of the rest. Thanks to Hakon Agustsson / Co-Founder 24) Living Alone I actually get more done since I live by myself. At work there are more disruptions since my employees always coming into the office if they have questions or problems. At home, it’s mostly done online so I am more focused on what I am doing. Thanks to Marketing Manager 25) Weekly Syncs I have weekly syncs (at the very least) with the teams/stakeholders I’m working on to get all the information I need for projects in one shot. This ensures we’re all able to use Slack or Microsoft Teams for essential questions as opposed to constantly pinging each other with sporadic questions. Thanks to Charles Costa, Content Strategist, eBay 26) A Good Routine Stick to a good routine. Wake up, shower, go for a walk (substitute the walk for some indoor exercise if you’re quarantined). Start the day how you want it to go on. Also – just because you’re working remotely, doesn’t mean you should be lonely. Talk with coworkers on Slack, join and take part in online communities and discussions on Twitter, and use tools like Focusmate for virtual coworking. Thanks to Founder/Content Marketer 27) Work Sprints Block out time for work sprints (especially email time — this NEEDS to be dedicated), and take breaks when you’ve scheduled them. Don’t neglect the breaks or you’ll burn yourself out and actually inhibit your overall productivity. Thanks to Nick Eubanks / Digital Strategist 28) Pomodoro Method Use the pomodoro technique, but tailor it to your job needs. I work for 40 minutes, then take a 10 minute break. Think about your work habits while at the office – make sure those time periods where you know you work well in the office, you’re in your chair working when you are remote as well. Thanks to Toronto SEO Consultant 29) Keep all social media off or select 15 minute blocks while working. If you have kids keep the office door shut and let them know when the door is shut only interrupt in an emergency.Keep cellphone ringer off or set low.Only check email in the morning then once at the end of the day.Be sure to get up and stretch your legs every couple of hours.Try to plan out your day the night before.dress for work will make you feel more productive. Thanks to paul Leary / Owner 30) Time Blocks I have been working remotely always. I work at home, from coworkings or coffee shops. I feel most productive while working at home because I get less interruptions. Use time blocks for different projects and work on them only. Use Pomodoro browser extension. Also, use Rescue Time on a daily basis, that tool shows you where you spend your time. If you use it for the first time you’ll be amazed how much time you spend every day on social media and Youtube. Aim to get things done, don’t aim for perfection. Thanks to Georgi Todorov – Digital PR at All Things Hair 31) No Social Media To stay productive while working remotely I do 2 things: Every day I create a short 5-6 point checklist of things that I want to do during that day. It’s a good idea to start with the things that are more difficult and urgent.I try to avoid using social media as much as I can. Besides that, I don’t have any other major distractions. But the takeaway here is to avoid as many things that can distract you as possible. Otherwise it would be just impossible to focus on a task.” Thanks to Andriy Haydash 32) Check in with the Team Every morning we check the tasks with the colleagues on our dedicated Slack channel, and keep each other in focus and help if necessary throughout each day. Before retreating to home office, we layed out a detailed work plan for each member of the team for the first week, so we have the baseline to keep an eye on. We try to remove distractions, but what’s even more important that in personal life and in business we stay in touch with the community via social channels and try to provide help and advice in posts, newsletters and personal conversations where we can. The community is what keeps you sane these days and makes it possible to actually plan in uncertain times. Thanks to Daniel Benyo / Senior Copywriter & Inbound Expert 33) Planning I’ve been working remotely for more than 2 years. And here are a few things that help me work productively: I plan my work for a day in the morning so that I know what I need to complete. I work in clusters for 20-30 minutes, then take a short break. Sometimes if a task is more demanding I can work for a few hours straight.Removing distractions helps a lot: I put my phone away. Also, I work in a separate browser tab to make sure I’m not distracted by the tabs that are already opened.I work only from certain places in the house. I try not to work sitting on a sofa, floor, etc. as it hurts health and also blurs the boundaries between the spaces for work and life.I dress up. I found that working in pyjamas is not productive. Thanks to Founder of MarketingSyrup, eCommerce & Technical SEO Consultant 34) Work Space and Exercise Have separate spaces for work and relaxation so you never feel exhausted because continuously in the work mode. Set up your routine, write down your to-do list before going to bed. Get up after every one hour for a simple walk for 5-10 minutes, doctors recommends it. Get dressed every day like you would dress yourself to work. Meditate at least 10 minutes every day for mental clarity and stress management. Avoid social media during work unless your work depends on it then use apps to block social media feeds to avoid distractions. 