{"id":2266,"date":"2021-05-28T10:51:22","date_gmt":"2021-05-28T08:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/skilla2026.local\/2021\/05\/28\/how-to-be-productive-when-working-remotely\/"},"modified":"2021-05-28T10:51:22","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T08:51:22","slug":"how-to-be-productive-when-working-remotely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/2021\/05\/28\/how-to-be-productive-when-working-remotely\/","title":{"rendered":"How to be productive when working remotely"},"content":{"rendered":"

Initially working from home may seem like a dream come true: more concentration, less distractions from colleagues and more time for yourself. However, after a few days of not going to the office, you may notice that your concentration has gone downhill, distractions<\/strong> are no longer caused by colleagues but by family members and domestic tasks<\/strong>, and the chair which seemed so comfortable in the beginning has eventually led to a backache.
\nRemote working means being able to benefit from greater autonomy, but as in all situations of responsibility, a dark side <\/strong>lurks around the corner: managing yourself and your work may lead to confusion, an unproductive routine, and the development of unwholesome habits. Organising your work and knowing how to do it well are key skills for the remote worker.
\nBut how can you become a better remote worker and develop<\/strong> greater concentration<\/strong> and productivity<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

7 strategies for productive remote working<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>1) Clarify your goals and establish priorities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by everything you need to do? You must reply to that important email, but the telephone won’t stop ringing, then there’s that project to close, the website needs updating, and you should fill out that document…
\nCreate a To Do List<\/strong> for activities you need to complete each day: this will enable you to keep track of progress<\/strong> for each programmed task<\/strong>. Above all, learn to establish priorities, so that you always have your workflow under control and don’t lose yourself in a myriad of activities.<\/p>\n

What is the purpose of correctly establishing priorities?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In remote working, the ability to define things to do and not to do, sequences and time frames, is fundamental for productivity.<\/p>\n

The ABCDE method is a good technique to use for establishing your priorities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start by taking a rather large sheet of paper; divide it into 5 columns, one for each letter (ABCDE). Now write down every activity you need to get done on post-its.
\nNow add the post-its to the columns on the paper.
\nAdd very important activities<\/strong> to A<\/strong>, namely those you absolutely need to get done to avoid negative consequences.
\nPlace things you should get done<\/strong> under B<\/strong>, namely those activities that are important but generate less negative consequences should you fail to do them.
\nPlace things it would be nice to get done<\/strong>, but are not important and do not generate negative consequences, under C<\/strong>.
\nPlace everything that can be delegated or automated<\/strong> under D<\/strong>.
\nLastly, place activities to be eliminated as soon as possible<\/strong> under E<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Creating this list will help you use your time and focus your concentration on the most essential things, so that you can minimise interruptions and distractions<\/strong> during periods of remote working and beyond!<\/p>\n

2) Avoid multitasking<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, doing several things at the same time is not good for productivity or for your health, because when you multitask<\/strong>, your attention constantly shifts between tasks. This makes it impossible to dedicate yourself with the utmost concentration<\/strong> to the main task<\/strong> at hand. \u200b
\n<\/strong>In practical terms: if I eat while watching TV, my attention shifts away from my food, from its taste, the consistency of what I’m eating, but also from the television, from what I’m listening to and watching on the screen.
\nMany scientific studies confirm this: for example, a 37% drop in attention levels in terms of brain activation<\/strong> was observed when the subjects of an experiment were asked to drive while speaking on the phone!
\nAt work the implications will no doubt be less tragic, however in remote working, making sure you stick to one task at a time will keep your concentration levels high and help you avoid mistakes!<\/p>\n

3) Don’t procrastinate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Avoid putting off apparently more boring or difficult tasks: it will become increasingly difficult to finish them! The best strategy to adopt in such cases can be summed up by the “Eat That Frog<\/strong>” strategy, which basically means getting the scariest or most boring thing over with first. Once you have “eaten the frog”, the rest of your working day will run much more smoothly.<\/p>\n

4) Take stock at the end of the day<\/strong><\/p>\n

Set aside a few minutes before finishing work to take stock of things: am I on track with that project? How much time did it take to finish that task?
\nA fundamental aspect you should pay particular attention to is the level of importance of assigned duties: did you focus enough on the most urgent and useful <\/strong>ones, or were you distracted by others?
\nVerify progress and try to understand whether you are working on priority tasks<\/strong>, or whether you are spending too much time on less important ones.<\/p>\n

