If you’re new to working remotely or you just can’t seem to get into your usual work groove, here are some surefire ways to boost your motivation and increase your productivity.
Create a dedicated work space
If you’re going to get work done, you need a dedicated office/work space in your home. For best results, your office space should be 100% free of distractions. Ideally, you need a space where you can shut yourself away. You need to set ground rules with your family or roommates about when they can and cannot enter your ‘office’.
When making your home office, it also helps to make the room look like an office. Make sure you have easy access to all of the tools and supplies you need to succeed. This could include your computer, a printer, video conferencing equipment, paper, pens, and more. The more your room feels like an office, the easier it will be to stay motivated in the workplace.
Routine, routine, routine
Getting up early can be a challenge, even when you have the pressure of being in the office at 8 o’clock every morning. However, when you are working from home and have no real set schedule, the desire to stay in bed, or work on a home project, compounds.
If you want to stay motivated, do yourself a favour and set a specific time to wake up every day. Try to stay in your usual routine as much as possible. Set your alarm and wake up early. Studies show that people are more proactive in the morning and more likely to identify with the idea of being in charge of making things happen.
However, if you’re not much of a morning person, it’s important to determine when you do your best work, and then set a regular work schedule around that time. For most, that may mean waking up early, exercising, showering, getting dressed for work, eating a healthy breakfast, and then making a checklist of everything you need to accomplish for the day. As you get into your routine, you’ll find it’s much easier to stay motivated and accomplish your goals.
Remember to schedule the tasks you need to complete, regular breaks, any meetings you have, just as you would if you were in the office.
Digital tools to increase productivity
There are several productivity tools that will help you stay organised and motivated. Here are some of the best productivity tools for remote workers.
Slack – one we’re sure everyone has heard of already. Slack is one of the best communication tools for remote teams on the market. You can message everyone on your team from one convenient app. You can create specific chat channels for different projects to stay organised. You can also share files and add comments to documents. Finally, Slack integrates with several other software and social media channels for increased convenience.
Dropbox – Dropbox is a cloud file sharing program that is perfect for organising your files and sharing large files. With Dropbox, you’ll never have to worry about wasted time or jamming up an inbox ever again.
Trello – Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details. It’s a collaboration tool that organises your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process. Imagine a white board, filled with lists of sticky notes, with each note as a task for you and your team.
Focus Booster – Focus Booster is a time tracking app that helps you stay focused on the task at hand. This app uses the Pomodoro Technique which helps you increase concentration and minimise interruptions.
Take regular breaks
Work can pile up and sometimes it seems the best thing to do is to work through breaks. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Here are some of the top reasons for scheduling breaks into your day:
• Increased productivity
• Improved mental well-being
• Creativity boost
• More time for healthy habits
So, make sure you take some time to relax to ensure you don’t burnout and become stressed.
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