1-hour of physical work out every day because without exercise you won’t be able to continue it for a long time especially problems with your back are very common. Only sit on a good ergonomic chair for the love of your back, please. Thanks to Umair Mansha 35) A Sense of Normalcy I attempt to recreate as much of my work day routines as possible to instill a sense of normalcy. This means I wake up, shower, walk around my apartment complex and the adjacent park for 10-20 minutes to simulate a workday commute and then adhere to meeting time schedules and usual activities throughout the day. I also close the door to my office in the apartment to separate myself from my personal life and make sure I only work while in my makeshift office. Further, I don’t do work outside of this office to promote work/life balance and allow myself to unplug despite working from home. After 2 weeks of working remotely, this has helped my sanity and also fortified my productivity to deliver my assignments on time. Thanks to Riley Adams, CPA 36) Get Things Done Method I’ve been working remotely for the past 6 months and had previous experience of working remotely for a year. As I’m in a position that requires tons of creative and abstract thinking, which then need to be translated into actionable strategies, the “Get-Things-Done” method has really worked me (https://gettingthingsdone.com/). There are plenty of materials out there that can teach you how to apply this method to your own work. What it helps you do is organize your thoughts and ideas in a systematic way outside of your head, which rids you of the constant stress and anxiety about not knowing what to do next. When you have a lot on your plate, that’s a great way to stay productive. Another thing that really helps me stay focused and productive is Noisli (http://noisli.com). It’s an app where you can listen to background noises designed to put you in a state of flow (for example, coffee shop sounds, rain, storm, etc). And my third tip is just making sure you get enough rest, otherwise no matter what productivity hacks you’re using, you’re not going to be able to give your work your all. Thanks to Marketing manager 37) Clear Goals and Tasks At my company, we’ve been sent home to work because of the Coronavirus. I have a dedicated space where no one bothers me. My wife and little kids know that when I’m in my home office working, they are expected not to talk to me. The other part of at-home productivity is having clear goals and tasks. If you keep busy with work that engages you, you stay focused and the hours fly by. I have actually found that my productivity has gone up while I’m at home! Thanks to Garit Boothe, Senior SEO Manager 38) Calendar Everything I’m big on blocking out time on my calendar for everything. If it’s not in my calendar, it doesn’t exist. I schedule focus time first thing in the morning until about an hour before lunch. Before lunch I’ll catch up on emails, then in the afternoon I shift focus over to client meetings and helping teammates. When you’re working remotely it’s so easy to get distracted or off task, it’s important to build out your day so you have a routine to follow. Thanks to Brandyn Morelli, CEO 39) It’s Like Any Other Job I have worked remotely for 6+ years and the best way to stay productive while working remotely is to approach it like any other job. Set hours that you start and end each day. Get dressed. Never work from your bed or your couch. And always make sure to eat at a regular time. Thanks to Ryan McCready, Senior Content Marketer @Venngage 40) Prioritize and Track I stay productive while working remotely by tracking and prioritizing my daily and weekly tasks in a project management tool such as Asana or Trello. Every morning, and around lunch time I check in on my tasks that help remind me what I need to focus on in small 1-2 hour sprints. Between each sprint, I take small breaks such as a walk outside to move my legs and step away from the computer for 15 mins or so. Additionally, I used to overlook the power of having a clean desk. Since working remotely during the COVID19 outbreak in NYC, I cleaned off my desk which has allowed a seamless transition feel from in the office to in the apartment. Thanks to Tara McQuaide / Digital Marketing Manager 41) Regular Breaks Help I give myself regular breaks. They might be to get a drink, make some food, walk or train the