5) Avoid distractions as much as possible<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try to identify the biggest causes of distraction and get rid of as much of them as possible (or at least reduce them).
\nFor example, you could try keeping your personal smartphone<\/strong> far away from your workstation, or if you are aware of just how tempted you are to use it, you could even leave it in a different room.<\/p>\n

6) There’s a time for work and a time for rest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regardless of the context and sector, knowing how to manage time<\/strong> at work is life-saving.
\nMany methods can help improve time management and, if you\u2019re looking for a way to complete your tasks without distractions, then the Pomodoro Technique<\/strong> is perfect for you!
\nWhat is it?<\/strong> It\u2019s a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo, which can be used to complete tasks. It consists of working in 25 minute blocks with a 5 minute break between each time “box”.<\/p>\n

7) Don’t isolate yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the upsides of office life is the presence of colleagues: this means you have the chance to chat or take your mind off things during breaks; they also make you feel even more a part of the company. Don’t lose touch with your colleagues! You can contact them if you need help with something; turn to the person in charge to suggest organising a weekly 20 minute meeting so that everyone keeps up to date on company life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The useful tool for remote working<\/strong><\/p>\n

The To Do List for anyone in remote working can be on paper or digital; if you prefer the second option, we recommend the Todoist<\/strong> app which is functional and has pleasant graphics.
\nIt is usable with any device and can even be integrated with Alexa and all major email management softwares, making it the ideal tool for organising your private and work life. It is a freemium service.
\nIt has advanced features like Smart Schedule<\/strong>, which understands the best days for scheduling our tasks. The free version is rich in functions and the premium version costs around \u20ac30 per year.
\nTodoist<\/strong> enables you to create projects<\/strong>, activities, deadlines, priorities<\/strong>, labels, comments, reminders<\/strong>, integrations and shares<\/strong>. Using it is simple and you’ll notice that it is especially useful for sharing information with other people and managing repetitive activities, as it enables you to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • cooperate<\/strong> with other people by inviting them to participate in the same project<\/strong>;<\/li>\n
  • easily enter periodic deadlines<\/strong> including daily, weekly, monthly or annual ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A few tips for your workstation<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Let’s start with the environment. It is useful to have a fixed station in the same place, with a desk and comfortable chair.
    \nInvest<\/strong> in a good monitor, a good desk and a quality chair to ensure your long term well-being<\/strong>, reduce eye fatigue and any back pain caused by unsuitable seating.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • The room<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      If you can, try to choose a different room from the one where you sleep and eat: changing environments during the day will help you psychologically to separate your work and home life.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Chairs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The authors of the ergonomics blog NerdGranny recommend support rocking chairs<\/strong>, recliner chairs, knee rests and back supports. \u200b
        \nIn this way we can rock while we work, avoiding keeping our pelvis stuck in the same position for too long.<\/p>\n

          \n
        • The desk<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          There are many desk solutions, including height adjustable ones which even let you work standing up. The height is right if we can comfortably position our wrists when typing. \u200b<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • The monitor<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            An external monitor <\/strong>with a large screen significantly boosts productivity.
            \nAccording to your line of work, it may be a good idea to consider a 22 to 29 inch <\/strong>model. With an investment of less than \u20ac200 you can find good deals and your eyes will thank you for it. \u200b<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Light<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              While on the subject of eyes, light is an essential factor<\/strong> for creating an optimal workstation. The advice here is to experiment and find the area in the room with the best light that does not create reflections while you work on your pc.
              \nWith a few practical expedients, some common sense and a small investment, you can create an effective space where you can work better, with less stress. \u200b<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Train constantly<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Finally, remote working is apparently simple but the truth is it requires you to constantly exercise discipline over your autonomy<\/strong> and attention.
                \nWith these tips you’ll become a more effective and serene “remote worker”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Initially working from home may seem like a dream come true: more concentration, less distractions from colleagues and more time for yourself. However, after a few days of not going to the office, you may notice that your concentration has gone downhill, distractions are no longer caused by colleagues but by family members and domestic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-insights"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2266\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}