11 Exceptional Ways To Do Work Remotely: All You Need To Know

The trend of remote working has rapidly increased over the last couple of years; whether due to the spur of digitalization or people wanting to juggle their day job with lucrative freelance opportunities. But the shift has come along with its set of challenges, especially for those who prefer remote work. While some professionals may encounter an increased level of productivity owing to little and no clutter in their home spaces, some may realize that not having a designated office blurs the boundary between work and enjoying life—hence leading to a lack of concentration.

– Franz Kafka

Should you create a better space at home for work? Should you be dressing up to finish the tasks at hand? Here are the best ways to go about this:

1. Never forget, a mess creates stress. Tennis icon Andre Agassi wouldn’t let anyone touch his tennis bag because if it got disorganised, he’d get distracted by that.

2. Don't make the mistake of checking your emails in the morning, it can ruin your day. The better way is to protect the peak energy hours of your mornings to produce your best work.

3. Start your day early, if you can. Advantage? The biggest advantage of working from home is that the commuting hours are zero. You can wake up at 5 am and start working at 5;30 am when the rest of the world is sleeping while you are building something. This is all about taking the advantage of morning hours.

4. Say YES to every request that may put you into trouble. The truth is we can't be available for everyone or anytime during working hours, just because you are working from home or assume that you are free. Practising saying NO more often will keep you more productive. Everyone knows but fewer do that.

5. Being ahead of time has a set of benefits. Sometimes, be a contrarian. Buy your groceries in the afternoons when the store is not so crowded. Go to the movies in the mornings. Hit the gym in the mornings. Do things at off-peak hours and you will save a lot of time for work you love to do and spending time with yourself. As a remote professional, you can afford to do all this, while a typical officer goer cannot.

6. Use your flexible work schedule to take fitness breaks. Take a short walk at 5 pm. It will not only be beneficial for your physical health but will also revive your mind, regenerate ideas and come back with renewed energy. More so, take a 20-minute power nap. This is again something most office goers can't afford to do. A quick power nap will renew your energy and virtually split your day into two.

7. Work in 90-minute blocks with 20-minute intervals to see an increase in concentration level. Also, definitely drink a sufficient amount of water. It may sound general but when you are dehydrated, you start to feel drained, have less energy and, in turn, get less done. Always, keep a water bottle beside you not to let yourself get dehydrated.

8. Planning ahead of time can reduce distractions. If you are the one who is responsible for meals, plan a week or do meal preps. Plan your house help timings so they don't interrupt your work timings. Don't forget to schedule courier delivery slots.

9. Another important thing which fewer people do is to reward themselves for every win and loss. The boosters are very helpful in keeping you on your toes. I am obsessed with self-awareness. I leave no chance to make myself feel better. I complete a project or mid-sized goal. Make a list of your rewards ( things which you enjoy a lot) and sprinkle them along the journey to your bigger targets. You should enjoy the process without caring about the fruitful results.

10. It’s absolutely essential to keep track of how you're spending your work day at home. Be mindful and record the number of hours you're actually working and wasting. In case you’re just starting out and trying to get into a certain rhythm, approaching a coach or mentor can help with the initial setup.

11. Last, but not least, keep a very keen eye on the big goal. Print a picture of what you are dreaming of, whether it is a dream house, starting a business, taking a world tour or anything and pin it where you can see it while working. This is a striking way to improve your productivity on the current work.

These are the simple and practical tips that focus on how to enhance day-to-day functioning. The pivot on how to actually get in flow to quintuple your productivity. Flow defines being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every moves and thoughts flow like water inevitably. You work like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved when you are using skills smartly.