dog, meditate, or call someone for a catch up. Anything that’s a change of activity/pace. Regular breaks stops me from getting eye strain, which leads to headaches and an inability to look at the screen. I find it sometimes leads to me finding really obvious answers to problems I’ve been facing for ages too. Thanks to Freelance content marketer 42) 15-Minute Meetings Our team has switched from in-person meetings to video calls using Zoom. We have found that doing a quick 15 minute meeting at the start and end of the day within each department has helped us stay on track. We were not expecting it, but we have actually seen an increase in productivity over the last week and a half. Thanks to Founder 43) No Eating at My Desk Blocking time off during the day to focus on specific tasks and projects has helped a lot. For example, in the morning I do a quick review of the past day or week and then a quick preview of what’s to come. Then, I’ll focus on the most important task for the day (the “one thing”) until lunch. I never eat at my desk, which is another useful thing to note. I try to separate work and non-work activities as much as possible so I don’t feel like the day is just one long drag. After lunch I have 90 minute periods where I work on specific projects that are less immediately important. It basically comes down to realizing that working at home isn’t a novelty like it once was, and remembering to structure it much like you would a normal work day. Set up a routine that includes health and mental wellness practices, and make use of the lack of commuting time. Keeping a schedule and routine is super important! Thanks to Curt Storring, Founder, Floor500 44) No Device Distractions As someone who’s been working remotely for nearly a decade, it has been my experience that how we stay productive is unique to every individual. In my case, it’s about preparation and having a plan. Making sure my workspace is free of any distractions (including my iphone) helps a lot. This includes my deskptop ie tabs, extra windows, etc. As for planning, take the time to plan what you are going to work on, leaving little breaks in between, and get this in your Google calendar. Finally, and with great emphasis, having Slack on in the background is a mistake. Turn it off, and instead schedule time to turn it on. Thanks to Adam Steele, COO 45) Team Communication We have been hit really hard with the lack of sport. Good communication with my team is key to keeping myself and them productive. Thanks to Mr Fixit / Owner 46) A Cup of Coffee Being a bit of a nootropic enthusiast, when I’m working from home, I take the time to make my own coffee and I do enjoy a few cups through the day. But, I actually add something called L-theanine – adding this powdered supplement, prevents the ‘jitters’ from excess caffeine, while still giving me the alertness and ability to power through my day. And since I’m at home, I also don’t get any funny looks from people wondering why I’m putting a strange white powder in my drink! Thanks to Kas Andz / Director 47) Set Aside Time for Deep Work I’ve worked remote for 3+ years and I’ll skip the basic tips (delineate work and non work, etc.). Exercise is important. I keep a doorway pull up bar and every time I get up for a coffee or to run to the bathroom I do a set of pull ups. In normal times, I go to the gym and go on walks regularly.It’s easy to overdo it on the coffee. Switch to a lighter form of caffeine (I like green tea, CBD soda), and in the evening, I actually like to sip kava tea. Just as you would (should) in an office, have clear time set aside for deep work. I use mornings. In the mornings, I mute Slack notifications and don’t check my email. I do focused work for 3-4 hours, and then lift my head up.Socializing is important (for an extrovert like me at least). In normal times, I make sure to co-work, hit up coffee shops, and actually talk to other human beings. Thanks to Co-founder at Omniscient Digital and Sr Marketer at HubSpot 48) Planning the Day Before There are 3 main things that I do to maintain a high level of productivity while working remotely. First, I plan out everything I need to get done for the day and make sure each task is listed in our project management software (usually done the day before). That includes allocating specific time to reply to email and messages in Slack. This way I can just go from one task to the next and not get distracted by any outside noise or distractions. Second, I use the Pomodoro technique to do focused blocks of work. Third, I use a tool called RescueTime to track where my time is being spent, and also to lock myself out of distracting website and apps, so even if I’m tempted by distractions it won’t allow me to open things like Facebook or any other time wasting websites or apps. Thanks to Andrew Hubbard – CEO & Founder, Hubbard Digital 49) Lunch and Breaks Remembering to eat lunch and taking an occasional break keep me sharp when