Remote work is by no means a new concept in the business realm, but it has been experiencing a major boost lately due to the coronavirus frenzy. Governments all over the globe are trying to restrict movement and companies need to adapt by letting their employees work from home at least for a while.

The question is not whether you should rely on remote work or not. After all, human civilization is facing a brand new challenge and it is clear that everyone must contribute to the bigger cause these days. But the real issue every employee is coping with is how to keep the same level of efficiency while switching from on-site to the remote. 

It’s a serious question that requires a comprehensive answer, so keep reading to learn how to maximize professional productivity without going to the office. 

Practical tips to stay engaged while working from home

Remote work has become a big trend because it gives employees a lot of practical benefits. According to the report, 86% of people feel that working remotely reduces stress. Another study reveals that 85% of businesses have increased productivity through remote work because of greater flexibility. According to the statistics Finances Online gathered for their 2020 report on remote work and Telecommuting, it might have some great perks, that greatly outperform working offsite. 

What seems to be their secret? It’s impossible to give only one answer to this question, so let’s check out nine ways to remain productive as a remote worker. 

• Keep in touch with your team

You might be working remotely, but you are not supposed to stay an isolated individual. On the contrary, keeping in touch with your team is critical to the success of the entire organization.

Luckily enough, there are tons of communication tools and platforms you can use to exchange information about daily tasks. From messenger services and Skype to agile project management platforms such as Asana or CRMs such as Teamgate, there are many ways to communicate with colleagues and keep track of all changes in real-time. 

• Stick to the same schedule of work

The fact that you are home doesn’t give you the right to change daily habits and interfere with the regular rhythm of work. Therefore, you need to stick to the same schedule of work and behave as if you were in the office the whole day.

If you used to go to work every day at 9 AM, you should do the same back home. This is the only way to keep the same mindset and stay productive long-term. 

• Set your goals and deliverables

You can hardly achieve the desired level of efficiency if you don’t plan well in advance. What is it that you have to do here? Do you know your targets and deliverables? Can you name the key performance indicators (KPIs)? 

All these questions are extremely important, so you better make sure to set goals clearly and concisely. A general rule is to plan daily, weekly, and monthly activities while prioritizing tasks from more to less important.  

• Create a home-based office

The third tip on our list may be a bit problematic if you are living in a small apartment, but you should try to follow it nonetheless. Namely, remote workers should always try to create a small home-based office where they can work quietly and peacefully. 

Let it be the smallest room in your home or even a tiny corner in the living room. The only thing that really matters is to make it as isolated as possible in order to ensure full focus. 

• Eliminate distractions

Speaking of focus and concentration, another important suggestion is to eliminate distractions that might keep your mind off work. First of all, you must set boundaries and order family members not to enter your home office. 

Jake Gardner, a blogger who specializes in writing services reviews, says the second advice is to cut out the noise and get rid of the electronic devices that don’t serve professional purposes: “Of course, it is also necessary to avoid browsing the Internet, playing games, and scrolling down social media newsfeeds.”

• Dress like you’re going to the office

Tip number six is not mandatory, but it helps a lot of remote workers to stay focused and complete professional tasks as planned. Dressing as if you are going to the traditional office creates a notion of seriousness and professionalism, which often helps remote employees to prepare for work and start coping with professional responsibilities more diligently. 

• Exercise

It’s easy to get lazy when there’s no need to get up early and leave your place. In such circumstances, you should start exercising in order to stay fit and energized both on and off work. The simplest activity is jogging as it takes little gear and can be done almost anywhere. All it takes is to go out and run three to four times a week – it should be more than enough to keep you strong, healthy, and mentally fresh.

• Don’t forget to take breaks

When your home is your office, clients and colleagues might think they can call you or send you messages 24/7. This is far from being true, so make sure to set professional boundaries as well and take breaks when needed. 

You should get up and stretch your legs every hour. Of course, leave the afternoons for your friends and family, and don’t forget to take a vacation if you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. 

• Track professional progress

The last tip on our list is to keep track of your goals and measure the results of remote work. This process is much easier is you’ve already defined KPIs and determined the most important business deliverables. 

In this case, you only need to compare the plans with the results achieved to figure out personal productivity. After that, it won’t be too difficult to identify the strengths of your work and pinpoint weaknesses that need to be eliminated.

Up to You!

Remote work is not only an option, but rather a genuine necessity these days. If you don’t want to jeopardize your health, you better make sure to work from the comfort of the home. In this post, we explained to you the benefits of remote work and discussed how to keep the same level of professional efficiency without on-site operations. The tips we mentioned are highly practical, so now it’s up to you to take the extra step and ensure the highest level of remote work quality.