working remotely. Thanks to CEO 50) Break Your Work Time Break your work time with something to look forward to It’s hard to motivate yourself while working remotely- there are so many distracting things around, a new Netflix series, friends hanging out in a bar next door, nice weather outside. I keep all that in mind when working, being productive to the maximum for a certain amount of time, knowing that afterwards I can reward myself with something nice: lunch or coffee, one episode of “Friends”, a good surf. I’m lucky enough to be working for CandyBar that offers me full flexibility when it comes to working time. I have a lot of freedom to decide when I work, how many hours in a row, and how I divide my work time. That way I can be productive and efficient, keeping a good and healthy balance between work and free time. Complete focus during working time and total relaxation during free time – that’s my way of staying productive while working remotely. Thanks to Alicja Olko / Outreach Specialist at CandyBar 51) Time Blocking Sheet I’ve made a time blocking sheet on Google. I break my day into blocks dedicated to specific or a group of tasks. It gives me a structure of how to do my tasks and when to do them without compromising my day-to-day activities. An example of a time blocking sheet: https://imgur.com/8ZauTI0 Thanks to Faizan Ali – SEO Specialist 52) Organize to Fit Your Needs Living in the digital era, modern people have an opportunity to get flexibility and the ability to work&travel, so it’s no wonder that 57 million Americans (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/03/skilled-freelancers-earn-more-per-hour-than-70percent-of-workers-in-us.html) work freelance these days. For me, I’ve been also practicing freelance work for 5 years and I work remotely 3 days a week. Over this period of time, I’ve found out that having a well-organized workplace is key to success (and productivity). Not only does it help to reduce the number of distractions around you, but it also allows you to boost brainpower that can make you more productive. Back in 2018, I made an infographic to share my tips and tricks on how to organize your workplace and increase brainpower (https://mc2.bid4papers.com/blog/a-step-by-step-guide-to-increasing-brain-power-at-the-workplace-infographic/). Although there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to organizing a workplace, but it is you who can that fit YOUR needs and wants. As a result, you can get more things done in less time. Thanks to Hugh Beaulac/Content strategist 53) Avoid Working from Bed Keep your work routines and avoid getting distracted. Wake up, have a shower and get dressed like you normally would for work. Avoid working from the bed and try to always have a proper desk to work at. The less you treat it as a job the harder it becomes to focus on it. Thanks to Axel / Head of SEO @ Viseo 54) Mini-Breaks It’s tough to stay focused while working remotely. There are so many distractions throughout the day that can really hurt your productivity. One thing that helps me is using something called a Pomodoro timer. The way it works is that you give yourself mini-breaks every 20 to 25 minutes. After taking these mini-breaks, I feel refreshed and motivated to get work done. Thanks to Adele Eliseo 55) Digital Tools for Productivity When coronavirus travels through many parts of the world, many companies are demanding that their staff operate remotely to prevent the rapid spread of the epidemic. The most important thing to consider, I suppose, is to figure out what makes you stay centered and keep your job separate from home. There are some tools that can help you stay productive Slack for Team Chat Google Hangouts for Meetings and Video chats JIRA for Project Management Time Doctor for Time Tracking Freedom for Focusing Yoga Studio for Health Be Positive and Stay Productive! Thanks to Arusik Ghambaryan 56) Team Productivity I do handle a team of 14 people. So first, I make sure that all my team members have enough resources and knowledge to complete their daily task. If not, I try to make a short video using loom and explain what we need. If my team is productive, I’m productive. Thanks to Yuvrajsinh 57) Creative Time Schedules To stay productive personally working from home comes down to having a plan and no set hours, let me explain. I plan the night before my own schedule as well as my teams schedule. That work needs to be completed that day. I don’t mind what time that task is complete on that day but it has to be complete. Creative people and engineers shouldn’t be restricted to the hours of 9-5 anyway so if we end up using an hour of procrastination during the day, that’s on us. What this does is it has the opposite effect. It makes us much more productive during our work hours because I’m better working from 5am and I want to to finish for 5pm to be with the family. My developer works best late at night because it’s quiet and less distractions. A win-win for everybody. Thanks to Steven Sefton / Digital Director 58) Include Personal Development This may not be the case with every job, but the 40 hours a week I spend at work is supposed to include time for professional development – keeping up with the latest findings in my field, going to training sessions, finding and testing out new tools. The rare times I find myself bored at work, I usually take a look at my favorite databases and professional blogs and familiarize myself with new methods and tools that I don’t need right now, but might need in the future. The next time you find yourself bored at work, try finding a development resource in your field and seeing what’s new. Thanks to Hugo Huyer / Engineer 59) Remote Meetings At Survey Anyplace, when working remotely during the coronacrisis, we have a remote meeting every morning with our marketing team to discuss our planning, so that we stay up-to-date on each others progress. Personally, when I work remotely (from home) I’m more productive because I have zero distractions. I easily lose track of time when working alone, getting things done very efficiently.” Thanks to Content Marketer 60) Make Your Bed My #1 rule here comes from Make Your Bed book by William H. McRaven: For my working day to be productive, I should literally get out of the bed in the morning, make it, and dress up as if I needed to go to the office. This trick helps to beguile subconsciousness and tune in to the right wave. If you want to stay productive while working remotely, you need to keep a strict schedule and accurately organize your home office. Otherwise, you risk getting lost in distracting tangents that, as we know, have little in common with productivity. Thanks to Lesley Vos / Content Strategist 61) Time Slots I work from home 100% of my time. To be productive I cut my time slots. I work about 40 minutes, then take a five minute break. Get something to drink, stretch and then continue working. After the fourth block I take an half hour break. Thanks to Dennis Stopa / Freelance Search Marketer 62) Block Site I noticed that when I’m working in the office, I tend to communicate a lot and even socialize a bit with my co-workers. I do it unintentionally as it’s programmed into my subconscious -we humans are social creatures. But I still get my work done because my co-workers and time crunches keep me in check. However, there’s no keeping in check when you’re home alone and working remotely. So I had a suspicion that my unconscious habits are going to translate to my new work environment, and sure enough, I caught myself several times checking Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn a bit too much. So much in fact that I was starting to become unproductive. So, to “force” myself to get to work I installed a free Chrome extension called Block Site. It blocks those time wasters and helps me focus on my work. Hence I instantly became more productive. I think being mindful of where your time is spent is the key to staying productive, and even improving your personal best. Thanks to Nikola Roza/ CEO of Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined 63) Regular Productivity Monitoring How to Stay Productive When Working remotely Regularly Monitor Your Productivity Remote workers are more productive when they regularly monitor their output and work patterns. Tools like Time Doctor, Focus Booster, and Hubstaff keep track of how much time you spend on productive and unproductive tasks. They also help you identify what the time-wasting activities are and how to avoid them. Avoiding productivity-sapping habits can make a world of difference in boosting your productivity.Eliminate Distractions Remote workers are often tempted to check their social media pages or other entertainment apps or sites. But yielding to these temptations can disrupt your creative thoughts and interfere with your productivity. With time management and distraction management apps, remote employees can stay productive. These tools go beyond helping you keep track of time; they also help you focus on critical tasks. When you get sidetracked by unproductive apps and sites, these tools will send notification alerting you to the consequences of the unwise decision you’re about to make. Time Doctor, Toggl and Focus Booster are good examples of time and distraction management tools that increase productivity Thanks to Chioma Iwunze/ Content Marketer 64) Calendared Time Blocks The first thing I do is add time blocks to my calendar to protect my time and help me stay productive. During these times I’ll use a Pomodoro app on my phone to stay on task for at least 25 minutes before taking a 5 minute break. Just doing these two simple things have helped me stay on point and not get too distracted with all the news going on in the world. Thanks to Jeff Rose, CFP®/Founder 65) Top 3 Things Start the day by picking 3 things that have to get done that day and then make an appointment on your calendar for the time you are going to work on those items. Todo lists can quickly be pushed until the next day. I’ve found that if I book time for work on my schedule just like an appointment that I’m much more likely to get that todo done. Thanks to Founder – Chief Strategist 66) No Multi-tasking One of the best ways to stay productive while working remotely is to not multi-task. When you’re switching between tasks constantly, it takes away from focusing on accomplishing a task completely. For example, you could open a Slack message in the middle of doing a task and then 5, 10, 15 minutes can pass which distracts you from completing your original intended task. To prevent this, you can use a pomodoro timer to ensure that you’re working on one task for the entirety of the time interval before taking a break. Also, when you’re working, make sure to silence notifications across devices so that you don’t get easily distracted. Thanks to Aljaz Fajmut, CEO 67) Comfy Clothes But Not Pyjamas For me, the biggest trick to working remotely is to wear really comfy clothes, but not pyjamas! I personally don’t think you should adhere to the advice on some blog posts where they say “get up sharp, get dressed as if you were going to work, go for a walk at lunch, make a to-do list” and blah, blah. It’s like they’re saying pretend you’re going to work as normal, which just doesn’t make sense. So get some comfy black sweatpants and a comfy hoodie i.e. something you’re not ashamed of when you have to open the front door to the postman or neighbour but enough for you to rest up on the sofa and work without getting a wedgie 😉 Thanks to Ryan / Owner at RCD Digital Marketing 68) Segmentation Dedicating each room or part of your hour to a specific scope (i.e., work, relax, sleep.) is the best way I’ve found to have a positive association with being productive while in quarantine. Thanks to Angelo Sorbello / Founder 69) A Well-Tuned Process A well-tuned process means that the performers understand the significance of the task. Then they complete it in accordance with the acceptance criterion and receive valuable feedback on what can be improved next time. But what lies behind this process? Obvious thing – every team action has one primary goal – to satisfy the end-user. But how to make managing and development even more customer-driven? Constant mentoring The answer is in constant mentoring of less experienced specialists. But it works productively in both directions – it would be useful for mentors to receive feedback as well. It’s important to understand that behind the code is value. And value is intended for people, for your users. Thus, all your processes are also intended for users. And the continuous improvement of processes, ongoing training, and the creation of an environment that enables personal growth (and the growth of the company’s values) makes it possible to conquer new peaks. This kind of meeting is essential to keep the whole team on the same page. It helps to identify any sort of issues at the very beginning and fix them as soon as possible. Weekly team meetings Also, it bonds your team members in the process of sharing personal feelings, ideas, and expectations. It’s something like weekly meetings but in a more personalized way. It helps to keep teammates engaged with the product and feel their own value in the team. At least, it’s great to have a chance to discuss personal concerns and avoid burning out. Weekly one-on-ones Try to create an engaging culture. Congratulate your teammates personally, send them gifts with corporate identity. Building a corporate culture at a distance Yes, you can be halfway around the world, but agree – it’s inspiring to get such a gift from your colleagues. Thanks to Maksym Babych 70) Working Together There is one thing that I found that works incredibly well – working together with someone else. When I’m working remotely on my own, it’s easy to get distracted. So, I teamed up with my wife and we motivate each other to work instead of staring at the TV or playing video games. We start work together, we take breaks together and we motivate each other to get more work done. It’s a kind of symbiosis and we’ll keep working this way until things are back to normal. Thanks to Founder and CEO 71) A Simple Checklist As simple as it sounds; a checklist. Keeping my day as similar as the work office environment, I begin my day with setting out my tasks in order of priority. As I’m checking off tasks on my to-do list, I am motivated me to keep momentum throughout the day. I also tailor my checklist to different times; for example, when I have a lull (at 3pm I usually have food coma symptoms) I tend to do tasks that fit in with that like reading and research, or take calls and meetings. Thanks to Vincenza Rossignuolo, Content Specialist 72) Distinguishing Between Work and Home Even while working remotely, it is important to create a distinction between your work and home life. It can be all too easy to start or finish your day sending emails from the comfort of your bed, but this can have a knock-on effect if it disrupts the quality of your sleep and overall productivity. Setting up a small space in your home as an ‘office area’ where you work from can be a great way to separate your home and work life while working remotely. Thanks to Charlie Morley / SEO Consultant 73) Strict Work Routine I have a great office culture at Preply, so no wonder I never got a chance to work from home for too long. Last week we switched to remote mode, and to be honest, that’s a hell of a personal challenge. Here are some tips that worked best for me so far: Set yourself a strict day work routine. You need to start and end a working day at the same time. It is better to start the morning, not with coffee, but with a glass of water, exercise, yoga, at least 10-15 min. To invigorate the body and brain as a great replacement of going to work. An absolute must-have is a comfortable workplace with enough light in the room. Get yourself a table or standing desk ASAP. Do not be afraid to be distracted for a short while to chat for 5-10 minutes with your family or chat. At the end of the working day, sports are required, at least 30-40 minutes. Better more. Thanks to Vlad Turchyn Off-site SEO Manager 74) Self-Discipline Before reverting back to a home office I was managing my remote team from our dedicated co-working space for the last year. Now, I can clearly see the difference because home office requires an incredible self-discipline otherwise you’re risking in losing momentum. The best way to stop slacking and get things rolling that currently works for me, is to follow the same process as you used to follow while working in the office mode. I’m getting up, dressing up, having breakfast and getting to work immediately without any delays or excuses. A couple of rounds in Modern Warfare just to start the day will practically ruin it, so I’m trying not to get distracted at any cost. And put your phone away, that helps for 100%. Thanks to Dan Buzan co-founder at Contega Media 75) Limit Distractions I’ve run a remote company for 4 years and my keys to success are to create a schedule (and stick to it) so you have a clear start and finish time. I also limit distractions. I turn off notifications that aren’t time-sensitive and limit household distractions. I take a break every hour to get a coffee or stretch but I don’t do household chores. I keep work for work as I would in an office. Thanks to Krista Neher, CEO of Boot Camp Digital 76) Set A Clear Path Managing a remote team can be a challenge. At Topflight Apps, I set myself on a clear path from the very beginning: I’m after top talents regardless of their location. So as you can imagine, at first, things were a bit hectic. We’ve been through various tools trying to coordinate our efforts, like Trello, Basecamp, and similar. Today we work in ClickUp and might switch to Jira someday, but the insight we’ve discovered is that it’s not really about software your team relies on. It’s about communicating your ideas clearly, being patient to get a reply, and then making sure that you’re understood. Messages in Slack do not convey the tone, as many of us have recently discovered. So recording a voice memo is sometimes worth an hour of back-and-forth chatting. That’s it: communicate clearly, listen, and be patient. And you’ll succeed. Thanks to Joe Tuan, Founder of Topflight Apps 77) Dedicated Time Dedicated time for working is essential. It is very easy to get lost to the chaos, work more or less while being remote without a sense of time. Dedicating specific parts of your day as “work time” helps me get in the mindset of working. I usually designate a time between 9am-1pm and 3pm – 7pm as my working times. It’s time I know I should be working rather than doing anything else, and helps to avoid procrastination. An additional tip for remote working teams: For my team, we have designated video meeting times every Friday and we try to keep up either by video calls or Slack through the week, especially on the morning. It’s essential for remote workers to not feel isolated while working from home, it can lead to low morale or even depression. Thanks to Nick Malekos, Senior Marketer & Head of Content at LearnWorlds 78) Use Asynchronizing Apps Please don’t use a chat or syncronizing app (Slack, WhatsApp, Messenger…) with your partners. Use an asynchronizing app to collaborate (Basecamp, Trello, Asana…). Why? Because you don’t want to be interrupted all day during your deep work! Thanks to SEO Consultant There are different ways that a person can focus on working remotely. The above responses are individual responses to personal and unique circumstances. Some of the methods are common sense, while others tend to the extreme. What matter is that these experts’ answers work for them, and may also work for you.
